Jails Litigation and Advocacy

The ACLU of Southern California actively litigates against Los Angeles County and the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department to improve conditions in the L.A. County Jails. Since filing our first class action lawsuit in 1975 challenging unconstitutional conditions in the L.A. County Jails, our staff have litigated and monitored compliance with orders and agreements to reduce the harm inflicted on incarcerated people in the county's jails. During the pandemic, we expanded our litigation to include legal challenges to the treatment of people incarcerated in Orange County Jails, as well.

Through advocacy, public education and litigation, we work to reduce the number of people subjected to incarceration while supporting and advancing safety and protections for people who are currently in jail.

Rutherford v. Luna

Mattress issues

Clean clothes and linens

Recreation time

Broken or missing televisions

Cleanliness – IRC only

IRC processing (total time, medical and mental health intake)

Johnson v. County of Los Angeles, et al.  

Wheelchair, cane, or walker classification

Broken mobility devices

ADA transportation

Physical therapy

Physical accessibility of facility (ADA showers and cells)

Equal access to programming

Recreation and out-of-cell time

Robertson v. Block 

Discrimination or harassment due to LGBTQI+ identity

Problems with LGBTQI+ classification or housing

Problems with gender-related needs (e.g., gender-affirming medication, commissary items, undergarments)

Rosas v. Luna

Use of force

Retaliation

Access to grievances

If you encounter problems related to these orders and wish to report them to the ACLU SoCal please submit an intake using our online intake form or write to us (in English or Spanish) at:

ACLU SoCal – L.A. Jails

P.O. Box 811370,

Los Angeles, CA 90081

If you are writing us a letter, please make sure you include your name, your contact information and the name of the person who is incarcerated and their booking number in addition to a detailed description of your complaint. Without the requested information, we may not be able to process your complaint.

Our cases seek changes to the way LASD runs the jails. They do not seek money damages, and no money has been or will be awarded. The cases do not impact your or your loved one’s ability to sue for money damages. Your loved one should consider filing grievances directly with LASD to preserve all potential legal claims.

• Rutherford v. Pitchess (1975): conditions of confinement
• Robertson v. Block (1982): protection of the rights of gay prisoners
• Johnson v. LA Sheriff’s Department (2008): ADA compliance for inmates with mobility impairments
• Rosas v. Baca (2012): elimination of systemic excessive use of force tactics on inmates
• Douglas v. Cooley (2012): halt unlawful practice of suppressing exculpatory evidence in criminal trials by the District Attorney and the LA Sheriff’s Department
• Mannings v. LA Sheriff’s Department (not filed) (2012): challenge policies that unfairly prevent Muslim inmates from attending group worship

• Doula program (in progress)
• Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) compliance advocacy work with LASD, LAPD and SBSO (2016)
• Lactation program (February 2016)
• LA Sheriff Department’s Gender Responsive Advisory Board (2015-Present)
• Creation of a pregnant inmate module (December 2014)
• 100 Days (2014)
• LA Police Department’s Civilian Police Jail Advisory Board (2012-present)

• Orange County Jails (2017)
• Cruel and Unusual Punishment: How a Savage Gang of Deputies Controls LA County Jails (2011)
• Sheriff Baca’s Strike Force: Deputy Violence And Head Injuries Of Inmates In LA County Jails (2012)
• A Way Forward: Diverting People with Mental Illness from Inhumane and Expensive Jails into Community-Based Treatment That Work (2014)
• See more Jails reports

LASD/CHS Contacts

For Medical & Mental Health Emergencies:

Correctional Health Services (CHS) Medical Command Center: (213) 893-5544

For Mail Inquiries:

LASD Mail supervisor: (213) 893-5974

For Visitation Inquiries:

LASD Contact: (213) 680-4887

For the ADA Coordinator:

LASD ADA Coordinator: (213) 893-5500

For Men's Central Jail, call (213) 974-4916

For Twin Towers, call (213) 893-5163

For Century Regional Detention Facility or Lynwood, call (323) 568-4506

For North County Correctional Facility or Wayside, call (661) 295-7810

For Pitchess Detention Center North, call (661) 295-8059

and for Pitchess Detention Center South, call (661) 295-8011

Other Jails Oversight Bodies

Office of the Inspector General

Phone: (213) 974-6100

Online form: https://oig.lacounty.gov/Contact-Us

Los Angeles County Civilian Oversight Commission

Online complaint form: https://oig.lacounty.gov/Commendation-Complaint

Sybil Brand Commission for Institutional Inspections

Phone: (213) 974-1431

Email: sbc@bos.lacounty.gov

For Mental Health Complaints: United States Department of Justice (DOJ)

The US Department of Justice has a lawsuit against the LA County Sheriff's Department for treatment of people with mental health needs in the jails. Scroll down to the bottom of this page for links to send an email or download and send a complaint: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/divisions/civil-division.

State Prison Inquiries

Questions about transfer to state prison: CDCR Office of the Ombudsman

Phone: 916-323-7371

On behalf of an inmate regarding quality of life, jails services, or inmate abuse.

• File a complaint with the LASD.
• File a complaint with the ACLU.