March 2024
Shining A Light in a Dark Place
By: Reba K. Bindra, M.D.
Note: I use the terms women/female and men/male here because this is how the jails are divided. This is not meant to exclude anyone who identifies outside of these constructs. I work in a jail, specifically a women’s jail. Century Regional Detention Center (CRDF) is 8 miles south of Downtown LA and is part of the largest jail system in the country (see December 2023 SCPS newsletter for a full breakdown of the LA County jail system). According to the LASD Correctional Services Daily Briefing (2/16/24) there are 1,351 inmates at CRDF.
“But isn’t it dangerous?” is usually the first question I get asked when I say I work in a jail. Answer: not really. For many years I worked in psychiatric inpatient units as well as the state hospital where patients walked freely with no handcuffs, and I spoke to them face to face with little space between us. At any point you could be the subject of intended or unintended violence. In jail, for basically the same patient, I have to yell loudly through 3 small holes on a locked, heavy metal, maximum security-designed door. (No, the women’s jail is not a maximum-security facility, but it operates like one. Different story for a different day). Hospital vs jail safety? Jail wins, hands down. But that’s about the only thing that the jail will win.
Please read Dr. Bindra's complete article beginning on Page 3
February 2024
Tim Thelen2024-02-06T16:18:05-08:00February 1st, 2024|Vol. 72, No. 6|
January 2024
Tim Thelen2024-01-05T10:51:35-08:00January 1st, 2024|Vol. 72, No. 5|
December 2023
Tim Thelen2023-12-07T09:43:19-08:00December 1st, 2023|Vol. 72, No. 4|
November 2023
Tim Thelen2023-11-10T07:19:31-08:00November 1st, 2023|Vol. 72, No. 3|