The Point: Spring 2018

A LOOK INTO THE LA JUSTICE SYSTEM
By John Kay
The Los Angeles justice system
continues to grapple with its
overpopulated jail system, as an increased
number of people with mental illness in the
county jail has created the largest mental
health facility in the nation. In an attempt
to effectively combat this issue and improve
police-community relationships, the Los
Angeles Police Department has addressed
these issues by formulating programs and
changing policy. Perhaps the current issues
will bring to light answers to LA’s current
and historical justice system issues.
According to an article published by The
Economist titled, “The failing jails of
Los Angeles County,” LA has the largest
jail system in America, and the influx of
prisoners continues to add to an already
overcrowded system. The LA County jail
system currently houses 38 percent more
prisoners than it is designed to hold.
Relations Between Police and
Community Crucial
Lt. Emada Tingirides, a watch commander
who oversees 40 officers assigned to
morning watch detail, believes a barrier
stands between law enforcement and
urban communities that has been
demonstrated throughout history.
In 1965, the Watts neighborhood in LA,
largely segregated by race, was greatly
affected by racial tensions between the
LAPD and black residents. Eventually,
an incident ignited riots and protests
within the community that lasted five
days, according to a collection of articles
published by the Los Angeles Times on
the 50th anniversary of the Watts Riots.
“The biggest barrier is the lack of trust
and understanding that goes both ways.
The reason why the Watts Riot started is
that people were fed up with the system,
and fed up with the lack of respect, and
fed up with the lack of resources, and
fed up with the lack of socioeconomic
development,” Tingirides said. “And
that strained relationship between law
enforcement and police … and the
response was anger, and so I think that
we’ve come a long ways since then.”
For Tingirides, combating issues
facing inner-city communities are
often multilayered and convoluted.
“It is always difficult when you’re
working in social service and dealing
with people who are victimized. And
having the resources in a community to
help heal families, so that these crimes
and these types of horrific incidents
that occur in the community don’t
continue to occur,” Tingirides said.
“We’re able to have a holistic approach
to reducing crime and fear and building
relationships with law enforcement.”
The LAPD is making an effort to diversify
its hiring process by representing LA
in an effective way. Being an African-
American female officer, Tingirides
knows the importance of engaging the
community in a way that represents
LA’s diverse and ethnic county.
“We now reflect the communities that
we serve. We are so diverse with Latinos,
with African-Americans on the job;
we’re so diverse with genders on the
job,” Tingirides said. “And I think the
community can look at this department
now, can look at LAPD, and say LAPD
mirrors and reflects me. They look like
me. I can feel them; I can reach out to
them, [and] I can relate with them.”
Changing Demographics
of Prisons and Police
In February of 2018, a nonpartisan
research organization, the Public Policy
The LAPD
continues to
formulate and
reshape its
mentality to
address 21st
century issues.
Institute of California, published an article
titled, “California’s Changing Prison
Population.” Authors Justin Goss and
Joseph Hayes detail the challenges that
still faces California’s diverse population.
“At the end of 2016, 29% of the male
prisoners in state prisons were African
American, while only 6% of the state’s
male residents are African American. The
incarceration rate for African American
men is 4,180 per 100,000,” the study
found. “White men are imprisoned at a
rate of 420 per 100,000, and imprisonment
rates for Latino men and men of other
races are 1,028 and 335, respectively.”
James Render first joined the LAPD
in 1985 as a patrol officer. He has
since experienced many aspects of law
enforcement work within the department.
Render later joined the narcotics division
as an undercover officer; he then worked
as a sergeant and was promoted to
detective within the department. Render
recently retired from the LAPD and
now works as a workers’ compensation
investigator for LA County.
“When I first joined the police department,
I was under total different leadership,”
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