ACLU Sues LA County Sheriff
The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, according to a Wall Street Journal article printed yesterday. The LA Sheriff’s Department, which operates five LA County correctional facilities including the Men’s Central Jail – the largest jail in the world in terms of population - is accused in the lawsuit of widespread abuse and mistreatment of inmates. More than a simple rights violation complaint, the ACLU contends that guards engage in systematic abuse of incarcerated persons and exhibit a “gang mentality” in their behavior.
This is not the first accusation the LA County Sheriff has encountered. In fact, the sheriff’s deaprtment asserts as much, telling the Wall Street Journal that “the suit contains no new allegations than the ones that have been leveled against the department for years.”
From the WSJ article:
The department has been accused of jail abuses for decades—well before Mr. Baca was elected sheriff in 1998. Under a federal decree resulting from an overcrowding suit, the ACLU has been monitoring treatment of inmates for years. Since at least 2008, the ACLU has issued reports alleging inmate abuse.
Considering the state prison realignment currently underway in California, it will be interesting to see how the sheriff’s department handles (or remedies) the accusations put forth in this suit. As of the end of 2011, the LA County jail system had been receiving nearly extra 235 inmates per week as a result of the state’s realignment plan, according to an assistant sheriff. With the state still under budgetary strain, it will be difficult for LA County to draw down the resources it would need to accommodate the extra inmates. The same quantity of staff guarding an increasing number of inmates presents a potentially toxic correctional environment.
Of course, the Supreme Court ruling that prompted California’s realignment plan was not designed to shift the burden from one correctional agency (the CDCR) to another (the LA County Sheriff’s Dept.), but rather to compel the state to improve living and health care conditions for inmates in its care. Hopefully, the LA County Sheriff’s Department can halt the alleged abuses before they face a similar edict.
27 Comments
Tia Titus
January 24, 2012If I were you all, I would try investigating the Florida Correctional Facilities. They are being mistreated and abused as well. I never heard of such things that the correctional officers could put their hands on you! The inmates are afraid that their gain time would be taken away amongst other things if a complaint is filed against them. Their rights are being violated. They are given dirty underwear, holes in T-shirts as well as socks and to top it off; there is no soap being issued to cut down on diseases.
To make this plain. The prison system/industry is a BILLION dollar business and that is all they care about. Obtaining funds through all of the inmates that comes in and out their walls! It is called modern day genocide, if you catch my drift.
To be exact the Central Florida Reception Center is one of the prisons that needs looking into. Imagine how many other prisons are at stake. For the record, Florida has 140+ prisons. So hearing this story of what’s happening to the inmates in LA County is not surprising.
MAX SAIDI
January 26, 2012SPEAKING FROM MY PERSONAL EXPRIENCE, THERE IS CONSTANT MENTAL TORTURE AND VERBAL ABUSE. AND TO TOP IT OFF ;THE PRISON GUARDS HAVE FEW SELECT PRISONER TO HARM OTHER INMATES PHYSICALLY. AND WHILE THE FIGHT AND BEATING TAKING PLACE ,THESE SO CALLED PRISON GUARDS LOOK THE OTHER WAY ….
AND RIGHT BEFORE BEEING RELEASED, WHILE STILL IN THE HOLDING TANK ,THE SAME PRISON GUARDS INTERVIWES YOU ON BEHALF OF ACLU,AND ASK IF YOUR EXPRIENCE WHILE IN CUSTODY WAS FAIR , AND U WERE GIVEN CLEAN CLOTHES AND 3 MEALD PER DAY ,ETC!! OF COURSE THEY ASK FOR YOUR BOOKING # AND YOUR NAMES ,AND SINCE YOU ARE STILL IN THIER CUSTODY ,AND WAITING TO BE RELEASED ,YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT GIVING THEM THE ANSWER THAT THEY WANT TO HEAR….
Gwen
January 28, 2012I have never been in prison, and never will be. However I have had family members do time. My belief is that the correction officers are not hired to abuse inmates. Granted not all are model prisoners, and I’m sure there are policies on what type of punishment should be handed out to an inmate that doesn’t follow prison rules. The inmates are doing their time. Most will be released someday back into society. If they have had to experience abuse along with other downfalls of being incarcerated, what are the chances of them becoming a productive member of society when their time is up? Abuse, physically or mentally does things to a person’s mind that can cause long term damage, making them more apt to be an abuser when they are released. Some rehabilitation and kindness goes along way if indeed an inmate is to be released back into society and be able to function without some type of Traumatic Stress Disorder that was inflicted on them by correctional officer’s abusing and allowing abuse.
Kathy
January 30, 2012This is happening everywhere. My son went from an athletic 175 lbs. to 155 in approx. 1 month from being starved in a county jail in Michigan. This was only one cruel and unusual punishment they put him through. The police are going to do exactly as they want as long as they are allowed to abuse their power. I have even had a power tripping female police officer lie to my employer before because she became pissed off when she tried to speed up and pass my bus on the left and on a city street and almost rear ended me when I tried to make a right hand turn. I have never spent any time in jail either.
Florence Cathcart
February 3, 2012This is no surprise to me. The prison system no longer has a focus on rehabilitation, only on punishment. And since many states are now going to privately owned prisons, it is also a money making business. They don’t want to see the inmates released because then they lose money. Also, the law only works in favor of those within it–police, lawyers, judges etc. They can bend or break the law and they will never be convicted. No one cares what happens to prisoners.
Elaine Search
February 7, 2012I am a woman who was incarcerated over 25 yrs ago for murder. I shot and killed my abusive, addicted ex-husband in self defense. I was tried by a Judge In Dallas Tx during election time. I was not able to buy my way out of prison. After family paid out $50k for my initial defense(Bad attorney defense). At that time the law would not premit to allow into evidence the abuse that lead up to the day I shot him. Bottom line I was rail road. During that time the prisons were just more about rehablitation. Not the prison system are the largest industry in the state of Texas. When the oil industry went bust in the 80′s the went to each county that previously would have never considered a prison within their cities were open to the prison’s fueling their local economy’s. Now prison’s are about punishment instead of rehablitaion. I received a college degree and vocational. That was a major part in me staying out of prison the last 25 years. The men force young guys into being sex objects. The officers turn their head and allow this sexual abuse to go on. Because its a form of management for the system. The public could care less that I young and most non violent offenders are put in with older and aggressive violent abusers. The men get raped then they are release and society wonders way they are now more and more violent. If you look within the State system you will see very few inmates who have money. It’s the poor that pay the price. The rich are able to buy their way out of prison. As bad as it is in our prison system, believe it are not its still one of best in the world. I’ll just have to live with my misjustice in life!
arona
February 10, 2012the whole systems are a Joke.I t is rally sad that prisoners are mistreated , abused ,civil rights are taken away and noone will help.you are given numbers to call but noone helps you or your loved one.I do not understand how people can live with themselves if they know prisoners are not being treated fairly /abused, raped ,beaten etc something has got to be done i am glad that the aclu is suing i wish they would come to texas and help .I beleive that there are sick minds to enjoy prisoners being beat down lower than they are already. I think it speaks a lot about who is running the prison s.
arona
February 10, 2012it also amazes me how they made such a big deal about the prisoners of guatemala being abused and mistreated but not one american politician can make a big deal about our american prisoners young boys and girls young men and women being abused and mistreated in the prison systems…in our goold ole american prisons,Don’t misunderstand me the murderers child killers/child molesters etc they need to be dealt with differently ,but it seems that they get the best deals and the lil peons get the worst end of the stick and they are scarred for life..somebody help them
arona
February 10, 2012please won’t someone help??????
arona
February 10, 2012i totally agree with florence..you couldn’t have said that any better…what can we do about it?
arona
February 10, 2012it’s all about not stepping on a nyone’s toes”i want to keep my job ” i need this job so i’ll just turn the other way while someone’s child is getting raped or being mistreated in solitary confinement 23 hrs a day. maybe he has a real fine body build maybe i am jeaulous and i won’t do or say anything while his store is being with held and the food he is being brought is not enough nor fit enough even for an animal..maybe that’s why he’s starving and withering away…and locked in a cage 23 hrs in a day this says a lot about the people running our prison sysytem and maybe whomever you write to for help just won’t do anything or maybe they just won’t respond or maybe they will but their response does not help you or your loved one .oh but i forgot they work for the prison system too..
Lani Bane
February 10, 2012If you want to help, sign my petition against State Prisons to stop the abuse and mistreatment of Inmates. Go to Change.org and sign now! Thankyou!
toohot4u
February 12, 2012If you can’t do the time, then don’t do the crime.
Sondra
February 13, 2012If you know that someone in the unit is being abused can you call their local law enforcement (other than the prison employee’s) to go out and take a report? I have called 911 before when my son was in jail with a severe staph infection. ( I promise you it worked) It is there job to serve and protect, I was just curious.
Sondra
February 13, 2012you might also try the commission on safety and abuse in American prisons. Maybe they can help. Good luck to you.
arona
February 15, 2012lani i will sign the petition. thank you do you know of a support group for mothers ?
Lilisa Byrd
February 18, 2012safety and abuse is an issue for prisoners, it is also an issue for family and friends of
a prisoner trying to visit an inmate. On Feb.17,2012 I went to SCI-Dallas in Dallas Pa to visit my loved one; I didn’t have a clue as to the abuse i was about to become subject to.
I was humiliated, disrespected, & embarrassed
in front of all the other visitors. I was treated like a run away slave that had
been caught and returned to the plantation.
Tears streamed down the sides of my face and
formed a drip beneath my chin like a dripping faucet, my makeup turned my tears into a rainbow as my tears dropped upon my white
sweater. The officer attempted to provoke me
so that my behavior would become as his.
When I asked to speak to a captain/supervisor
I was scolded and told the captain didn’t
have time for me; he supervised 2000 people.
When I asked if their was anything I could possibly do to be allowed the visit. The officer said NO! your visit is denied, you didn’t pass the metal detector, I tried to explain that it could possibly be my bra or
the metal plates and screws I have in my neck
from my surgery; but the officer would not
listen, instead he talked over me and ordered
me to get back on the bus. I tried to explain
that the bus was gone already and it was a six hour trip. The officer ordered me out of the building with no place to go in the cold.
So, you see the inmates aren’t the only ones
that get abused.
kathy
February 23, 2012Who do you have to be to get ACLU to listen to you??? They really need to be looking at the Pennsylvania DOC. My fiance passed through Camp Hill enroute to a county hearing (which by the way had been cancelled without also cancelling the transport order) & came out of there with a broken nose, two blackened eyes, severe brusing all over his torso, etc – for not responding quickly enough to an order while he was having a seizure.
Chiniquy
March 13, 2012The prison system in our country is a soul destroying factory. People enter prisons for committing sometimes minor and non violent crimes and many of them leave as deranged human beings.
We are helpless in our desire to see the prison system in our country change from being destructive to the souls of human beings.
One things we all can do now is to pray earnestly to our Creator, asking for the hearts of those who have the power, to do something about this.
Barb Krueger
March 14, 2012Unfortunately we as the people feel we do not have a stand against the horrible conditions that our prisoners have to go through. We are just as the corrections officers that “turn their heads and look the other way”. It is organizations like the ACLU that bring light to the injustice within our justice system and what we allow to happen to us as a nation. Thank God for the ACLU and all of their efforts in this matter!!!!
Michigan jail or prison system is a bad as the next there is no rehab for them. They say there is, but is there really???? How can you rehab a prisoner to be accepted and to be productive if the rest of society does not acknowledge the changes that they have to go through, because of the inmates record? Society needs the rehab, not a key they can just throw away until a later date. It is happening now!!!
Angela
March 24, 2012As I read all the post , I too feel all of your pain.
I have a disabled special needs son and a step father who is mentally disabled n aged here in sterling heights mich who also have fallen victim to the injustice of our judicial system..
People who are mentally disabled,w/o financial resources and of a ethicnic background are targeted here in Macomb co mich.. Their rights are violated, severe abuse and live under the constant threats of abuse if you challenge any decisions made by our local gov. Who over see’s these people???
The same people who are in trusted to enforce our laws are the main ones breaking them with abusive powers,physical and mental abuse, rape humiliation , etc…
I too will be seeking the assistance of the ACLU as I would advise any of you who’s loved ones have suffered at the hands of our judicial system.
I also would also advise families to get our president involved as well to address these problems that are actually widespread through out our nation..
Now is the time, I believe we do have a multi cultural president who does give a damn about the every day , middle and economically deprived people ..
Mark Miller
March 26, 2012THANK-YOU THANK-YOU GOOD WORK WELL DONE!
PLEASE WILL YOU MAKE A CAREER OUT GOING AFTER THE INJUCTICE SYSTEM? PLEASE BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS? IT IS THE BIGGEST RACKETEERING AND EXTORTION CASE EVER! IT IS THE BIGGEST GET RICH OFF THE POOR SCHEME EVER! ALL THOSE STAFFING NEED TO BE EXAMINED AND CONVICTED OF THEIR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. ACLU WE NEED YOU…
Hattie Mahone
April 1, 2012What I know for sure until we start protesting and holding representatives, law makers, and the judicial system accountable; we are all in trouble. First time felons should not be surrounded by harden criminals and crooked correctional officers,who endanger the lives of prisoners, because they will come back into society more confused and worse off than before.
Nadine Anderton
April 3, 2012I am unfamiliar with the workings of other states. I was formerly employed by the Dept. of Corrections in Washington State, and am currently engaged to a long-term offender in the system. The prison system is supposedly run on Policies which state the uniform rules by which the prisons are managed, offenders are classified, what they are punished for and how, what they can own, how much money that is sent to them by family and friends can be confiscated to cover various and numerous fees (usually 55%, can be even more), what mail they can get or not get, various rules relating to visiting, and every little detail of prison operation. Each individual facility can write “operational memoranda” spelling out how each policy is implemented withing their facility. The point I want to make is that the language in the policies and memoranda are purposely written in such general terms that they can be interpreted however the prison personnel (or state headquarters for the DOC) want in order to achieve the outcome they want. For instance, the visiting rules state that former employees must have the written permission of the superintendent of the prison in which the offender is located. When you are turned down to visit, which you will be, they tell you that a former employee will almost never be allowed to visit unless there is clearly demonstrated evidence that such visits will benefit the offender. However, they will not tell you how you can show that your visits will clearly benefit the offender, who is your fiancee and of course your visit can do nothing but give benefit! The superintendent is clearly given the power to grant the visitation, but he/she will never do so and there is no need to give any justification. If an offender is accused of violating a rule and gets an infraction, it is completely irrelevant whether he/she is guilty – an appeal can be made, but the offender is at the mercy of the officer who conducts the hearing. My fiancee has been told numerous times that his infraction was without merit and would be thrown out, only to have it held against him over and over. Recently a female officer flirted with him outrageously in the visiting room, in front of the other officers and visitors, which freaked him out enough to tell his cellmate about it. Then she made accusations against him of making sexual advances toward her, and guess whose word was taken? If an offender contradicts what is said against him/her, there is a serious infraction that can be used against them for giving false witness, and since it is the employee who is always believed, the offender can’t win. If an offender is beat up by vigilante offender gangs, he gets the same punishment for fighting that the ones who beat him up get. If he goes to protective custody, it is just as restrictive an isolation as regular segregation, with loss of ability to earn early release credit. He says the ACLU won’t help offenders who are white.
C J
April 6, 2012The judge said, I sentence you to a mandate of 20 years of punishment. It is true. What happen to human rights while incarcerated?
2big4texas
April 10, 2012Look speaking from all the experience in the world I did my crime served my time and finished successfully my bid but like many post’s
I know first hand what is the cause for incarcerating first time offenders. I myself was a first time offender and was given 7 yrs in TDCJ TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. Yes I commited a crime which landed me in jail and yes I did it. I am starting to write a book its a bibliography of my life and in my book I will write all the haps and mishaps of the “justice system” there is a big mess that many many many might i add many, lawmakers, governers, mayors, representatives, they all need to cover up quite well even the local county jail here Harris County Sheriff’s Office , there have been many detainee’s that come out in pine boxes but go in from another charge,case,or something other than to be murdered, hurt, raped, abused. No inmate signed up for it. Now don’t get me wrong some people do deserve to get the long hand of the law handed to them, but being killed. Yes it has happened. The problem is not the jailers that turn the cheek , its the others previously named why because to them the ends ($) justifies the means. So we may need to start up higher because the stinger is much higher than the head. Look at it like a “scorpion”. If anyone needs to know anything like what happens in the texas justice system they can email me.
My book is still underway and in it everything will be explained in full detail.. everything..
D1976
April 11, 2012I was incarcerated in Mississippi at age 30 for possession of a controlled substance. I had no prior record, felony or otherwise. I was a severe addict. Not a kingpin not a dealer. I had an excellent job and made really good money. I would work for 30 days then be off for 14. So I ended up with too much free time and money to burn. I’m only trying to say that I was a participating gainfully employed member of my community. For this possession charge I was sentenced to 10 years 5 of those suspended and 5 to serve. I had $2500 for a lawyer. He saidwe could beat the charge but if we were to lose they would give me the max for. Thing up the courts and costing