Civil rights violations occur in jails, not just in communities and nations

Inmates, Orleans Parish Prison

Carol Forsloff----The Department of Justice announced today the indictment of two officers who are accused of violating the civil rights of an inmate by physically assaulting that inmate, then covering up what they did by falsifying records.  The officers both worked in the Mens Jail in Los Angeles, California.

It is not just in the community that police have allegedly used unnecessary force or who have gone outside the boundaries of reasonable control and safety, as treatment of others inside jails is also of a concern when it comes to civil rights issues.

The indictment charges that charges Joey Aguiar, 26, and Mariano Ramirez, 38 of illegally using force against an inmate then falsifying records that led to the victim's false prosecution.

If found guilty, Aguiar and Ramirez face a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.  18 current and former Los Angeles Deputies have also been indicted on various civil rights offenses and corruption charges and are also being scheduled this year for trial.

As the world focuses on police corruption and human rights abuses in Iraq and in Africa, police departments in the United States, along with the jails, are also being investigated for crimes against others by denying them their civil rights and exceeding the reasonable force necessary to control and protect the community from harm.