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Bogalusa, Louisiana is trying to turn a new leaf by lowering crime rates and putting the community first. In 2022, Bogalusa’s violent crime rates were more than two times higher than the state of Louisiana. A person is twice as likely to be a victim of a violent crime in Bogalusa.
The justice system in America is faulty and punitive, which creates a cycle of harm and trauma. Challenging factors like poverty, lack of community centers and economic opportunities, and little to no public transportation increase crime rates.
Bogalusa citizens are working with civic leaders and organizations to address root causes and change this trajectory.
Collaborating with Equal Justice USA
Equal Justice USA (EJUSA) is a national organization supporting community healing and justice reform by promoting healthy solutions to traumatic violence. Mayor Tyrin Troung encourages and welcomes the efforts of EJUSA to reduce violence in the city.
In 2023, their program initiative Pathways to Healing: Bogalusa Community Conversations, interviewed over 40 community members in three-plus months to understand Bogalusa from the community’s lens. Community members and EJUSA met in August to discuss the findings.
EJUSA believes in addressing and resolving root causes to help reduce violence. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Bogalusa’s poverty rate is 29.6% in comparison to the state’s 19.6%. This is due to the lack of economic development and diversity within the city and surrounding area.
In their, “A Roadmap for Change: Building Community-Based Public Safety in Bogalusa” report, EJUSA reveals that rural communities like Bogalusa do not receive the public-health funding resources needed to help local organizations and grassroots thrive. This lack of engagement and funding negatively trickles down into the community.
Residents shared that ineffective communal parenting, lack of resources and support, youth-based violence, and lack of trust in the community, police department, and city government are their experiences.
When asked what healing looks like for Bogalusa, a participant said, “[Healing looks like] treating people how we want to be treated and caring for perspectives across generations.”
EJUSA believes that helping in improving a community’s quality of life and healing will lead to less community violence. Chief Executive Officer of EJUSA, Jamila Hodge shared, “The people of Bogalusa know what they need to be safe, and to thrive! And they have every right to demand those solutions as an approach to safety, one that addresses the root causes of harm.”
Founder and Executive Directive of Forever Takes a Village, Khlilia Davis said, “Our young people opened up about their struggles, and their parents even started opening up about their trauma. I started to see light bulbs going off in our heads. We had normalized the violence here in Bogalusa. But we didn’t have to accept it. We could create a safer, more healed city. That’s when I knew we were onto something.”
Davis created the organization after closely seeing the murder of a 15-year-old at her niece’s birthday party.
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Action-based solutions to help Bogalusa
Mayor Troung understands that collaborative community efforts will move Bogalusa in a positive direction. He expressed, “You still see people helping one another and that’s what I love most about our city… [We] have to be resilient.”
EJUSA recommends Mayor Troung create a public safety work group and a mayor’s youth advisory council. Investing in wraparound resources and services at satellite offices is vital as well.
In addition, they suggest that the city council be transparent with the community, waive fees at recreational facilities and community events, and invest in community-based strategies to reduce violence.
EJUSA encourages residents of Bogalusa to focus on restorative justice, form community coalitions across generations, and hold accountability for themselves and the city.
Participants in the report expressed a distrust in policing due to their lack of effort and involvement in solving crimes.
A credible messenger shared a tip, “Start community policing, bringing the community and the policing together. That’s the way you got to start. If you don’t start there, you ain’t going nowhere, because when the police and the community don’t work together, you divided.”
Residents stress that the community needs obtainable resources to improve their well-being and mental health. A town in dire need of public transportation, youth community activities and centers, and equitable public health, yet surrounded by a paper mill that has released over 1,000,000 million pounds of hydrogen sulfide is not helping.
To help move in a positive direction, the city is starting with the youth. The Teen Lounge, a community recreational center had its grand opening last month and is open to the public. Teens have access to reading nooks, basketball, ping pong, Wi-Fi, and gaming consoles. In addition, security and surveillance cameras are on site.
The people of Bogalusa can change their lives for the better by solving their problems together.