California prison guards must wear body cameras after evidence of inmate abuse, judge says
For the first time, California correctional officers will be required to use body cameras while interacting with inmates inside a state prison, a federal judge ordered Tuesday.
The ruling comes in a civil rights lawsuit over disabled inmates’ rights, in which a federal judge found evidence to support allegations of physical abuse of prisoners at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. The order applies to interactions with all inmates with disabilities inside the Otay Mesa facility.
Attorneys for the inmates with disabilities had asked the judge to issue an order mandating body cameras for correctional officers after documenting widespread physical abuse of the inmates.
Attorneys for the inmates with disabilities had asked the judge to issue an order mandating body cameras for correctional officers after documenting widespread physical abuse of the inmates.
“Body cameras have never been used in California prisons. This is a very important order to help put an end to physical abuse and broken bones of those with physical disabilities at this most dangerous of prisons,” said attorney Gay Grunfeld, whose law firm, along with the Prison Law Office, represents the plaintiffs.
Read the full story on LATimes.com.
So, exactly what does this mean? For starters, it means the CDCR is pissed, and for good reason. You're talking about an entity which has gotten away with so much, for so long, they truly believe they're above the law, and why wouldn't they? They investigate themselves, they have qualified and a virtually unlimited defense budget, which means most attorneys won't even consider handling a case for us. When we do file for ourselves, the courts usually make it so difficult we eventually lose, but this could change all of that. Of course, this assumes the bodycams work as intended.
Another point to consider is that this only impacts a select few. What we need to do is expand it to all facilities, but know this: you can bet your was that CDCR is going to contrive situations to force us to complain, ie, using bodycams on us as we're stripsearched, walking in on us in the shower, etc. These are issues that need to be addressed. I'd suggest doing away with the routine stripsearched, but that's just my opinion.
Read the full story on LATimes.com.
So, exactly what does this mean? For starters, it means the CDCR is pissed, and for good reason. You're talking about an entity which has gotten away with so much, for so long, they truly believe they're above the law, and why wouldn't they? They investigate themselves, they have qualified and a virtually unlimited defense budget, which means most attorneys won't even consider handling a case for us. When we do file for ourselves, the courts usually make it so difficult we eventually lose, but this could change all of that. Of course, this assumes the bodycams work as intended.
Another point to consider is that this only impacts a select few. What we need to do is expand it to all facilities, but know this: you can bet your was that CDCR is going to contrive situations to force us to complain, ie, using bodycams on us as we're stripsearched, walking in on us in the shower, etc. These are issues that need to be addressed. I'd suggest doing away with the routine stripsearched, but that's just my opinion.
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