The Sheriff's Department has maintained that both the Union-Tribune and Disability Rights California relied on a flawed methodology - the same standard used by the U.S. The request to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee also references an investigation by Disability Rights California completed in 2018 that looked at the 17 suicides that occurred in San Diego County jails between 20, which "far outpaced other large California county jail systems." The six-month Union-Tribune investigation also found that lawsuits stemming from many of the deaths have cost taxpayers millions of dollars in legal settlements in recent years. Many of the 150-plus people who died in custody since 2009 - the year Bill Gore was appointed sheriff - could have survived through better suicide-prevention practices and more diligent health care given to inmates suffering from chronic illnesses, including serious mental health issues, the report found.
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#JEFF MCDONALD UT SAN DIEGO SERIES#
The multi-part series found that San Diego County jails have the highest mortality and suicide rates among California's six largest jail systems. The letter cites The San Diego Union-Tribune's "Dying Behind Bars" investigation published in 2019 as an impetus for requesting the audit. "CLERB will continue forward with its own independent analysis and supports all similar analyses of (Sheriff's Department) facilities," Parker said by email. Paul Parker, the review board's executive officer, said Friday that the panel supports a state audit and noted the board agreed earlier this year to hire an outside expert to study in-custody deaths in San Diego County jails. The lawmakers also want state auditors to review practices and budgeting at the Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board, the volunteer panel that provides civilian oversight of the county Sheriff's and Probation departments. A spokeswoman last month said the department is always working to improve services and welcomes any review of its practices. The Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The grim history shows no sign of waning." "There is an extensive public record documenting the tragic loss of lives, systemic failures and inadequacy of oversight," the letter states. The lawmakers want state auditors to delve into a number of issues, including what the Sheriff's Department has done to mitigate inmate deaths, whether minority groups are overrepresented in fatalities, and how much the county has paid to resolve legal complaints related to deaths. Ben Hueso of San Diego is the only local state Democrat to have not signed the request letter his staff said last month that he supports the audit.
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The three-page letter was co-signed by Senate President Toni Atkins and Assembly members Brian Maienschein, Lorena Gonzalez, Akilah Weber, Chris Ward and Tasha Boerner-Horvath, all Democrats.
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Additional safety measure were added to the San Diego Central Jail to prevent inmates from attempting suicide by jumping off the second level of the Enhance observation unit. Sheriff deputies check on an inmate returning from his court appearance.