The Department of Children and Family Services has seen a huge decrease in the number of dead people getting food stamps after implementing a successful new program in partnership with the Department of Health that helps identify recipients who’ve died. In 2009-2013, 1.3 million dollars in benefits were administrated to the dead, while 2013-2017 only saw 43,599 dollars. Division of Family Support Deputy Assistant Secretary Sammy Guillory .Over the last four years, 108 of the deceased have received SNAP benefits, down from the 3,938 who received benefits in the four year period ending in June of 2013.
Entitlement fraud involving the dead is a big talking point these days, but Guillory says under the new system, benefits get cut off before someone can steal them and go on a spending spree.
The Louisiana Attorney General’s office is expected to announce its results in the Alton Sterling investigation today. The state A-G’s office has investigated for nearly a year on whether two white Baton Rouge police officers should face charges in the 2016 shooting of Sterling, who is black. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says it’s not known, if Landry presented evidence to a grand jury..
The US Justice Department announced last May the fatal shooting outside of the Triple S Food Mart in Baton Rouge did not violate Sterling’s civil rights. Ciolino says the state’s A-G office likely used information gathered by the feds and State Police
The shooting in the summer of 2016 sparked protests in Baton Rouge. Officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake II approached Sterling after receiving calls about a man with a gun. An altercation ensued and video shows Salamoni shooting Sterling. Ciolino says investigators have been looking at more than just the video