Monday, June 9, 2014

June 6, 2013. Department of Justice Calls L.A. County Jails “Deplorable,” States That They “Present, Rather Than Prevent, A Risk In Suicides” And Cites Drastic Increase In Suicides.




According to a Department of Justice report issued on Friday, the Department called the jails of Los Angeles “Deplorable”, and stated that conditions have led a dramatic increase in suicides – with 15 suicides in less than 2 and & ½ years (up from 4 in 2012).  An article on the DOJ report in the Washington Times can be read here:  http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jun/6/report-mental-health-care-at-la-jails-lacking/, and a press report by the DOJ be read here:  http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/June/14-crt-610.html.  

The report describes the jails as “dimly lit, vermin-infested, noisy, unsanitary, cramped and crowded” and stated that conditions "present, rather than prevent, a risk of suicide.:  The story has attracted international attention, and was one of the lead stories on the BBC news Friday night.  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-27744701
           
The problem is not new.   For years the ACLU has described the LA County Jails as violating the 8th amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment, the jail has been slated for destruction, and 18 Los Angeles County Deputies were indicted in Federal Court in December in connection with the mistreatment of an inmate who was an FBI informant and in connection with the alleged deprivation of inmates’ rights.  http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/09/justice/los-angeles-deputies-arrested/

The report follows the publication of a Opinion Piece by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Terry Smerling stating that a proposed plan to spend $2.3 Billion dollars to build a large facility to house Mentally Ill patients is completely unproductive, stating “Instead of spending large amounts on a better jail experience for them, we should spend money on local treatment programs that would keep low-risk offenders with mental illness out of jail.” http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-smerling-mental-illness-jails-20140505-story.html


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