In the wake of the release Tuesday of a scathing ACLU SoCal report about inhuman conditions at Orange County jails — including a demand that Sheriff Sandra Hutchens step down from her position — Hutchens announced she is retiring and will not run for reelection when her term ends next year. Please attribute the following statement to Esther Lim, director of jails at the ACLU SoCal:
"For far too long the sheriff's department has balked at doing anything to fix the horrendous conditions in the Orange County jails system, as outlined in the ACLU report. The announcement today by Sheriff Hutchens gives the county an opportunity to finally clean house. We call upon the Orange County Board of Supervisors to create an independent civilian oversight body to keep the department accountable. And we will continue to ensure that people who are incarcerated in the OC jails are treated fairly, humanely, and with dignity."
