Louisiana’s correctional facilities are allegedly keeping individuals incarcerated for extended periods beyond their mandated release dates, according to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday. The legal action stems from a lengthy investigation that has led federal authorities to assert that there exists a troubling trend of “systemic overdetention,” which not only infringes upon the rights of inmates but also imposes a substantial financial burden on taxpayers each year.

The DOJ claims that since at least 2012, over 25% of individuals expected to be released from Louisiana’s prisons have remained incarcerated beyond their official release dates. Federal officials previously cautioned state authorities that their failure to remedy the situation could result in legal action, and the department has labeled the state’s attempts to rectify the issues as “marginal” and indicative of a “deliberate indifference” toward the constitutional rights of those imprisoned.

“(T)he right to individual liberty encompasses the right to be released on time once the court-imposed sentence has concluded,” stated Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke upon announcing the lawsuit. “To hold individuals indefinitely… not only violates personal liberty but also undermines public trust in the equitable enforcement of our legal system.”

In a joint response, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and State Attorney General Liz Murrill attributed the ongoing challenges to “failed criminal justice reforms” from the prior administration. They stated, “Over the past year, we have implemented significant measures to ensure the safety of Louisianans and to ensure that those who commit crimes serve appropriate time for their offenses. The State of Louisiana is dedicated to upholding the constitutional rights of its citizens.”

The Republican leaders characterized the lawsuit as a final effort by the administration of outgoing President Joe Biden and expressed confidence that an incoming administration under Donald Trump would not have permitted such an action to proceed.

Additionally, advocates have consistently raised concerns about the conditions within Louisiana’s prison system. This includes Angola, the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, where inmates are required to work in extreme heat, harvesting crops by hand on land that was previously a slave plantation.