How Raymond Laborde Uses Cameras and What That Means for Privacy
Cameras are part of daily security at Raymond Laborde Correctional Center, but coverage isn't uniform. Here's what the system looks like, where cameras tend to be placed, and what privacy protections have been documented.
Raymond Laborde Correctional Center has 58 exterior fixed and Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras. These focus on perimeter awareness: entrances, fences, vehicle areas, and other outdoor spaces where staff need a clear line of sight on movement and activity.
Inside, there are roughly 70 interior cameras. They're concentrated in higher-traffic, higher-risk spaces where security violations are more likely, so don't expect even coverage across every hallway or room.
Housing is where families tend to worry most about privacy. According to the facility's own description, the only housing area with cameras is the Crawdad Unit (Segregation and Special Housing Areas), which has 6 analog cameras. The practical takeaway: most people in general housing are not under camera observation inside their housing area. Anyone held in segregation or special housing, though, should assume cameras are part of daily supervision.
Video doesn't sit in storage forever. Most camera footage at the facility is retained for about 14 days. That cuts both ways: from a privacy standpoint, footage exists for a limited window. From a documentation standpoint, recordings of an incident may be overwritten after that same window closes.
One specific privacy protection described for the camera system is a digital modification sometimes called a "black box." Its purpose is straightforward: it shadows the immediate toilet area to prevent inappropriate viewing. This masking protects dignity in spots where a camera is present for safety or supervision. It does not mean there's privacy everywhere a camera exists.
Even with a black box in place, retention still matters. If most footage is kept around 14 days, that's roughly the window in which sensitive clips could still exist in the system. It's also the window in which footage might still be available to support a complaint or clarify what happened. If privacy around toileting areas is a concern for your loved one, ask two things: whether masking is active where cameras can see a toilet area, and how long that video is kept.
Past audits tell part of the privacy story here. A July 21 to 23, 2015 PREA audit flagged cross-gender viewing and privacy concerns in some housing restrooms. It required the construction of privacy barriers in housing units and the administrative segregation area. When you see "corrective action" like this, it typically means the issue was serious enough that the facility had to change the physical setup, not just update a policy.
A later May 1 to 3, 2018 on-site PREA audit found Raymond Laborde Correctional Center compliant with U.S. DOJ PREA standards. Read those two data points together: a documented privacy problem in 2015 led to required barriers, and a subsequent audit confirmed compliance.
Note: If restroom or housing privacy is a top concern for your family, verify current conditions directly. A 2015 audit required privacy barriers, and a 2018 audit found compliance, but you'll still want to confirm what's in place today and whether it's being maintained.
Questions Families Should Ask
- ✓ Is my loved one housed in an area with cameras (for example, the Crawdad Unit), or in general housing without housing-area cameras?
- ✓ How many cameras are used outside the facility (reported as 58 exterior fixed and PTZ cameras), and what areas do they cover?
- ✓ Where are the interior cameras placed, and are they concentrated in places “where security violations are more likely”?
- ✓ In areas where a camera might have a view of a toilet, is the digital “black box” masking active to shadow the immediate toilet area?
- ✓ What is the footage retention period for the relevant camera system (most retention times are reported as around 14 days)?
- ✓ Who is allowed to view recorded video, and what safeguards exist to prevent inappropriate viewing or sharing?
- Confirm the retention window - Ask what the retention period is for the camera footage you’re concerned about (most retention times are reported as around 14 days).
- Act quickly if footage may matter - If an incident happened, start the request process right away so you are still within the retention window.
- Get the request path in writing - Ask who handles video requests, what information they need (date, time, location), and whether there is a formal request process or a way to follow up if you do not get a clear answer.
Reminder: A 2015 PREA audit required privacy barriers in housing restrooms and administrative segregation, and a 2018 PREA audit later found the facility compliant. If your loved one raises concerns about being seen in a restroom area, ask the facility to confirm what barriers are in place now.
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