This article was originally published by LAist on Sept. 8, 2025.
Topline: California Attorney General Rob Bonta is suing the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, calling conditions inside its jails a “humanitarian crisis.”
The backstory: In 2021, the Attorney General’s Office launched an investigation over the sheriff’s department’s policing practices. As part of that probe, investigators examined conditions in county jails.
The context: It’s not the first time L.A. County has been under scrutiny over jail conditions; the federal government has sued in the past, as well as the ACLU.
What’s new: Bonta said investigators found overcrowded and inhumane conditions in the nation’s largest jail system — including rat infestations, moldy food and broken plumbing. “We’re talking about feces smeared on the walls and medical care denied to those in need,” he said. “We’re talking about a disrespect for the basic dignity of our fellow humans and a violation of their most fundamental constitutional rights.”
Inmate deaths: There’s also been a significant rise in jail deaths. Over the last four years, there were 206 in-custody deaths and more than 40% were preventable, like homicides, suicides and overdoses, Bonta said. The lawsuit states that in 2025 alone, there have been 36 in-custody deaths, which amounts to about one a week.
What’s next: Bonta said the county failed to implement reforms in its jails, and left the office “no choice” but to sue.
Sheriff Robert Luna said in a statement that his department has been “fully engaged and cooperative” with the state Department of Justice, and said the department has already made progress under other existing settlement agreements. “We are not waiting for mandates, we are proactively advancing reforms to build a safer, more accountable custody environment,” he said.