In a move seeking transparency and community involvement, the state of California has initiated a series of listening sessions to address the alarming rate of in-custody deaths, starting with a gathering in San Diego County, as reported by CalMatters. The newly appointed director of in-custody death reviews at the Board of State and Community Corrections, Allison Ganter, who is also the board's Deputy Director since 2014, will be hosting these sessions with the first taking place at the North Inland Live Well Center in Escondido.
Last year's implementation of a new oversight mechanism by California, shone light on the number of deaths that reached a peak in 2022 with 215 people dying in the state's jails where counties like Tulare, San Diego, Kern, Riverside, and San Bernardino ranked the highest for these tragic incidents, according to data from CalMatters. The establishment of Ganter's role comes as a response to a critical push by San Diego advocates and to a 2021 State Auditor’s report that criticized the board's previous inaction surrounding death notifications and inmate wellness checks.
The appointment marks a significant milestone for local advocacy groups, with Yusef Miller, the North County Equity and Justice Coalition director, expressing his relief and hope that the statewide position will serve as a catalyst for change, KPBS reported. "When we do these fights from the grassroots, from the streets, we expect a really long, drawn-out, a lot of disappointment. And this went fast for this type of work," he told KPBS, acknowledging the surprising swiftness with which progress has been made.
Meanwhile families like that of Paloma Serna, who lost her daughter Elisa while in custody in 2019, and fought persistently for answers, see the establishment of this new position as hope for future cases, with Serna expressing to KPBS, "This is opening a door to help these new cases, these new families that will be in our group, that will continue to push for justice."
San Diego County attempts to reduce in-custody deaths appear to be making headway as well, with Sheriff Kelly Martinez reporting a downward trend, telling KPBS, "While we have not solved this issue, there are signs that actions we have taken are working". The county supervisors further amplified efforts by giving more power to the Citizen’s Law Enforcement Review Board to inspect death cases. Ganter's follow-up listening session is scheduled for Sacramento in January, continuing the state's newfound commitment to addressing this critical issue.
