Keep Bailing

The Los Angeles Times reported that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has announced that the Chowchilla women’s jail in Madera County will be converted to house low-and-medium level male inmates, instead.

The CDCR said the conversion will help to alleviate the adult male inmate overcrowding problem and avoid staff layoffs at the institution.

The conversion is scheduled to happen in three phases and is expected to be complete by July 2013.  The facility currently houses 3,171 female inmates.  The level of male inmates and staff is expected to be similar once the project is complete. The conversion at Chowchilla will allow the CDCR to create additional space for male inmates by using an existing facility while maintaining its workforce.

The CDCR said that with the implementation of the California jail realignment that the department expects Read more »

We try to avoid the LiLo stories, but every now and again, we have to cover it. So, you probably already know that yesterday Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner sentenced Lindsay Lohan to 300 days in the Los Angeles County women’s  jail for violating the terms of her probation, but will require only 30 days if she meets immediate requirements of the judge..

The judge said full sentence, which she described as “putting the keys in the defendant’s hands“, requires Lohan serve just 30 days with the remaining time being temporarily stayed.  If Lohan completes a mandated 12-days of community service at the county morgue and four sessions with a psychotherapist before her next scheduled court hearing in December, the stay will extend through mid-January.

Lohan is scheduled to Read more »

Fox Los Angeles reported  that Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca has a new jail plan. If approved by the County Board of Supervisors, the $1.4 billion plan would allow for the demolition and rebuilding of the downtown Men’s Central Jail and would also allow for a new, women’s jail to be constructed at Pitchess Detention Center.

The proposal comes amidst staunch allegations of inmate abuse by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) . County officials believe that prison populations could be better managed should construction plans be approved.

Baca told Fox that the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail is antiquated and if the new facility is approved it could reduce annual operation costs by approximately $23.7 million. The current facility, which houses about 5,000 inmates, was built in 1963.

Baca further noted the new facilities would allow Read more »

Like you, we’ve followed Lindsey Lohan from child star to Lynwood Jail and back again. The new member of the Gotti movie cast could be facing some serious trouble when she heads back to court today, according to E!.

Lohan will be going before a judge for both a preliminary hearing on her theft case and a probation-revocation hearing to determine whether she’s been in enough trouble to be sent back to Lynwood jail, Los Angeles County’s women’s jail, immediately.

Here’s a breakdown of what the star is in for today:

Lindsey’s Preliminary Hearing

The prosecution faces the task Read more »

In an opinion published in the Orange County Register Thursday, Bill Hunt discusses the controversial decision by Sheriff Sandra Hutchens to offer criminals early release from jail.

The decision to “cite and release” inmates from Orange County jails has led to over 400 criminals being put back onto the streets without having to post bail or provide any further court guarantees. Many of the inmates who are released this way flee. This ‘unsafe practice’ has been put into action and instituted by the court in an effort to relieve jail overcrowding. However, it is said that the overcrowding issue no longer exists, as there are 1,400 open jail beds.

As a function of the criminal justice system, Read more »

A new jail has been approved for Santee, California near the 52 and 67 freeways. The new 45 acre jail facility is budgeted at $308.5 million. It will replace the current Las Colinas women’s jail which was built in the 1960′s. The San Diego county Board of Supervisors approved these plans last month. But since then, the City of Santee has brought a lawsuit to San Diego Court Wednesday, citing that the county violated the state environmental law. Santee city argues that the county did not consider the impact on traffic and public safety for the city.

Santee also filed a lawsuit last year against the county involving a $100 million state grant to expand the Las Colinas jail, Read more »