Mississippi Flood Threatens Angola Prison

Nestled in a hairpin turn of the Mississippi River, the 18,000 acre Louisiana State Penitentiary (LSP) is surrounded by water on three sides. The prison, known as Angola to criminals nationwide, is the largest maximum security prison in the United States, with 5,000 inmates and 1,800 staff. It sits on the east bank of the river upstream from the Morganza Spillway.

Pam LaBorde, communications director for the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, was able to provide information about the prison's response to the record flooding on the Mississippi River.

The river is expected to crest at 64.5 feet May 22. She reports that the 12 miles of levees that encircle the prison are between 68 and 73 feet in height. The river is not expected to overtop the levees.

Sand boils represent a different threat. They weaken the levee and create a spot where the river could breech the flood protection. The National Guard has located at least 100 sand boils in levees in northern Louisiana, according to the Defense Imagery & Video Distribution System, and the numbers are expected to grow as the flood crest moves south.

Corrections staff are patrolling the levees around the Angola prison complex 24/7 by boat and ATV, and aerial inspection is taking place every few days. No offender housing areas are in danger at this time, according to LaBorde.

LaBorde says that 1,920 inmates have been evacuated from the prison as a precaution. They have been sent to other state correctional facilities. A number of inmates from those facilities were also moved so the Angola inmates could be accommodated. Some staff have been moved to support the inmate transfers.

The remaining offenders will stay at LSP. Tents have been set up on high ground at the prison in case they are needed. Buses are standing by if additional evacuation becomes necessary.

La Borde stated that corrections officers are being assisted by officers from Probation and Parole. Some are assisting in patrolling the levee by boat while others are acting as escorts during prisoner transfers.

Louisiana correctional facilities and work release programs are using offender labor for sandbagging operations. Gov. Bobby Jindal reports that some 310 offender work crews were involved in flood-related activities like sandbagging over this past weekend.