A jail break in Orange County has, understandably, left the residents of the area on edge. The jail break also calls into serious question the ability of the Sherriff’s Department to care for the inmates in its custody. Three men escaped from Orange County’s largest jail, Men’s Central, on Friday, January 22. The Los Angeles Times reports that five suspects have been arrested for alleged connection to the escape though no specific details have emerged. Local police have been pressuring some regional gangs who have suspected affiliations with two of three of the escaped convicts. Officials believe the escaped convicts must have received outside assistance to escape. A part-time English teacher at the facility has also been arrested for alleged involvement (The Washington Post).
While Orange County law enforcement and other authorities have been working tirelessly to find the escapees, the Sherriff’s Department must also review their policies for incarcerating inmates. Guards at the jail did not realize the inmates had escaped for over 16 hours. While this is a troubling revelation, the jail is over 50 years old and may require extensive renovation to prevent such escapes from happening again. A $200,000 reward has been offered for information leading to recapture. Adequately addressing safety concerns at the jail will certainly cost much more.