The Inmate Reception Center (IRC) is responsible for the acceptance, storage, and release/disposition of all non-institutional inmate clothing and personal property which was accepted at initial intake. The IRC unit commander shall be responsible for developing procedures to accommodate the receiving, safekeeping, and the return of inmate personal property and clothing which was accepted at initial intake.
All inmates processed through IRC shall be issued specified jail clothing. At the time of intake, all inmate personal property and clothing shall be documented, bagged, and stored until the inmate is released. Contaminated or heavily soiled clothing shall be destroyed.
Inmates may not receive an exchange of clothing or additional personal property while being housed at any County jail facility, except by court order or authorized by a physician. However, an inmate may release personal property and/or clothing to a designated person at any time by completing a "Los Angeles County Jail Order For Release Of Prisoner's Property" (SH-J-18).
Inmates eligible to attend funerals shall be allowed to receive personal clothing for that one specified, court ordered, event. Clothing for a funeral shall be delivered to IRC no sooner than one day preceding the funeral and shall be retrieved the day immediately following the funeral. Those persons delivering the clothing shall be advised that IRC will not permanently store the clothing to be worn to the funeral, and if not retrieved immediately following the funeral, it will be destroyed.
Personal property and clothing belonging to sentenced inmates released to the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the California Department of State Hospitals shall be transported with the inmate at the time of release.
Inmates released into the community may retrieve all personal property and clothing while being processed for release in IRC. If any personal property is not collected at that time, the inmate has one month following release to retrieve clothing, and four months from the date of release to retrieve personal property.
Inmates released from court are "dressed-out" in jail-issued clothing. That clothing must be returned to IRC in order to collect any personal, non-institutional clothing and property which the inmate had, and was received through IRC at the time of intake.
Inmates released to the custody of another law enforcement agency are "dressed-out" in their personal clothing and transported to that agency along with their personal property.
Inmates whose clothing has been destroyed due to contamination or soiling are issued "salvage" or "give-me" clothing provided by Central Property.
Unit commanders shall develop and implement procedures for the disposition of a released inmate’s personal property which was accumulated while the inmate was in custody. For those inmates released without retrieving their property, procedures shall include, but not be limited to:
In the event that an inmate alleges property is missing or damaged, the inmate shall be supplied with a "Prisoner Claim For Missing Or Damaged Property" (SH-AD-495). Claims shall be investigated and submitted to the Board of Supervisors for consideration and appropriate disposition.