Arrest and Identity in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

For her capstone project, Elise Gonzalez complied research data comparing arrest trends and prison demography in East Baton Rouge (EBR) Parish to their national correlates and developed a web application that makes this information more accessible to the public. Her research sought to explain the level of representation of various demographic groups in the arrested population in EBR Parish, the likelihood of arrest for people with various identities and combinations of identities in EBR Parish, all the while comparing these rates to national correlates. Utilizing census data and local and national arrest records, Elise discussed ways EBR Parish mirrors the United States correctional system, generally, in its overrepresentation and incarceration centered around young men of color. The web application developed serves as a public education tool showcasing the above findings and is meant to shine a light on the impact of identity on arrest probability, as well as increase public awareness of the conditions inside the EBR Parish Prison.