GREG’S LIVING LA VIDA LOMPOC
LASUD ELEMENTRY TEACHER PLEADS TO CHILD ABUSE
PORTANTINO’S $437,120 INCREASE TOPS SD
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montereyparkpress.com
MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015 - AUGUST 16, 2015 - VOLUME 4, NO. 32
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LA Supervisors Favor Diversion Plans Over Jail Construction Following a 45-day suspension of jail construction plans, the LA Board of Supervisors is divided on whether to move forward with a controversial $2.3 billion county jail plan. Community members and organizations voiced unified opposition to any further jail construction at the Supervisors’ meeting yesterday, citing the need to implement mental health diversion and invest in further community based alternatives to imprisonment. District Attorney Lacey’s Mental Health Diversion plan reflected the common sense that community members have been consistently voicing to decision makers consistently in their opposition to jail expansion in LA: “The jail environment is not conducive to the treatment of mental illness.” “Diverting people with mental health conditions to community-based mental health care programs and
increasing the availability of these resources are systematic ways to phase out our reliance on jails,” said Mark-Anthony Johnson of Dignity and Power Now (DPN). The same morning, DPN released a new report, “Breaking the Silence: Civil and Human Rights Violations resulting from Medical Neglect and Abuse of Women of Color in Los Angeles County Jails.” A report presented at Tuesday’s meeting by Health Management Associates (HMA) and Pulitzer/ Bogard Associates, LLC was met with strong resistance and scrutiny by community members and supervisors alike. The report projected that the jail population would increase along with the general population, but contained many statistical errors and failed to take into account mental health diversion and program credits. “Will the numbers of [men] projected to be
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey today recognized three Los Angeles County residents who acted bravely and at considerable personal risk to help crime victims in the Long Beach/South Los Angeles area. The award recipients include a man who helped deputies capture an armed robber using a GPS locator, a woman who aided an elderly disabled man beaten by his girlfriend and a man who rescued two women from a violent sex trafficker. “Today we commend the acts of heroism demonstrated by these everyday people,” District Attorney Jackie Lacey said. “They stood up for victims of crime and played pivotal roles in the prosecution of
each case. I am proud to be in the presence of these very special people whose steadfast conviction helped attain justice.” The District Attorney’s Office presents Courageous Citizen Awards several times a year to people who have performed extraordinary acts of valor and selflessness in assisting in criminal prosecutions, aiding victims, preventing crimes, or capturing suspects. The honorees are: Joshua White, 28, of Los Angeles (Case no. NA095730) Mr. White rescued two women and helped put a violent sex trafficker behind bars. On May 15, 2013, Mr. White was leaving a Century City mall when he was approached by two women. They told him they had been forced into prostitution.
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District Atttorney Jackie Lacey
Three Los Angeles County Residents Honored for Acts of Bravery When they tried to escape, the women said the physically abusive pimp locked them in a car while he went into the mall. He told them that he was going to take them across states lines. In the mall parking lot, the women left the vehicle and ran to Mr. White for help. As Mr. White listened to their story, he knew these were serious and violent crimes. He drove them to a police station so they could report the crimes. The next day, Long Beach police arrested the suspect. Mr. White testified against the pimp without hesitation, strengthening the prosecution’s case. A jury convicted the human trafficker of two counts of pimping, two counts of SEE PG. 4
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LASD and Department of Justice Reach Settlement Agreement The Sheriff’s Department and the United States Department of Justice announced on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015, a joint settlement agreement that will support a holistic approach to overall reform in the nation’s largest jail system. The provisions under this agreement define specific corrective actions but also for the first time implement a coordinated multi-department countywide systemic approach that supports continuous improvements in the Custody Division. These vital improvements include a closely coordinated team approach between Custody staff, Department of Mental Health (DMH) clinicians and medical services working in partnership across
the continuum of inmate care, from Intake and assessment of needs, crisis intervention, suicide prevention and upgrades in suicide risk procedures, critical incident reviews, safety checks, referrals, and follow-up and transition back in to community. “The agreement announced today is an opportunity to move beyond the challenges of the past and build on progress already underway; it is our promise not simply to the Department of Justice, but to our entire community,” explained Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell. “Working with the federal government, County leaders and outside experts, our Custody Division will continue to implement correc-
tive actions that will lead to more positive outcomes for incarcerated individuals suffering from serious mental illness, a safer environment for inmates as well as personnel who work in our jails, and enhanced policies and practices that will ensure the humane and constitutional treatment of those in our charge who eventually return to our community.” (Sheriff McDonnell’s full statement on the agreement is available atwww.lasd.org). “The key difference in this agreement is having a sustainable plan,” added Terri McDonald, Assistant Sheriff, Custody Division. “We have created the partnerships and received the SEE PG. 5