Fifteen former and current inmates at a San Bernardino County Jail are suing the county and sheriff’s officials over what they say is systematic discrimination and uneven treatment based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.
The complaint filed Wednesday in a federal court alleges that gay, bisexual and transgender inmates at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga are consistently abused, neglected and denied equal access to rehabilitation programs and work opportunities.
"At West Valley Detention Center in San Bernardino County, gay, bisexual and transgender people are punished twice: first for the crimes they committed and second for being gay, bisexual and transgender," said Brendan Hamme, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, which is co-representing the inmates with a Pasadena law firm.
A San Bernardino County spokesman said Thursday that officials had not been served with paperwork, and had no comment.
Officials at the jail systematically transfer and isolate inmates who identify themselves as gay, bisexual or transgender to an area they call the "Alternative Lifestyle Tank," under the guise of protecting the inmates' safety, Hamme said.
Attorneys argue that such treatment violates inmates’ rights to equal protection under the California Constitution and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Six of the 15 plaintiffs — all of whom identify as GBT — are currently housed in the Rancho Cucamonga facility, while four are former inmates and five are housed in other facilities where they allege similar practices occur.
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Hamme said the ACLU has received dozens of corroborating statements and complaints from current and former inmates.
The complaint alleges that GBT inmates are locked up in the "Alternative Lifestyle Tank" for more than 22 hours a day "without any security justification."
They also argue they’re routinely denied opportunities for work credits and rehabilitation programs that would help in reducing their sentences.
Some inmates add that they’ve been retaliated against by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials after complaining about conditions.
"Jails are simply not Constitution-free zones," Hamme said. "We want West Valley Detention Center to change its practice. We want GBT inmates to have the same level of access to services as their non-GBT counterparts."
