The Livingston Parish Prison was built in 1982 and went into operation in early 1983 with a rated capacity of 80 inmates. Since this time, the facility has been expanded twice raising the rated capacity to 154 inmates which includes housing for seven females. Due to the population increase of the parish during this period, the current facility is continually overcrowded therefore the parish has been forced to ship pre-trial inmates to other local facilities.  A new detention center is currently under construction on parish owned property adjacent to the current facility and is expected to be completed in early 2008. Upon completion of the new facility, all Livingston Parish pre-trial inmates currently being housed at other correctional facilities will be returned to our parish.

The new Livingston Parish Detention Center will be a tobacco free facility and will house both adult male and female inmates. The facility will have a rated capacity of 673 inmates. The new facility will hold both pre-trial inmates as well as state inmates. Most state inmates that are housed at this facility will serve as inmate workers which will in turn save the parish money by capitalizing on the inmates’ acquired skills. Inmate workers will be utilized in many areas including at the detention center, courthouse, training center, as well as litter crews helping to keep our parish roads and highways clean.

The detention center staff will include approx 70 deputies working both on-shift and in support roles including full time medical staff on each shift under the direction of Warden Jim Brown. Inmates are provided with food, clothing, toiletries, medications and other health care services as needed. In addition, the detention center offers various educational/religious programming in order to assist all inmates while incarcerated and for their eventual re-entry into the community. The detention center also offers a commissary program which allows inmates’ to order various facility approved items. All inmates are issued an inmate handbook upon booking which describes in depth the rules, regulations, and all other pertinent information inmates’ may need to successfully complete their time of incarceration. 

The new detention center will feature up-to-date audio/visual security equipment with the facility surrounded by an eight-foot fence covered with razor wire. All persons entering the facility are subject to search and are not allowed to bring any personal items into the facility.