On April 19, Rachel Rose experienced something for the first time in her life—a real birthday party. Volunteer Insa Becnel, Parole Project staff, and client/roommate Sandra Hall surprised Rachel on her special day with a home filled with decorations, presents, a meal, and of course, a birthday cake. In a mixture of shock and tears, Rose revealed that no one had ever thrown her a birthday party and that this was certainly, “the best birthday I ever had!”
One sunny spring morning, Ronald Olivier is chatting with a reporter on a sidewalk in downtown Baton Rouge. Some years back, Olivier wouldn’t have been part of this cityscape. He was still imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly called Angola, where he became a grownup.
June 23, 2025
