‘Ain’t nothing nice about it’: Caddo students take part in jail visitation program

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - Locked up and locked down was the theme for Thursday's Shreveport Police Community Advisory first-ever "Chew and Chat."

The event was not your typical field trip for students. Instead, it brought them a little taste of reality on what happens to those who break the law.

On Sept. 19, Caddo Parish students had the opportunity to visit the old Shreveport City Jail as part of the Choices program. The teenagers got a firsthand glimpse of what life on the inside of a jail cell could be like as a result of bad choices.

"You are locked down, and you are locked up. Ain't nothing nice about it, ain't no way to glamorize it or make it look good. It ain't good," Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. "Please make the right choices in life, and I guarantee you, you will not spend any time here. Choices in life, think about the consequences. The better choices in life generally are not the easiest choices in life."

According to police, 389 juveniles have been arrested so far in 2024.

The students in the program had a chance to ask police some questions and address the concerns of their community, and Chief Smith said he will use what the students said to work toward making changes.