NEWS
Ascension Parish Jail, state prisons halt visitations
Staff Report
The Ascension Parish Jail and state-run prisons are stopping visitations due to the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases.
The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office and the Department of Corrections announced the new policies July 27. It is effective immediately, and affects the state's eight prisons.
A sheriff's spokesperson said the decision was made as a precaution to the coronavirus surge.
"Out an abundance of caution we will be stopping visitation at the Ascension Parish Jail until further notice as a COVID-19 safety precaution," the statement read.
The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections announced a stop for all visitation and volunteering at state-run prisons until at least Aug. 16.