Senators Blast DOJ for Deteriorating Conditions at L.A. Jails
It’s been nearly 30 years since the U.S. Department of Justice began monitoring conditions at L.A. County jails. Civil rights advocates say little progress has been made and, in many cases, problems have grown worse. Now, some U.S. lawmakers are demanding answers.
In an October letter obtained exclusively by the Los Angeles Times, senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) blasted the DOJ for ongoing human rights violations at facilities like the L.A. Men’s Central Jail.
“The DOJ’s failure to correct or prevent the constitutional and human rights violations in facilities that are under consent decrees undermines the Department’s broader efforts, as well as the public’s faith and confidence in our legal system,” the senators wrote.
The senators included a series of questions about what steps are being taken to correct the injustices. According to the lawmakers, they never received a reply from the DOJ.
News of the letter comes amid reports of deteriorating conditions at jails across the country, including many facilities where there is no federal oversight.
