The ACLU of Southern California has been monitoring the Los Angeles County jails since the Rutherford vs. Pitchess decision in the late 1970s. The federal district held that certain conditions in the jails violated the Eighth Amendment and entered an order requiring that conditions be impoved to meet constitutional standards. As a result, ACLU-SC representatives have unfettered access to the LA County jails to ensure that certain legal requirements are met, inmates have access to basic services, and to advocate for improvements of overall living conditions. ACLU staff field information from inmates via phone messages and letters daily, and during jail visits several times each week. We hear from over 1,500 inmates each month about living conditions, medical services, and other issues from all of the county jails.

While the courts have the ability to order ongoing monitoring and oversight, policymakers may also implement systems for accountability. In Los Angeles, the County Board of Supervisors developed the Office of Independent Review to provide oversight of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. In addition, the Police Assessment Resource Center was hired by the LA County Board of Supervisors to do extensive monitoring of law enforcement in Los Angeles and produce regular reports to the public with the information gathered. These organizations are essential for increasing transparency and accountability of correctional facilities.

Excerpted from a written statement submitted to the Commission