LA County Supervisors Call for Assessment of In-Custody Deaths

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday ordered a comprehensive assessment of in-custody deaths and efforts to reduce fatalities in county jails, following what officials described as a troubling rise in deaths.

“Almost a week ago, another person died in our jails — marking the 20th in-custody jail death this year,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said. “To put that into perspective — in 2024, there were 32 deaths for the entire year.”

Hahn noted that many incarcerated individuals suffer from untreated mental health conditions, are noncompliant with prescribed medications, or arrive with undiagnosed health issues due to lack of consistent access to primary care.

She also cited the continued presence of illegal substances in jails, contributing to a rise in substance-related deaths.

According to the motion, 63% of people serving sentences in L.A. County jails meet the criteria for a substance use disorder.

“This year is becoming one of the deadliest years for people incarcerated in the Los Angeles County jails,” the motion reads. “Despite having a historically lower jail population, an increased number of staffing, and additional supports, the number of deaths continue to go up.”

Christina Ghaly, director of the Department of Health Services, told the board that while staffing has increased in various disciplines, critical vacancies remain — particularly in nursing and mental health care.

She said the report back would include recommendations to better support medical services within county facilities, including a prominent suggestion to place a “primary care medical home” within the jails to support those suffering from severe and long-term issues.

Board Chair Supervisor Kathryn Barger stated that the deaths were in part aided by outdated, overcrowded and unsuitable level of care.

“The county has invested in increased staffing and expanded services, but we know that this is more than just staffing,” Barger said.

She called for the report to include an analysis of the Men’s Central Jail’s physical condition and its impact on in-custody deaths, noting the facility “was never built to be what it is being used for today.”

The Department of Health Services’ Correctional Health Services was directed to report back in 90 days with key indicators and metrics to assess the progress made to decrease deaths in jails and an analysis on the causes and factors leading up to the deaths.

The report will also include an analysis of contributing factors and causes behind the deaths, along with the impact of policy decisions such as Proposition 36 and potential federal funding cuts to public health services.

Hahn stated the motion would also direct the Auditor-Controller and Risk Management to evaluate previous actions to make sure similar mistakes were not being repeated.

“It begs the question of what we’re doing now, giving over 14,000 people in our jails and in our care,” Hahn said. “The answer is we need a more action-oriented plan to address the uptick in in-custody deaths and I think this motion will at least put in the right direction.”