California sues Los Angeles County over ‘inhumane’ conditions in its
jail system
[September 10, 2025]
By CAYLA MIHALOVICH/CalMatters
Citing “inhumane conditions” and a “shocking rate of deaths,” Attorney
General Rob Bonta on Monday announced that the state is suing Los
Angeles County over conditions in its jail system.
“We can’t wait any longer,” Bonta said at a press conference. “We need
comprehensive reform and we need it now.”
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, seeks to compel the Los Angeles County
Sheriff’s Department and Correctional Health Services to implement
widespread changes, including to its health care, conditions of
confinement and grievance procedures.
“Our lawsuit will be the driving impetus to make those changes reality,”
said Bonta. “Every person in custody deserves safety, health care,
dignity.”
About 14,000 people on average are housed in L.A.’s jail on a daily
basis. The state’s lawsuit said they have been exposed to rat
infestations, spoiled meals and no clean water.
Over the past decade, nearly 40% of deaths in the Los Angeles County
jails were caused by preventable circumstances, the lawsuit said.
According to the lawsuit, three dozen custody deaths have already taken
place in Los Angeles County jails this year.
Despite decades of court monitoring over Los Angeles County jails,
perilous conditions and constitutional violations continue to persist,
the lawsuit stated. Meanwhile, the county has spent millions of dollars
to defend and settle litigation regarding those violations.
“Instead of addressing root causes or devoting resources to resolving
acknowledged violations, Defendants have engaged in a longstanding
pattern of resisting oversight and accountability,” the state attorney
general’s office wrote in the complaint.
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The Los Angeles system is the state’s largest, operating eight jails
throughout the county. The county is one of several that has faced
scrutiny for poor conditions and preventable deaths. The state last
year appointed an official charged with investigating jail deaths
and Bonta’s office previously opened a civil rights inquiry focused
on the Riverside County jail.
And, last year, CalMatters reported that deaths in local jails
increased even as their population declined because of changes to
state sentencing laws.
In a written statement, Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said his
department is working to comply with multiple settlement agreements
related to jail conditions and with the California Department of
Justice.
“Despite ongoing challenges, including a rising inmate population
and an aging Men’s Central Jail, our staff have remained committed
to providing constitutional, humane care to those in our custody,”
he said. “We are not waiting for mandates, we are proactively
advancing reforms to build a safer, more accountable custody
environment. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and confident in
our ability to continue delivering meaningful change for our
community.”
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