Los Angeles, California – Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced a lawsuit against Los Angeles County, citing severe conditions and high mortality rates within its jail system. Bonta expressed urgency for immediate reforms, emphasizing, “We can’t wait any longer. We need comprehensive reform and we need it now.”
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, aims to compel reforms from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Correctional Health Services. Key reforms sought include improvements in health care, jail conditions, and grievance procedures. “Our lawsuit will be the driving impetus to make those changes reality,” Bonta stated, asserting that every incarcerated individual deserves safety, healthcare, and dignity.
On any given day, around 14,000 inmates are held in L.A.’s jails. The lawsuit alleges that these individuals face deplorable conditions, including rat infestations, spoiled food, and lack of clean drinking water. Over the past ten years, nearly 40% of deaths in these facilities have been attributed to preventable factors. Alarmingly, the lawsuit reports three dozen inmate deaths have already occurred this year.
Despite ongoing monitoring by the courts for years, the lawsuit claims that significant constitutional violations and dangerous conditions persist in Los Angeles County jails. The county has spent considerable resources, amounting to millions, on defending itself in various litigation related to these issues. The state’s complaint criticizes the county for failing to address the root causes of these problems and for resisting oversight and accountability.
As the largest jail system in California, Los Angeles operates eight facilities countywide and has faced increasing scrutiny for its treatment of inmates. In response to rising concerns over inmate deaths, the state appointed an official last year to investigate jail fatalities. Additionally, Bonta’s office is conducting a civil rights inquiry into the Riverside County jail.
Last year, reports indicated that despite a decline in the jail population due to changes in state sentencing laws, incidents of deaths remained on the rise within local jails.
As the situation develops, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department had not yet issued a public response regarding the lawsuit.
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