Los Angeles, CA: The unique court ordered partnership between the ACLU and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is revealed in a four minute Internet video preview from a special Full Disclosure Network® series of interviews addressing the Los Angeles County jail crisis. Sheriff Leroy Baca describes the cause of the current jail overcrowding, citing the 1975 ACLU lawsuit (Rutherford vs Block). Also featured are ACLU's Legal Director Mark Rosenbaum, Jail Project Director Mary Tiedeman and LASD Captain Tim Cornell, of the Inmate Reception Center.
In the preview Baca tells FDN host Leslie Dutton that "The jail overcrowded problem, as you may know, stems from court decrees.. we were capped at about 18,000 prisoners, based on this Rutherford decision." The preview is available FREE to Internet viewers and the entire series is soon to be featured on 43 cable TV systems. Eventually the full length interviews will be available 24/7, on demand, to those who subscribe to the Full Disclosure Network® website program service.
Some of the highlights featuring the ACLU and L.A. County Sheriff's Department are:
- Captain Tim Cornell describes the LASD partnership with the ACLU, including some of the difficulties encountered when the ACLU monitors distribute complaint forms to inmates who in turn provide false information. He describes the ACLU's temporary restraining order on jail overcrowding and how it impacted operations and the daily task of moving inmates from jails to courthouses for their hearings.
- Mary Tiedeman, jail project director is asked to describe how the inmates react to the monitoring and relates some of the most common problems associated with the complaints forms they file on behalf of the inmates. She also defines the "partnership" with Sheriff's Department and her good working relationship with the Sheriffs Deputies who respond quickly to her requests to assist inmates in distress.
- Mark Rosenbaum, ACLU legal director describes the "partnership" with the Sheriffs Department and discusses how he wants to avoid any contempt proceedings against the LASD and that any back-up of operations that may have occurred, due to the ACLU temporary restraining order, should and could have been avoided and why.
- Inmate Riots, jail disturbances on video are featured in the FDN preview and series, to demonstrate the circumstances that exist from time to time and explanations for the cause are provided.
- Explicit details of the numerous problems encountered by both the ACLU monitors and the L.A. County Sheriffs Department are provided in depth.
Billed as "the news behind the news" the Full Disclosure Network® is an independent, educational, public affairs cable program. In 2002 host Leslie Dutton was presented with a local public affairs Emmy Award by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the series entitled "L.A.'s War Against Terrorism". Channels and airtimes. For the past fifteen years FDN has covered critical public policy issues, in-depth, that are often ignored by the mainstream media.
Comments to date: 12. This is page 1 of 2.
Frank Courser Escondido
Posted: 05:26 pm [PST] on October 01 2007
This problem has been known for years in our state prisons.In 2005 Delano II was completed. It was announced that it would be the last prison California would build.Two years later our Governor declared a state of emergency in our state prisons when the federal courts took over the medical care of inmates.Overcrowding and the lack of medical care is the effect of locking up non-violent offenders for the most petty offenses.The state and all 58 counties needs to define who is and who is not a threat to public safety.Treat those with addiction and mental illness and jail those that pose a threat.
Jonathan Fischbach Los Angeles
Posted: 08:54 pm [PST] on September 27 2007
Screw the ACLU .
Enrique Geurts Santa Rosa
Posted: 10:32 am [PST] on August 28 2007
Its clear the trust from california's police departments, detention centers and prisons is a failed system. It is a matter of the percentage of uneducated and homeless individuals that greatly affect the high expediture of incarseration.Also the lack of training there after that the state spends on its officials is a problem that cant be ignored any more. There is no money for thoes that are in a parole class prior to parole or money after parole ,do something. Mr. Rosenbaums response is clear, thoses are the facts no community wants to face.
Very sad in this day in age;when we become divided; this is what all the other nations of the world shake their heads at. Our government was founded on strength not pick out the weakness of another person and then forgetting all about them.
This may well be the reason why we dont improve on our way of life in America.killing in our country and abroad has become the normal every day attitude. This is far from being a civilized nation. We need to come to gether and become mature adults not mindless thinkers without emotion and a lack of consideration for our fellow neighbor.
JOE Los Angeles
Posted: 08:52 pm [PST] on August 05 2007
We live in the most letigious society in the world. The checks and balances of the JAil system with the ACLU is fragile one. Everyone is innocent till proven guilty, but the fact remains that Jail keeps many of us-the community, SAFE. The MIddle-class pays the most taxes out of anyone and fund many services including the JAIL system. It does benefit these Middle-class communities. Jail is used in our system as a deterrent, in no way should it be a place of rehabilitation, to receive medical or Mental Health services...But it is for better or worse. They (Sheriffs) do what they can, but they are in charge of doing everything the community they come from lacks! Jails, like Hospitals are thought of as one stop fix centers, always open, have to take me, and have to provide services no matter what! They have a very difficult job and we are seeing the neglect of the board of supervisors, city & county leaders for neglecting and failing to fund public safety. But I'm sure they are in line for the next photo opp. for a clean fuel program for the evening news.
Joe, FTP
Jerry Boyd, Chief of Police-ret Baker City, OR
Posted: 07:29 am [PST] on June 18 2007
Any voluntary agreement, of any type, with the ACLU is the height of professional irresponsibility.
Jim Reidy Santa Monica
Posted: 10:54 pm [PST] on June 17 2007
Leslie, I would suggest to you that when filming members of the aclu that you attempt, if possible, to use a camera angle that dose not have the American Flag in the background. Jim
Leslie Dutton Los Angeles
Posted: 06:39 pm [PST] on June 16 2007
Col. Miles:
Did it occur to you there might be forces out there using well intentioned social workers and civil rights organizations and our government to benefit their interests financially? Special interests from drug companies to health care conglomerates that manipulate public policy to benefit their companies and accomplish their financial goals. Before we condemn individuals let us first look at who benefits from the outcome of such manipulation. I remember interviewing Edwin Meese III who was Chief of Staff to Reagan when he was California Governor. He described why the mental health hospitals were closed down during the Reagan administration, which most people say created the homeless problem. He said "the professionals at the time felt the problem could be treated with drugs, no longer requiring institutionalizing the mentally ill". Yes, the ACLU was at the forefront pushing for that, and with professionals and drug companies behind it, they believed such a policy was for the best. Governor Reagan signed legislation that implemented the ACLU court decision and has been blamed ever since for turning the mentally ill out on the streets. Now, you blame the ACLU. But in reality the special interests the convinced both the government and the ACLU to take such legal action may be the culprits. But please, let us be civil to one another. We can learn a lot if we talk to each other. Leslie Dutton
Vagabondo Skid Row, L.A.
Posted: 03:27 pm [PST] on June 16 2007
Aard V Atheian of Los Angeles if you were not a loathsome criminal and deserving of incarceration you would not have been attacked by fellow inmates. Notice he was mistreated by inmates not the Sherifs Dept.. Whine like the little bitch and girl you are! Sorry ass jail bird!
Col. B.C. Miles Whittier, CA
Posted: 03:07 pm [PST] on June 16 2007
MONITORS NOTE: FULL DISCLOSURE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EDIT COMMENTS IN THE INTEREST OF ENCOURAGING CIVIL DISCUSSION. THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS HAVE BEEN EDITED:
Rosenbaum is a two faced liar! The prisoners who have mental problems were in state mental health facilities and being cared for by the states until the ACLU got a federal court order back in the late 1960s requiring the states turn them out on the streets. Thats when they became homeless people!
Now he wants to belly ache and bitch like a little girl that the homeless are being placed in jails. I'd like five minutes alone with this vomit Rosenbaum in a locked room! When I come out the U.S.A. will be minus one less problem maker!
I talk to the homeless everyday of the week and those going into the system are doing so because they want to get the bed and two meals a day and fatten up. On the street they only eat from waste in garbage cans and sleep on cement sidewalks!
Tiedeman is incapable of telling when these professional liars, murderers, scammers, theifs, and confidencemen and women are lying or not. She is obviously incapable of finding a place in life whereby she can make an honest living so she decided to become a traitor and join the ACLU!
The aclu is not the guardian and friend of the people of this nation, rather it is the cause of everything that is wrong in this nation. It is the direct objective of the ACLU to destroy everything that is morally right, wholesome and good in America.
Never forget that the ACLU was Founded in 1920 by Crystal Eastman and Roger Baldwin, known anti-american people who's main goals were the advancement of Communisim and destruction of the United States from within (They beat Kruschev to it).
Those same goals are the mission of the ACLU today and as such the ACLU is deemed to be the enemy of every United Staes Citizen and must be abolished from this nation in order for us as a people and the government of the founding fathers to exsist! "One nation Under God" and "In God We Trust"
Aard V Atheian Los Angeles
Posted: 04:07 am [PST] on June 16 2007
I was mistreated. Four inmates were trying to kill me. I tried to talk to the deputees. They would'nt let me, they would punish me, hogtie me to the ground everytime I tried.