The Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights is a nonprofit law office that commits itself to addressing the issues that bring young people into the juvenile legal system. We do so by fighting for our children in the courtroom, at City Hall, and in the state legislature.

We know that children thrive when they are supported in their own homes and communities. We advocate for state and local policies that reduce the number of children in the legal system and provide better alternatives to arrest and incarceration. For the kids who do enter the system, we support policies that keep them safe, protect their rights, and get them home as soon as possible.

As the juvenile public defender in New Orleans, we represent the majority of children in the city who come into contact with the juvenile legal system. We provide each child with a holistic team – a lawyer, social worker, investigator, and advocate – to address both the causes and consequences of an arrest. We make sure children have the supports they need to access education, mental health care, and job opportunities so they can put the system behind them for good.

Additionally, we bring our holistic defense model to the juvenile defender in East Baton Rouge, providing the social work support needed for their kids there. We also advocate for local and statewide policies that reduce the number of children in the legal system and provide better alternatives to arrest and incarceration.

We work for children’s rights every day because when kids thrive, so do our families, our communities, and our state.