Should L.A. County Jails Get A $1.4 Billion Makeover?
Two L.A. County jails could receive a $1.4 billion renovation package should a new proposal come to fruition. The Board of Supervisors will discuss the proposal to renovate the Men's Central Jail and the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic in a meeting later this month.
Sheriff Lee Baca and county chief executive William Fujioka both endorse the plan, and Baca blames himself for deputy misconduct and brutality against inmates. The FBI is investigating incidents at the Men's Central Jail. Baca and Fujioka say the renovations will create a jail system that is safer and cheaper to operate.
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky feels that voters should determine the proposal's fate due to the inflated price tag. "You want $1.4 billion? Put it on the ballot," said Yaroslavsky, reports L.A. Now.
Due to its antiquated layout, the downtown jailhouse makes the jobs of prison guards more trying as they're unable to watch all inmates. The proposal includes almost 4,000 high-security beds in smaller cells, making it easier to isolate prisoners. It would add only around 400 beds to the already overcrowded 23,600-bed jail system and would feature a more efficient bedding design. The Men's Central jail would be rebuilt to fit more beds into smaller, circular groups. Currently, jails feature long rows of cells.
Supervisors are skeptical of the massive plan, noting that the renovations could take money away from other important programs for up to 30 years. Others, like ACLU legal director Peter Eliasberg, feel the proposal merits further study. Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said that "everything needs to be fleshed out" and that Baca "understands the realities like everyone else."
