Shreveport, La. – Retired Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Scott Crichton announced he is ready to resume the late Judge Frank Thaxton’s effort to address chronic overcrowding at the Caddo Parish jail. Crichton, who left the high court in 2024 and now practices civil law, told reporters he would serve as a consultant without compensation because he believes the problem can be solved.
Background on the overcrowding issue
The Caddo Correctional Center is currently operating at nearly 60% over its design capacity, housing 1,705 inmates in a facility built for 1,070, according to the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Henry Whitehorn has no authority to release inmates, and Crichton emphasized that the sheriff should not be blamed for the excess numbers.
Two years ago, before his death, Judge Thaxton was conducting a feasibility study on how to move cases through Caddo’s First Judicial District more quickly. One of his proposals was to add a sixth criminal‑court section to the existing five, a change intended to speed case resolution and reduce the jail’s intake.
Crichton’s proposed role
Crichton said he would approach Justices Cade Cole and Jay McCallum, who share oversight of Caddo Parish, and ask them to assign him a similar task to Thaxton’s. “I don’t have any authority to appoint myself,” he noted, adding that his judicial robe sits in the attic. “I’m okay with that.”
Drawing on his experience as a former assistant district attorney, former judge, and former Supreme Court justice, Crichton believes he can help identify “obstacles or chokepoints” in the court system and recommend practical solutions. He recalled his final year on the Supreme Court, when the inmate population surged toward 1,500, and said he was “extremely busy” handling the crisis.
Why the work matters to families and the community
Overcrowded jails strain resources, increase safety concerns, and place a heavy burden on families of the incarcerated. By improving court efficiency, the community can see faster case dispositions, fewer pre‑trial detainees, and a reduction in the need for costly jail expansions.
Crichton’s offer aligns with the values of traditional families and individual liberty that many Caddo residents hold dear: a fair, timely justice system that respects the rights of the accused while protecting public safety.
Next steps
Crichton plans to meet with Justices Cole and McCallum in the coming weeks to discuss the scope of his involvement. If appointed, he will conduct a review similar to Thaxton’s, focusing on court staffing, scheduling, and procedural bottlenecks. The goal is to produce a set of recommendations that local officials can act on promptly.
The sheriff’s office, the parish’s judicial district, and community leaders have expressed interest in the study’s findings, hoping they will lead to actionable reforms that ease the jail’s burden without compromising public safety.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
