31:T615,

Life Without Parole in Lousiana

Ilica Mahajan, David Eads

Louisiana sentences people to life without parole at one of the highest rates in the United States. Nearly ${(Math.round(data.length / 100) * 100).toLocaleString()} men and women are serving lifetime sentences in the state, for crimes that range from homicide and rape to rarer cases of repeat purse snatchings and child neglect, according to an investigation by [The Marshall Project](https://themarshallproject.org) and [The Times-Picayune | The Advocate](https://www.theadvocate.com/). This notebook provides additional analysis of charges and demographics, along with anonymized prisoner-level data. The data was provided by the Louisiana Department of Corrections in response to a records request and represents people serving life without parole in Louisiana as of September, 2021. A version of this analysis was used for the story [Her Baby Died After Hurricane Katrina. Was It a Crime?](https://www.themarshallproject.org/2021/12/16/her-baby-died-after-hurricane-katrina) by Cary Aspinwall, Lea Skene and Ilica Mahajan. To download the data, skip to the [data release notes](#download). ---

The Marshall Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system. If you appreciate our data releases, [support our work](https://www.themarshallproject.org/donate).

32:T576,# Download the data * ${DOM.download( new Blob([JSON.stringify(data)], { type: "application/json" }), "lousiana_life_without_parole_sept_2021.json", "Download in JSON format" )} * ${DOM.download( new Blob([d3.csvFormat(dt.objects())], { type: "text/csv" }), "lousiana_life_without_parole_sept_2021.csv", "Download in CSV format" )} (tidy format: one row per prisoner and charge) The dataset includes these fields: * `DOC Number`: Department of Corrections identifier. * `Race`: Enumerated field with the incarcerated person's race. * `Gender`: Enumerated field with incarcerated person's gender; "F" for women and "M" for men. * `Bucket_Age`: Age of incarcerated person as of Dec. 1, 2021 and bucketed to maintain anonymity (e.g., 60-70 years old). * `Parish of Conviction`: The Louisiana parish where the prisoner was convicted and sentenced. * `offenses`: Multi-valued field with sentenced offenses. Because offenses is a multi-valued field, the JSON and CSV data structures differ slightly. In the JSON version, each prisoner is represented by a single Javascript object. Following [tidy data principles](https://r4ds.had.co.nz/tidy-data.html), the CSV version represents each prisoner and charge as a separate row. Observable users may import the data in their own notebooks: ```javascript import { data as lwopLA } from "@themarshallproject/life-without-parole-louisiana" ```33:[] 2f:{"title":"Life Without Parole in Lousiana","cells":[{"id":0,"value":"$31","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":31,"value":"# Charges","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":35,"value":"## Top 20 charges\n\nThe chart below counts the number of people convicted of at least one count of that charge.\n\nIf one person was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, they are counted once under second degree murder. If they were convicted of aggravated rape and second-degree murder, they are counted under both charges.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":74,"value":"Plot.plot({\n marks: [\n Plot.barX(\n rollup_by_charge_and_inmate,\n Plot.groupY(\n { x: \"sum\" },\n {\n x: \"count\",\n y: \"offenses\",\n fill: \"count\",\n sort: { y: \"x\", reverse: true, limit: 20 }\n }\n )\n ),\n Plot.text(rollup_by_charge_and_inmate, {\n x: \"count\",\n y: \"offenses\",\n text: (d) => d.count.toLocaleString(),\n textAnchor: \"start\",\n dx: 5,\n sort: { y: \"x\", reverse: true, limit: 20 }\n })\n ],\n marginLeft: 200,\n marginRight: 80,\n color: {\n range: colorRange\n }\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":246,"value":"## People not convicted of murder or sex-related charges\n\n* There are ${non_murder_nonsex_total} people with no murder-related or sex-related conviction.\n* There are ${murder_related_total.toLocaleString()} people with at least one murder-related conviction. \n* There are ${sex_related_total.toLocaleString()} people with at least one sex-related conviction.\n\nArmed robbery was the most common charge among people with no murder-related or sex-related charge.\n\nThe chart below counts the number of people convicted of at least one count of the charge, out of the ${non_murder_nonsex_total} people with no murder-related or sex-related charge.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":243,"value":"Plot.plot({\n marks: [\n Plot.barX(\n rollup_nonmurder_nonsex_by_charge_and_inmate,\n Plot.groupY(\n { x: \"sum\" },\n {\n x: \"count\",\n y: \"offenses\",\n fill: \"count\",\n sort: { y: \"x\", reverse: true, limit: 20 }\n }\n )\n ),\n Plot.text(rollup_nonmurder_nonsex_by_charge_and_inmate, {\n x: \"count\",\n y: \"offenses\",\n text: (d) => d.count.toLocaleString(),\n textAnchor: \"start\",\n dx: 5,\n sort: { y: \"x\", reverse: true, limit: 20 }\n })\n ],\n marginLeft: 200,\n marginRight: 80,\n color: {\n range: colorRange\n }\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":229,"value":"Murder-related charges are defined as ${joinOr(murder_related)}).\n\nSex-related charges are defined as ${joinOr(sex_related)}.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":46,"value":"# Convictions by parish\n\nThe chart below shows how many people were convicted in each parish (Louisiana's version of a county).","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":307,"value":"Plot.plot({\n marks: [\n Plot.barX(\n rollup_by_parish,\n Plot.groupY(\n { x: \"sum\" },\n {\n x: \"count\",\n y: \"Parish of Conviction\",\n fill: \"count\",\n sort: { y: \"x\", reverse: true, limit: 20 }\n }\n )\n ),\n Plot.text(rollup_by_parish, {\n x: \"count\",\n y: \"Parish of Conviction\",\n text: (d) => d.count.toLocaleString(),\n textAnchor: \"start\",\n dx: 5,\n sort: { y: \"x\", reverse: true, limit: 20 }\n })\n ],\n marginLeft: 120,\n marginRight: 80,\n color: {\n range: colorRange\n }\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":52,"value":"# Demographics","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":351,"value":"About 97% of people serving life without parole are men.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":346,"value":"Inputs.table(rollup_by_gender, {\n format: { pct: (x) => x.toLocaleString(undefined, { style: \"percent\" }) }\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":355,"value":"More than half of people serving life without parole are between the ages of 40 and 60.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":357,"value":"Plot.plot({\n marks: [\n Plot.barY(rollup_by_age, { y: \"count\", x: \"Bucket_Age\", fill: \"#1fbec3\" }),\n Plot.text(rollup_by_age, {\n x: \"Bucket_Age\",\n y: \"count\",\n text: (d) => d.count.toLocaleString(),\n textAnchor: \"middle\",\n dy: -5,\n sort: { y: \"x\", reverse: true, limit: 20 }\n })\n ],\n height: 300\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":372,"value":"Inputs.table(rollup_by_age.orderby(aq.desc(\"pct\")))","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":56,"value":"$32","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":254,"value":"# Data analysis","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":303,"value":"## Charges","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":186,"value":"non_murder_nonsex = dtTree\n .params({ sex_related, murder_related })\n .filter(\n aq.escape((d) => {\n for (const offense of d[\"offenses\"]) {\n if (op.includes(murder_related, offense)) {\n return false;\n }\n }\n return true;\n })\n )\n .filter(\n aq.escape((d) => {\n for (const offense of d[\"offenses\"]) {\n if (op.includes(sex_related, offense)) {\n return false;\n }\n }\n return true;\n })\n )","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":129,"value":"non_murder_nonsex_total = non_murder_nonsex\n .groupby(\"DOC Number\")\n .count()\n .count()\n .get(\"count\")","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":123,"value":"sex_related_total = dt\n .params({ sex_related })\n .filter((d) => op.includes(sex_related, d[\"offenses\"]))\n .groupby(\"DOC Number\")\n .count()\n .count() // Count twice to get number of people\n .get(\"count\")","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":113,"value":"murder_related_total = dt\n .params({ murder_related })\n .filter((d) => op.includes(murder_related, d[\"offenses\"]))\n .groupby(\"DOC Number\")\n .count()\n .count() // Count twice to get number of people\n .get(\"count\")","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":110,"value":"sex_related = [\n \"AGGRAVATED RAPE\",\n \"SEXUAL BATTERY\",\n \"FORCIBLE RAPE\",\n \"MOLESTATION OF A JUVENILE\",\n \"INDEC-BEHAVIOR-JUVENILES\",\n \"AGGRAV INCEST\",\n \"AGG-ORAL SEXUAL BATTERY\",\n \"ORAL SEXUAL BATTERY\",\n \"PORNOGRAPHY INV-JUVENILES\",\n \"SIMPLE RAPE\",\n \"SEX OFFNDR REGISTER VIOLATION\",\n \"SECOND DEGREE SEXUAL BATTERY\",\n \"DOMESTIC ABUSE BATTERY\",\n \"INCEST\",\n \"MOL OF JUV UNDER CONTROL\",\n \"HUMAN TRAFFIKING VIT UNDER AGE\"\n]","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":107,"value":"murder_related = [\n \"SECOND DEGREE MURDER\",\n \"FIRST DEGREE MURDER\",\n \"MANSLAUGHTER\",\n \"NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE\",\n \"FIRST DEGREE FETICIDE\",\n \"SECOND DEGREE FETICIDE\",\n \"SOLICITATION FOR MURDER\"\n]","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":461,"value":"rollup_nonmurder_nonsex_by_charge_and_inmate = non_murder_nonsex\n .unroll(\"offenses\")\n .groupby(\"DOC Number\", \"offenses\")\n .count()\n .select(\"offenses\")\n .groupby(\"offenses\")\n .count()\n .orderby(aq.desc(\"count\"))","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":449,"value":"rollup_by_charge_and_inmate = dt\n .groupby(\"DOC Number\", \"offenses\")\n .count()\n .select(\"offenses\")\n .groupby(\"offenses\")\n .count()\n .orderby(aq.desc(\"count\"))","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":492,"value":"## Parishes","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":496,"value":"rollup_by_parish = dt\n .groupby(\"Parish of Conviction\")\n .count()\n .orderby(aq.desc(\"count\"))","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":323,"value":"## Demographics","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":328,"value":"rollup_by_gender = dtTree\n .groupby(\"Gender\")\n .count()\n .derive({\n pct: (d) => d.count / op.sum(d.count)\n })","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":362,"value":"rollup_by_age = dtTree\n .groupby(\"Bucket_Age\")\n .count()\n .derive({\n pct: (d) => d.count / op.sum(d.count)\n })","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":405,"value":"# Fetch and pre-process data","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md"},{"id":161,"value":"joinOr = (arr) =>\n html`${arr.map((d, i) => {\n if (i === arr.length - 1) {\n return html`or ${d}`;\n } else {\n return html`${d}, `;\n }\n })}`","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":89,"value":"colorRange = [\"#9adedf\", \"#9f5875\"]","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":71,"value":"// Turn offenses into rows for most analysis\ndt = dtTree.unroll(\"offenses\")","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":133,"value":"// Read in JSON, leave offenses array alone\ndtTree = aq.from(data)","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":20,"value":"data = fetch(\n \"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/themarshallproject/LWOP-Louisiana/main/data/LWOP_data.json\"\n).then((response) => response.json())","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"},{"id":63,"value":"import { aq, op } from \"@uwdata/arquero\"","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs"}],"files":"$W33","stdlib":"1","titling":"auto"}