After violating state regulation, Orange County jails begin serving hot meals again

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said it has resumed serving hot meals in county jails, more than a week after a state board told the agency it was violating a regulation by not providing inmates with at least one hot meal a day.

The California Board of State and Community Corrections raised the issue after it was contacted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.

The ACLU sent a letter to the corrections board in early April saying the Sheriff’s Department had not served hot meals in its jails for about a year.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in dramatic shifts to the food that incarcerated people are served,� the ACLU letter says. “Incarcerated people no longer work in the kitchens and instead are served cold sack lunches three times per day. The BSCC Title 15 regulations require incarcerated individuals to receive at least one hot meal per day. Furthermore, OCSD’s Food Services Policy requires a minimum of one hot meal per day.�

In its letter, the corrections board said the Orange County jails weren’t complying with the hot meal rule in the Orange County men’s and women’s jails, the Intake Release Center, Theo Lacy jail or Lamoreaux Justice Center.

Sheriff’s Department spokesman Todd Hylton said in an email that the department resumed hot meals Monday at breakfast and dinner, including oatmeal, farina, grits and soup.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation efforts implemented within our facilities, hot meal services were suspended intermittently for the health and safety of those in custody,� Hylton said.

Hylton said the Sheriff’s Department notified the corrections board of the initial suspension of hot foods in April 2020. Hot meal services eventually resumed and then were suspended again in December amid a COVID-19 outbreak that spread to more than 1,000 inmates.

“Each suspension correlated with an active COVID-19 outbreak in our jail system,� Hylton said.

Alyssa Matias, who is leading the ACLU’s advocacy efforts regarding the hot meals, said the county jails have been serving sack lunch meals with bologna sandwiches for lunch and dinner, and cold meals in the mornings.

Matias, who wrote the letter to the corrections board, said she’s been getting updates on the meal situation from inmates.

“The bologna sandwiches come frozen, the meat is spoiled,� Matias said in an interview. “They’ll be served moldy fruit and moldy bread.�

Hylton said deli meats in the jails come in individually sealed packaging.

“The products come from approved vendors and are subject to California Retail Food Code regulatory guidelines for storage, delivery, receipt, temperature control, etc.,� Hylton said.

In its letter to the corrections board, the ACLU also said the Sheriff’s Department hasn’t honored the food needs of inmates with religious and medical diets. The letter said inmates told the ACLU that deputies retaliated against them after filing grievances or reporting meal issues to the ACLU.

The ACLU included in the letter accounts from a few anonymous inmates who said they weren’t getting foods that fit into their medical needs. Many of these individuals are diabetic or prediabetic.

The Sheriff’s Department “has not suspended and continues to provide medical and religious diets during the pandemic,� Hylton said in response to the claims.

The corrections board said it will be conducting an inspection of the county jails to determine whether officials are providing medical and religious diets.

Brazil writes for Times Community News.