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The issue of Los Angeles (LA) County men’s jail violence has been in the public domain for some time now, with available documentation acknowledging that the violence seems deeply entrenched despite a litany of reports and recommendations that have been proposed by multiple bodies to address it.
A report released in 2012 by the American Civil Rights Union (ACRU) shows that the use of unnecessary force against inmates in LA County jails is a major factor in explaining the high levels of violence experienced in these jails (County of Los Angeles 2). This view is consistent with Steve Bogira’s observation that prisoners in bail courts are threatened with unnecessary force by the deputies even in situations whereby such use of force is unwarranted (Bogira 6-7).
While it is evident that the ongoing investigation into the LA County men’s jail violence has unearthed many triggering factors, including the persistent pattern of unreasonable use of force by deputies, overcrowding, substandard jail conditions, and rivalry amongst gang members (County of Los Angeles 1-2), it is becoming increasingly evident that the maltreatment of prisoners by those in authority is an ongoing concern in the attempt to address these challenges.
From the materials presented in the course, these challenges can be interpreted from the perspective of an American criminal justice system that has failed to put its priorities in order, hence reinforcing violence and recidivism among prisoners rather than ensuring their reformation.
Although the County men’s jail houses some of the most dangerous and violent inmates and rival gang members in the United States, it cannot escape mention how officials charged with the responsibility of reforming inmates and ensuring their successful reentry into the community have, on the contrary, produced more hardened and increasingly violent jailbirds. This unfortunate shift in expectations can only be best described by the persistent use of unreasonable force in the jail, and how much force reinforces negative behaviors among prisoners serving their jail terms.
The report by the ACRU is clear that “deputies sometimes use unnecessary force against inmates in the jails, to either exact punishment or to retaliate for something the inmate is perceived to have done” (County of Los Angeles 2). In the courtroom, prisoners are treated unfairly by deputies and exposed to dehumanizing practices such as the penetrative strip search (Bogira 6). Upon closer reflection, these experiences may serve as potential causes of a heightened inmate on inmate violence and attendant recidivism upon release.
Lastly, it may also be possible that prisoners are threatened with violence as a way to subdue them and ensure their compliance in the courtrooms or jails (Bogira 7). But while such thinking may serve its initial purpose, it will likely trigger a multiplicity of other challenges as witnessed in the LA County men’s jail.
The inhumane treatment of people and subsequent failure by relevant authorities to demonstrate leadership in dealing with the presenting challenges can be assumed as preliminary factors that cause inmates to find other means to rejuvenate themselves, leading to more violence. The violence problem in this particular jail is further compounded by the fact that officers already incriminated as using excessive force are not held personally accountable for their acts, thereby sending a troubling message to the prisoners that it is okay for them to engage in violence.
Consequently, it is only proper that the United States criminal justice system be revamped and reformulated to play its rightful role of reforming offenders and ensuring their successful reentry into the community. This can only be achieved by ensuring that such disproportionate use of force on inmates is discouraged or even replaced with the humane and caring treatment of offenders.
Works Cited
Bogira, Steve. Courtroom 302: A Year behind The Scenes in an American Criminal Courthouse, New York, NY: Vintage Books, 2006. Print.
County of Los Angeles 2012, Report of the Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence. Web.
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