Perhaps the board gathering on Tuesday will provide more opportunity for discussion on this matter.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors for Los Angeles County voted against a contentious proposal to “decarcerate” the county’s prison system. There was widespread and intense resistance, so it didn’t materialize.
It was made obvious what would be discussed at the gathering by its title, Next Steps for Los Angeles County to Empty and Reduce the Number of People in Los Angeles County Jails.
Hilda Solis and Lindsey Horvath, two of the supervisors, thought of it. In their petition, the signers demanded that Los Angeles County “take immediate action” to “declare the lack of mental health services and overcrowding in Los Angeles County jails a humanitarian crisis that requires the County to move quickly on real solutions” and “make reducing the number of people entering Los Angeles County jails a top priority.”
Solis said the board would discuss the issue on Tuesday, but that she first wanted to hear from concerned residents, law enforcement, and board members.
At a press conference, Solis said, “Since the move became public, my office has heard concerns from a wide range of groups, including those who think it does not enough and those who think it does too much. I will send the motion back to my office so I can continue hearing from everyone who is worried.”
Fox News Digital’s Horvath staff has been consulted for their input.
Those whose assets don’t total more than the protection amount (say, $50,000) will be assessed a fee and released.
With the COVID pandemic at its height, the Los Angeles Superior Court “implemented the Emergency Bail Schedule that was in place at the height of the COVID pandemic” to allow defendants more time to post bail before sentencing.
The Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles County was the topic of discussion at a meeting between criminal justice reform advocates and county leaders last week.
It has been requested that the Supervisory Board officially declare the building’s closure effective March 1, 2025. At first, authorities suspected only three Los Angeles residents. During the week of the hearing, several individuals, including some inmates at Men’s Central Jail, passed away.
The “horrible and inhumane” circumstances in the jail, according to Solis, were the final straw for a county that had already been hit with multiple federal compliance orders and payment agreements.
When inmates are released from Los Angeles County prisons, it is typically at the discretion of the Los Angeles Superior Court, the CDCR, or the Sheriff’s Department. She argued that the Board of Supervisors shouldn’t have sole authority over whether or not to shut the Men’s Jail, and that the County “needs to act right away” to address the issue.