California’s Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County and the county sheriff’s department, accusing their prison system of ongoing violations of the constitution and inhumane conditions, including lack of medical care, rampant infestations of rats and cockroaches, and situations where feces are smeared on walls.
According to reports from the city’s news agency, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the lawsuit at a press conference in downtown Los Angeles, saying, “We need comprehensive reform now, and that is the purpose of this lawsuit.”
This legal action stems from an investigation launched in 2021. Bonta stated that the investigation exposed ongoing issues, such as an increase in the death rate of inmates despite a decrease in the prison population, overcrowding, inadequate or delayed medical and dental care, limited supply of basic hygiene items like soap, poor plumbing facilities, and inadequate air conditioning.
Bonta said, “While Sheriff Robert Luna made several reforms to patrol operations during the investigation, they have remained unchanged in addressing the unsafe and unconstitutional conditions within the county jails.”
Los Angeles operates the largest prison system in the United States—also one of the most problematic systems, he said: “When we talk about feces on walls, denied medical care, we’re talking about a disregard for basic human dignity and violations of the most fundamental constitutional rights. We are confident the court will agree.”
The county government or sheriff’s department has not responded immediately. ◇