Former Los Angeles County Jail Inmates Seek Changes to Settlement Addressing Treatment of Mentally Ill Inmates
On Monday, a group of former Los Angeles County jail inmates filed documents in federal court seeking changes to a recent legal settlement between the county Sheriff's Department and federal authorities that aimed to improve treatment for inmates with mental illnesses. The former inmates say the settlement excludes many people in need of help -- such as those with personality disorders, developmental disabilities, dementia and substance misuse problems -- and will do little to address the cycle of inmates with untreated mental illness moving between jail and skid row.
- "Ex-Inmates Want L.A. County To Stop Dumping Mentally Ill Inmates on Skid Row" (Sewell/Chang, "L.A. Now," Los Angeles Times, 9/28).