Terms Differ in Jail Releases

According to the Los Angeles Times, experts worry Los Angeles County Sheriff Baca's policy of having certain prisoners serve more time for the same crime may invite Equal Protection challenges.

Under its policy of selectively releasing criminals to ease jail overcrowding, the Sheriff's Department has routinely forced women, prostitutes arrested in Compton, and certain gang members to serve more time than others convicted of identical crimes. [Mark Godsey]