IN SUMMARY:
Two years in the past, California recorded a document variety of deaths in county jails. Now, a brand new state official is holding public conferences to listen to from individuals involved about jail security.
Learn this story in English
After virtually three years of traditionally excessive demise tolls in California’s massive and small prisonsthe state board that oversees them will host a listening session Saturday in San Diego County, residence to one of many state’s deadliest jail methods.
Allison Ganter, the brand new director of in-custody demise evaluations on the Board of State and Neighborhood Corrections, will host the classes. A second is deliberate in Sacramento in January. Up to now, Ganter’s workplace has declined CalMatters’ interview requests.
Till final 12 months, the board was not even notified of each demise inside county-run jails, and a State Auditor Report 2021 criticized the board for failing to implement its personal guidelines and requirements on psychological well being checks and inmate welfare checks in cells.
The state has begun to take a bigger position in investigating deaths. The oversight board has pledged to conduct extra shock investigations at prisons, and Ganter’s place was created by regulation final 12 months.
Jail deaths peaked in 2022, when 215 individuals died in California prisons, virtually all of them awaiting trial. Jails in Tulare, San Diego, Kern, Riverside and San Bernardino counties recorded a document variety of deaths that 12 months.
Jail deaths have been an space of explicit concern in San Diego, the place the pinnacle of the jail’s civilian evaluate board resigned out of frustration earlier this 12 months.
The county board of supervisors has since voted to present its civilian evaluate board extra energy to analyze jail deaths and ordered the sheriff’s workplace to prioritize these demise investigations.
The primary listening session is scheduled to happen in Escondido at 4 p.m. Saturday on the North Inland Reside Properly Heart, 649 West Mission Ave. No. 1.
The second is scheduled to happen in Sacramento at 4 pm on Wednesday, January 15 on the Board of State and Neighborhood Corrections, 2590 Enterprise Oaks Manner.
Extra details about the listening classes, together with easy methods to view them on-line, is on the market at https://www.bscc.ca.gov/in-custody-death-review-division/ .
- This text was initially revealed in English by CalMatters.
