Posted on 10/08/2018 4:16:45 PM PDT by Theoria
In the exact spot where Hurricane Katrina demolished the Plaquemines Parish Detention Center, a new $105 million jail now hovers 19 feet above the marsh, perched atop towering concrete pillars. Described by a state official as the “Taj Mahal” of Louisiana corrections, it has so much space that one of every 27 parish residents could bunk there.
But on an average day in the first half of this year, more than 40 percent of its 872 beds went unoccupied, making it one of the emptiest jails in the state, records show. And because of its isolated, flood-prone location, the jail still must be evacuated before any major storm or risk becoming an accidental Alcatraz.
There is but one reason the Plaquemines jail was rebuilt on endangered land, with needless capacity, at immense cost: The sheriff wanted it that way. But unlike most new jail construction, his project did not have to be financed through bond sales or other local revenues, with voters able to hold him accountable. Rather, because the old jail was destroyed by a natural disaster, the cost was covered by federal taxpayers, through a Federal Emergency Management Agency program that is required by law to distribute billions in aid but exerts little control over how the money is spent.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Bill & Hillary will be comfy.
“... it has so much space that one of every 27 parish residents could bunk there.”
Down in Plaquemines Parish, that’s not gonna be enough.
They are gonna need a bigger jail.
Remember the great line: half of Louisiana is under water; the other half is under indictment.
Actually, Plaquemines is one of my favorite places on the planet.
And the jail my be a bit much, and I imagine a whole bunch of Plaquemines Parish politicians’ brother-in-laws, first cousins and third cousins twice removed had the constriction the jail.
"Why, Gog? Why do these great storms keep coming."
"It is surely our fault. We have failed to please the Wind God with our meager offerings."
I lived in Okinawa, they bulky homes that stood up to the typhoons that regularly hit the island. Maybe some of our states need to change building codes.
Why do they rebuild in a destroyed flood plain area. Just make it an open area nature preserve and be done with it. Plant trees, put in some walking trails, add habitat for birds. Add an outdoor summer concert stage. Plant a community garden.
The courthouse and parish jail were pretty much alone on that side of the river; you had to drive down to West Pointe à la Hache and take the ferry over. Thus, the courthouse hours were unofficially aligned with the ferry crossing intervals. I assume it's the same way with the new facility.
And millions of additional people keep moving to the higher risk parts of the country, adding to the dollar value, numbers of people, insurance costs and government costs of the storms.
I say we go back to before there was FEMA.
Both Chicago (great Chicago fire) and San Francisco (massive earthquake and fire) were rebuilt without massive federal help or a FEMA.
A large prison surrounded by murky waters is not such a bad idea. If it’s not full,I’m sure there are some country-club-type prisons elsewhere that are overfilled.
I used to crew change out of Buras and Venice sometimes. Garden spots.
My kin folk had a camp outside of Buras.
Great fishing.
Katrina took her.
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