About
Burl Cain recently retired from an extensive 40-year career in the Louisiana Department of Corrections. He served at the Senior Warden level for a total of 34 years, including 20 years as the Warden of Louisiana State Penitentiary, Louisiana’s largest maximum-security prison. Once known as the “Bloodiest Prison in America,” Louisiana State Penitentiary (LSP), under Burl Cain’s leadership, became one of the safest, most secure, and progressive maximum security prisons in the nation. LSP houses over 6,300 inmates with over 4,000 of these men serving life sentences for violent crimes.
At LSP, Cain founded and facilitated the Accredited Hospice Program, Bible College in conjunction with the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and also raised private funds to build 7 chapels for inmate use on the prison grounds. Cain also worked with Awana to establish the Malachi Dad’s program, which reconnects inmates with their children and trains them to become positive role models. Through these progressive, rehabilitative programs, LSP’s violence rate dropped over 60% and gang affiliation disappeared during Cain’s time as warden.
“Moral people don’t rape, pilfer, or steal. They don’t fight one another. If you make prison a moral place, the violence goes away.”
Cain possesses a Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Grambling State University. He is certified through the American Correctional Association as a Certified Corrections Executive. Cain is an active member of several organizations. He serves on the Board of Directors of Prison Fellowship Ministries, the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and as Chairman of the Board of the Department of Corrections Credit Union. He served on the Board of Governors of the American Correctional Association (ACA) from 2011 to 2016, the Executive Committee of ACA from 2013-2016, and remains on two ACA committees including the Resolutions and Policy Development Committee.
Partial Listing of Awards
- "Warden of the Year" by The North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents (2003)
- "E. R. Cass, Excellence in Corrections Award" by ACA (2013)
- "Servant of Hope" award by Prison Fellowship (2016)
- Salvation Army “Others” Award (2017)
Burl with Dr. Elizabeth Gondles, Advisor to ACA President & overseer of Correctional Healthcare for ACA
