LOS ANGELES : 2 Jail Suicides Prompt Review of Cell Designs
Two inmate suicides in the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley jail last year have caused the LAPD to review its jail doors and recommend design improvements intended to stop inmates from hanging themselves from the bars.
In a proposal to be considered by the Police Commission next week, department officials call in-custody suicides a serious problem and note that jail suicide rates are two to three times as high as those in the general population.
“The structure of the existing cell doors within the department’s jail system poses a significant safety concern,” the report states.
To cure the problem, department officials are proposing that the LAPD spend $22,655 to install heavy grates across the bars of jail cell doors. The grates make it more difficult for inmates to hang themselves, according to the report.
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