Orleans Parish Prison

Orleans Parish Prison is the city jail for New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office. A majority of prisoners—1,305 as of June 2016—are awaiting trial.In May 2013, Orleans Parish Prison ranked as one of the ten worst prisons in the United States, based on reporting in Mother Jones magazine.FacilitiesThe Federal Emergency Management Agency has dedicated $223 million to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office for restoration of its facilities following Hurricane Katrina. The Sheriff's Office has outlined three phases of construction that would utilize these funds.Phase IThe Phase I facility is a three-story, 163,885sqfoot building consisting of a kitchen and warehouse.Phase IIOpened in 2015, Phase II contains 1,438 beds and cost $145 million to construct.Phase IIIThe Sheriff’s office plans to build an additional 750-bed facility. The Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition opposes the plan, calling on Mayor Mitch Landrieu's office to "oppose any options involving the expansion of the jail," and instead support "retrofitting of the current jail to better care for incarcerated special populations."FatalitiesBetween April 2006 and April 2014, The Times-Picayune reports 44 inmate deaths, including seven "uncounted" deaths, referring to inmates released shortly before their deaths. Since the report, there have been five additional fatalities, bringing the total to 49 since April 2006.