Men’s Central Jail

Men's Central JailLos Angeles County runs the most populous jail system in the U.S. On an average day, the county’s facilities house over 19,000 inmates, although the incarceration rate in California has dropped below the national average.

The LA County jail system has a reputation for dangerous conditions, and the Men’s Central Jail is the worst of the county’s facilities. As described by the ACLU, this facility is a windowless dungeon in Downtown LA that’s known for its culture of deputy-on-inmate violence. If your loved one is incarcerated in this jail, you should make every effort to get them released.

Who Goes To the Men’s Central Jail?

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) operates six facilities, including the:

  • Men’s Central Jail
  • Mira Loma Detention Center
  • North County Correctional Facility
  • Pitchess Detention Center East
  • Pitchess Detention Center North
  • Pitchess Detention Center South

Who Goes To the Men’s Central Jail?LASD has closed two of these facilities. Pitchess East is vacant, and Mira Loma is used by the federal government to hold deportees.

Of these, the Men’s Central Jail has the highest capacity. Though it has 5,640 beds, the facility currently houses over 12,000 inmates.

Two types of inmates get held at the Men’s Central Jail: LASD arrestees and convicted and sentenced offenders.

LASD Arrestees

LASD provinces law enforcement services for the following jurisdictions:

  • Unincorporated communities in LA County
  • Cities in LA County with no city police department
  • Courthouses in LA County
  • LA Metro buses, subways, and trains
  • LA community colleges
  • County parks, recreational facilities, and hospitals

Calls for service from these locations get routed to the LASD. Additionally, the LASD provides backup for city police. When the LASD receives a call for service, sheriff’s deputies from one of the four patrol divisions or the special operations division respond. They gather information about the reported crime and conduct an initial investigation.

For example, when the LASD receives a domestic violence call from a home in an unincorporated area of the county, the dispatcher will send LASD deputies to interview the victim and conduct an initial investigation.

If they have probable cause to believe someone violated California law, they can arrest and transport them to the Twin Towers Correctional Facility for booking. After booking, the LASD can transfer the inmate to the Men’s Central Jail.

Convicted and Sentenced Offenders

Inmates sentenced to jail after a trial or guilty plea may serve their time in the Men’s Central Jail. 

Judges use the following guidelines to decide who goes to LA County jail instead of state prison:

  • People convicted of a non-serious, non-violent, and non-sex charge can get sent to jail
  • Jail inmates must not have a prior conviction for a serious or violent felony
  • Jail inmates cannot be registered sex offenders
  • Parole violators cannot get sent to prison

Inmates sent to county jail will serve their entire sentence there unless they commit another crime that gets them a prison sentence. For example, suppose that someone was sent to the Men’s Central Jail for drug crimes. While incarcerated, they get convicted of assault on a corrections officer. They could get transferred to prison.

How To Get Someone Released From the Men’s Central Jail

You have several options for getting someone released from the Men’s Central Jail. First, California law has a presumption favoring release on recognizance for many non-violent crimes. An arrestee might get held for up to three days, excluding weekends and holidays, before they receive a bail hearing. At that hearing, they could simply be released on recognizance without bail.

Second, the judge could set bail. If you pay that amount, your inmate will get released from the Men’s Central Jail. 

You can pay bail with:

  • Cash
  • Property deed
  • Bail bond issued by bonds agent

Third, if they get sentenced to jail time, the county runs a program called the “pay-to-stay,” “trustee,” or “inmate worker” program. It allows inmates to serve their county sentence in a city facility, such as the Burbank, Pasadena, or Glendale jail.

Fourth, inmates get released after finishing their sentences. LA County jails give one day of good time for each day served without a violation of jail rules.

The Role of a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer in Securing a Release from Men’s Central Jail

A Los Angeles criminal defense attorney can present the facts and legal arguments to get an inmate released on recognizance or bail. This release allows the defendant to work and assist in their defense while awaiting trial. Contact The Rodriguez Law Group Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorneys you can call us at (213)-995-6767 for a free consultation to discuss your inmate in the Men’s Central Jail.