Los Angeles County Men's Jail
December 14, 2009 12:09 PM Subscribe
I have to go to Los Angeles County Men's Jail for 96 hours. What is the likelihood that I would have to serve the whole sentenced time?
I'm a white male, early thirties. Last year I was (very regretfully) arrested for a DUI, and now I have to serve 96 hours in the LA County jail. My other option is to serve those 96 hours at a 'private' jail where I'd pay to have my own cell and can bring a book. I can break the 96 hours into two 48 hour blocks over two weekends if I wanted to.
However, I've heard that LA County jails are pretty overcrowded (especially the men's jails) and that Sheriff Lee Baca has a 10%-time served rule where most first-time, non-felony offenders are released after about 12 hours. I am thinking of turning myself in on December 23rd if its likely that I will be released soon, otherwise I'd probably wait till around the 28th. I have a year to do this in, but would like to get it over with as it is hanging over my head, and I want to start 2010 off on the right foot.
Thank you for any advice you may provide.
I'm a white male, early thirties. Last year I was (very regretfully) arrested for a DUI, and now I have to serve 96 hours in the LA County jail. My other option is to serve those 96 hours at a 'private' jail where I'd pay to have my own cell and can bring a book. I can break the 96 hours into two 48 hour blocks over two weekends if I wanted to.
However, I've heard that LA County jails are pretty overcrowded (especially the men's jails) and that Sheriff Lee Baca has a 10%-time served rule where most first-time, non-felony offenders are released after about 12 hours. I am thinking of turning myself in on December 23rd if its likely that I will be released soon, otherwise I'd probably wait till around the 28th. I have a year to do this in, but would like to get it over with as it is hanging over my head, and I want to start 2010 off on the right foot.
Thank you for any advice you may provide.
Just a thought -- maybe consider staffing levels when you show up. Dec 23 seems like a day a lot of people might take off--you don't want your getting released to have anything to do with whether or they have adequate coverage to fill out whatever forms need to be filled out or because they can't find your shoelaces or some dumb thing.
My suggestion would be a Tuesday or Wednesday in a normal week, no holidays.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:17 PM on December 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
My suggestion would be a Tuesday or Wednesday in a normal week, no holidays.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:17 PM on December 14, 2009 [1 favorite]
There's a good chance you would get released after 12 hours or so.
That said, if there's any way you can afford it pay for the "private" jail. LACJ is a very unpleasant place and 12 hours can be a very long time.
posted by generalist at 1:27 PM on December 14, 2009
That said, if there's any way you can afford it pay for the "private" jail. LACJ is a very unpleasant place and 12 hours can be a very long time.
posted by generalist at 1:27 PM on December 14, 2009
Data point. I had a friend go in to the same prison to serve the same time for the same offense. He was out in a little over nine hours. Most of that time was him being processed in. Sat on a bunk and read a book for about an hour and was, totally unexpectedly, released.
posted by Spyder's Game at 1:29 PM on December 14, 2009
posted by Spyder's Game at 1:29 PM on December 14, 2009
As a word of advice about getting out so close to a holiday, I had a friend who had to go to jail in Chicago for a DUI for 96 hours, checked in the Friday before Thanksgiving, to get out the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, but ended up having to spend Thanksgiving day and Black Friday in jail as well because the "processors" had left early. When he got angry about it, everyone had the same response, "You're in jail, we work on our schedule, deal with it."
posted by banannafish at 6:28 PM on December 14, 2009
posted by banannafish at 6:28 PM on December 14, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Houstonian at 12:12 PM on December 14, 2009