Criminal Justice/Public Safety 
 
Criminal justice and public safety infrastructure all across south Louisiana took a massive hit by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. After Katrina, the criminal justice system in Orleans Parish was devastated. 
 
 
Early in the response phase, FEMA established a Criminal Justice Task Force with the state, parish and city governments to focus on re-establishment of justice related facilities. All of the following components of the system have been impacted and are in the process of repair: 
o Courts 

 Orleans Parish Criminal Court   

 City of New Orleans Municipal and Traffic Courts 

 Civil & Juvenile District Courts 


o Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office 

o The Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office  

o New Orleans Police Department  

 New Orleans Crime Lab 


o Prisons 

o The Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office  


 
In several cases temporary facilities were provided by FEMA including courts, the coroner’s office, crime lab, and the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office. The overall amount of funding obligated by FEMA for such recovery efforts in Orleans Parish is over $294 million. 
 
While repairs in Orleans Parish have been predominant, justice related work has occurred throughout the State of Louisiana.  
 
FEMA has obligated (paid to the state) over $286 million for criminal justice and public safety related projects, such as damage to fire departments, police departments, court buildings, prisons, crime labs, contents, and reimbursement for overtime work by emergency responders. The State of Louisiana has received 87% of the estimated $327 million needed and disbursed over $123 million of this amount.