5-23-090 Inmate Out-of-Cell Time (Exercise, Recreation, Services and Programs-Approved by CSS on 05/26/2026

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

PURPOSE OF ORDER:

The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for safe, secure, and orderly inmate out-of-cell time within the Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF).

SCOPE OF ORDER: 

This order shall apply to all personnel assigned to and/or working in any capacity at the CRDF.

ORDER:

The following procedures shall apply to all inmates housed at CRDF, except those inmates who are:

• restricted by Correctional Health Services (CHS) personnel for medical reasons;
• housed in discipline due to violations of the jail rules; or
• restricted by the unit commander for security reasons.

Module personnel shall allow inmates the maximum opportunity to participate in exercise, recreation, services, programs, and other out-of-cell activities.  To accomplish this, all inmate cell lights and module lights must be turned on no later than 0700 hours and turned off no earlier than 2100 hours. 

To better serve the health and safety of inmates temporarily housed in [REDACTED TEXT] the staff station and housing lights shall remain on at all times.

NOTE:  Staff station overhead lights shall remain on at all times.

NOTE:  Each module officer shall document the time of day the cell lights were turned on and off under the “Additional Information” section in the electronic-Uniform Daily Activity Log (e-UDAL).

Unless an educational class, religious service, or a self-help group (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, etc.) has been scheduled for the day room, all inmates shall be allowed out of their cells to use the telephones, vending machines, showers, outdoor recreation area, television, or to socialize with the other inmates housed in the same housing module.

Module staff are responsible for visually inspecting their module for contraband, cleanliness, hazards, and potential points of escape prior to allowing inmates access to recreation areas.

Out-Of-Cell Time: Indoor and Outdoor Recreation

Inmates shall be allotted a minimum of two (2) hours per day of out-of-cell time. This includes access to showers, telephones, television, and recreation time.  Out-of-cell time does not include structured inmate programming conducted by chaplains, instructors, or mental health providers.  Module personnel shall log all out-of-cell time in the e-UDAL ensuring a start and finish time are recorded. 

Inmates shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in at least three (3) hours of exercise and seven (7) hours of recreation activities over a seven-day period, as required per Title 15.  These sessions shall not be provided in a single three- hour or seven-hour block.  During outdoor recreation time, inmates shall have access to a basketball, may walk around the outdoor recreation area, and/or participate in yoga/exercise classes when available.  If module personnel are unable to provide the minimum requirement of free time, exercise, and outdoor recreation time to the inmates, the reason shall be documented in the e-UDAL.  If emergent situations arise or a lockdown occurs, outdoor recreation and free time should be made up accordingly.  The minimum requirements must be met per California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 15.

NOTE:  Cell doors may remain open during out-of-cell time.

NOTE:  Inmate programming shall begin at 0700 hours and conclude at 2030 hours.  During these hours, inmates shall not be secured inside their cells for the purpose of inmate count, unless approved by the on-duty watch commander.

Examples of permitted out-of-cell activities:

• Use of showers
• Use of vending machines
• Use of outdoor recreation area
• Use of television and telephones
• Socialization with other inmates in the same housing module
• High observation and medium observation housing structured out-of-cell time and/or programs

Pill Call and Inmate Meals

During pill call, module personnel shall advise all inmates to prepare for pill call.  All televisions and telephones shall be turned off.  Inmates who are currently programming shall receive their medication as needed and return to their cells.  The tier not programming shall than prepare for pill call and return to their cells.  At the conclusion of pill call, module personnel shall immediately continue with out-of-cell time for the tier that is scheduled.

During inmate meals, the tier that is programming will consume their meals at the tables located in the dayroom or in the outdoor recreation area.  The tier not programming will consume their meals inside their cells.

NOTE:  Inmates housed in special population modules (discipline, High Observation Housing (HOH), administrative segregation, etc.) who consume meals inside their cell, shall have their trash removed at least two times per day.  AM shift shall remove all trash accumulated during breakfast and lunch, and PM shift shall remove all trash after dinner is consumed.

American Disabilities Act

Module personnel shall offer out-of-cell and outdoor recreation time to inmates who fall under the American Disabilities Act (ADA).  Refusals of out-of-cell or outdoor and/or recreation time by ADA inmates must be logged in the e-UDAL (requirement of the Johnson Lawsuit).

Pregnant Inmates

Module personnel shall offer pregnant inmates additional out-of-cell time for large muscle exercise.  This will consist of forty-five minutes of walking each day on AM and PM shift.  Module officers shall document this offering in the e-UDAL.

NOTE:  Pregnant inmates shall be offered this additional out-of-cell time until they are removed from [REDACTED TEXT] status (no longer in pregnancy uniform).  

NOTE:  Any questions regarding CRDF’s [REDACTED TEXT] population may be directed to the [REDACTED TEXT] Liaison.

High Observation Housing Units

Department of Justice provision #80 requires inmates housed in HOH to receive additional out-of-cell time beyond the requirements of Title 15.  HOH inmates shall be offered unstructured and structured out-of-cell time each day. 

            Unstructured Requirements

            7 hours of indoor recreation (showers, telephones, television, etc.)

  3 hours of outdoor recreation (small management yard)

Structured Requirements

10 hours of group time (5 hours offered by custody personnel and 5 hours offered by CHS personnel)

When documenting out-of-cell time, personnel shall ensure it accurately reflects all participants including the start and end time for each individual inmate.  If an inmate is out to court, do not include them in out-of-cell time.

[REDACTED TEXT] Medium Observation Housing (MOH) Programming

MOH inmates with a [REDACTED TEXT] classification shall program unrestrained in their designated housing location.  This classification shall program alone; however, they may participate in structured activities with other MOH [REDACTED TEXT] inmates who have the same classification.  When this occurs, each MOH [REDACTED TEXT] inmate shall be secured.

[REDACTED TEXT] HOH Programming

HOH inmates with a [REDACTED TEXT] classification may program with inmates of the same classification when feasible.  These inmates shall be escorted out of their cell one at a time and secured prior to escorting another inmate.

If the SMY’s are utilized for outdoor programming or structured programming with CHS personnel, a mix of [REDACTED TEXT] classifications may attend.  Module personnel shall escort one inmate at time and ensure the inmate is secured inside the SMY prior to escorting another [REDACTED TEXT] inmate. 

NOTE:  Module personnel shall not place inmates in the SMY area that are known to have issues with one another.   

Module Personnel’s Responsibility

Regardless of shift assignment or regularly scheduled work assignment, all personnel assigned to any module, at any time, are ultimately responsible for ensuring the minimum CCR Title 15 requirements are met and documented in the e-UDAL. 

Floor Sergeant’s Responsibility

It is incumbent upon the floor sergeants to ensure all modules under their supervision meet the minimum requirements for outdoor recreation time.  This shall be accomplished by checking each module’s e-UDAL to ensure inmates are being given the opportunity to participate in outdoor recreation.  

Exceptions To This Order:

The mission of CRDF is to provide a safe and secure environment for the inmates in its care.  Inmates shall be securely locked within their cells, or on their bunks, during the following occurrences:

• Count [REDACTED TEXT]
• Inmate disturbances
• Emergencies
• Drills affecting the housing module
• Activation of CRDF’s Emergency Response Team (ERT)
• Module cleaning
• Non-participants in scheduled education/religious programs within the housing module

Nothing in this unit order shall be construed in any way to restrict line personnel’s ability or discretion to lock down inmates in their housing module for perceived or potential assigned safety/security reasons.  However, line personnel shall immediately notify their supervisor (supervising line deputy or tower sergeant) of the perceived or potential safety/security concerns.  These instances shall be documented in the respective housing module’s e-UDAL and Inmate Report Tracking System (IRTS), as necessary.

Revised 05/18/2026

Revised 01/16/2024

Revised 05/17/2022