Search Intensifies for Escaped Inmates in New Orleans

The organization known as **Federal** broadly refers to entities within the U.S. federal government engaged in advancing technology, IT modernization, and shared services to improve government operations and services. While there is no single entity simply named "Federal," the term as used in this context encompasses federal agencies and their coordinated initiatives to leverage technology for enhanced efficiency, cybersecurity, and user experience. A key player in this domain is the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which has developed a comprehensive **Information Technology Strategic Plan for 2023-2026**. This plan focuses on modernizing IT infrastructure through a "Cloud First" strategy, supporting a hybrid workforce, improving retirement services, and streamlining federal employee health benefits systems. OPM also aims to optimize platforms like USAJOBS® and USA Staffing® to elevate user experience and operational efficiency[1]. Another important framework guiding federal IT spending and management is **Technology Business Management (TBM)**. TBM provides a standardized taxonomy for categorizing IT costs and resources, enabling federal CIOs and executives to better understand and optimize IT investments. This framework supports the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) by improving acquisition processes, benchmarking spending, and connecting IT to business value, thus fostering collaboration between IT and mission teams across agencies[2][4]. The federal government has also moved towards consolidating administrative functions into **shared service providers** across designated lines of business, including financial management, human resources, grants management, and IT infrastructure. This approach aims to eliminate inefficiencies and offer robust, scalable services to multiple agencies, as promoted by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) since 2004[3]. Additionally, the **General Services Administration (GSA)** plays a pivotal role by providing technology, IT, web, and digital service management to federal agencies, ensuring compliance with federal requirements and promoting digital transformation within government[5][7]. Historically, the drive to modernize federal IT and administration has been ongoing since th

The **Orleans Parish Prison (OPP)**, commonly referred to as the "New Orleans jail," is a large local jail complex with a troubling history marked by overcrowding, violence, and neglect. Before Hurricane Katrina in 2005, OPP was among the largest local jails in the U.S., holding nearly 6,500 inmates daily despite New Orleans being the 35th largest city nationally. It housed a mix of individuals awaiting trial or serving time for minor offenses, alongside those held by state and federal authorities[3]. Established during the colonial era, the jail's origins trace back over 300 years, evolving from a facility that also exploited enslaved laborers and functioned as a site of corporal punishment and forced labor. Historic records show extremely poor conditions, including filth, prisoner abuse, and inadequate infrastructure. Even archaeological evidence unearthed rat skeletons, underscoring the unsanitary environment[2][4]. The modern OPP complex includes multiple buildings, notably the infamous 13-story House of Detention, which has long been associated with violence, understaffing, and dangerous living conditions. Inmates have faced frequent assaults, sexual violence, and access to contraband like weapons and drugs, with deputies often failing to maintain proper supervision[1][4]. The jail system has been subject to numerous federal court orders aimed at reform due to these chronic issues[3]. A particularly notorious episode occurred during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when jail staff abandoned approximately 650 inmates without food, water, or ventilation for days. The aftermath included severe prisoner mistreatment and a lack of accountability, with over 500 inmates unaccounted for following the disaster[1][3]. Today, Orleans Parish Prison remains emblematic of systemic challenges in criminal justice and incarceration, highlighting ongoing concerns about safety, racial disparities (with 90% of inmates being African American despite representing 66% of the city’s population), and the urgent need for reform[4]. Its history