If you drive through downtown Los Angeles, past the sleek glass of the newer developments and the grit of the Industrial District, you’ll see it. Two massive, tan, windowless towers looming over Bauchet Street. It looks like a fortress. It is. But the Twin Towers Correctional Facility isn’t just a jail. It’s a paradox. Despite being a high-security lockup managed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), it is widely recognized as the largest mental health facility in the entire United States.
Think about that for a second.
We don't send people to a sprawling campus with gardens and specialized therapy wings when they have a psychotic break on the streets of LA. Usually, we send them here. The Twin Towers Correctional Facility holds about 2,400 inmates on any given day who are specifically classified as having mental health issues. It’s a staggering number that tells a much bigger story about how California—and the rest of the country—handles its most vulnerable citizens.
What is the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Really?
Opened in 1997, the facility was a $373 million project designed to alleviate the crushing overcrowding at the Men’s Central Jail across the street. It’s huge. We're talking 1.5 million square feet. The design is meant to be "podular," which basically means deputies can monitor multiple cells from a central station without having to walk the tiers constantly. It was supposed to be the "jail of the future."
But the future got complicated.
Almost as soon as it opened, the mission shifted. Because of the closure of state mental hospitals decades prior—a process called deinstitutionalization—the jail became the default destination for people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression who had nowhere else to go. Today, the "Twin Towers" name is synonymous with the intersection of criminal justice and psychiatric care.
The Reality of Life Inside
It's loud. That’s the first thing people notice. In the mental health modules, the air is thick with the sounds of shouting, banging, and the constant jingle of keys. It’s not a hospital environment. It’s a jail environment trying to act like a hospital.
Inmates—or "patients," depending on who you ask—are housed in cells that are often stark. For those at high risk of self-harm, the rooms are stripped of anything that could be used as a weapon. You’ve got "suicide smocks," which are heavy, quilted garments that can’t be torn or knotted. It’s grim. It’s functional.
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Deputies here aren't just guards. They have to be part-time social workers and crisis intervention experts. The LASD has implemented specialized training for the staff at Twin Towers, but the tension remains. You have people in the middle of active hallucinations being managed by men and women in tan uniforms. It’s a volatile mix.
The Legal Battles and the DOJ
You can't talk about the Twin Towers without talking about the lawyers. For years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has had its eyes on this place. There have been countless reports of "deplorable" conditions, excessive force, and a lack of adequate psychiatric care.
Back in 2015, the County of Los Angeles entered into a massive settlement agreement with the DOJ. They promised to fix things. They promised more clinicians, better suicide prevention, and less "use of force." Honestly, progress has been slow. While there are more doctors in the building now, the sheer volume of people coming through the doors makes it nearly impossible to provide what most experts would call "gold standard" care.
The Problem of "Incompetent to Stand Trial"
Here is a detail that surprises a lot of people: Many individuals inside the Twin Towers Correctional Facility haven't even been convicted of the crime they were arrested for. They are "IST"—Incompetent to Stand Trial.
- They are too mentally ill to understand the charges against them.
- They can't assist their lawyers in their own defense.
- They sit in jail waiting for a bed in a state hospital that might never open up.
It’s a legal limbo. They aren't being treated for their illness in a way that helps them recover; they are being "restored" to competency just so they can be prosecuted. It’s a revolving door that costs taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars every year.
Why This Matters to You (Even If You Aren't in Jail)
You might think, "Well, I'm not a criminal, so why should I care about a jail in downtown LA?"
Because it’s your money. And it’s your community.
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The cost of housing a mentally ill inmate at the Twin Towers is significantly higher than housing a "general population" inmate. You’re paying for 24/7 nursing, psychiatric meds, and specialized security. When these individuals are eventually released—usually with just a few days of meds and a bus pass—they often end up right back on the streets of Skid Row. Within weeks, or even days, they are rearrested, and the cycle starts all over again.
It is arguably the least efficient way to handle mental health in human history.
What Experts Say
Dr. Jonathan Sherin, the former director of the LA County Department of Mental Health, has been vocal about this for years. He, along with many advocacy groups like the ACLU, argues that the Twin Towers shouldn't exist in its current form. They want "diversion."
Diversion is basically the idea that instead of taking someone to jail for a "nuisance" crime (like trespassing or public intoxication) stemming from a mental health crisis, we take them to a stabilization center.
The Future: Is Closure Actually Possible?
There has been a lot of talk lately about "closing Men's Central Jail" and "shuttering the Towers." The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors even voted to adopt a "Care First, Jails Last" policy.
But here is the reality check: You can't close the jail until you have somewhere else for the 2,400 mentally ill people to go. And right now, those beds don't exist. Not in the numbers we need. Building "locked" psychiatric facilities is expensive and politically difficult. Nobody wants a mental health center in their backyard, even if they agree the jail is a bad solution.
The Twin Towers remains standing because it is the only safety net left that can’t say "no." When a hospital ER is full, they can divert. When a private clinic is full, they can turn you away. The jail is the only place that is legally required to take everyone the police bring to the door.
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Taking Action: Navigating the System
If you have a loved one who has been arrested and is being held at the Twin Towers, you need to be proactive. This is not a place where you can just wait for the system to work.
1. Verification of Meds
The jail staff might not know what medications your family member needs. You should immediately contact the Medical Command Center at the facility. Provide the specific names of drugs, dosages, and the contact info for their regular psychiatrist.
2. The "Inmate Information" Line
Keep the booking number handy. You'll need it for everything. The LASD website has a locator tool, but for mental health status, you often have to speak to a person, which can take hours of holding.
3. Use the Office of Diversion and Reentry (ODR)
If the person is facing charges but is clearly in a mental health crisis, their lawyer should immediately look into ODR programs. These programs can sometimes get an inmate moved out of Twin Towers and into a community-based treatment center while their case is pending. It’s one of the few "escape hatches" from the cycle.
4. Contact an Ombudsman
If you suspect abuse or a total lack of medical care, contact the Los Angeles County Office of Inspector General. They provide oversight and can sometimes initiate inquiries into specific cases that are falling through the cracks.
The Twin Towers Correctional Facility is a monument to a broken system. It’s a place where we hide the problems we haven't been able to solve with medicine or social policy. Until the "Care First" rhetoric turns into actual beds and clinics, those two tan towers will continue to define the skyline of criminal justice in Los Angeles.
It’s a tough reality. But it’s the one we have.
Next Steps for Advocacy and Support:
- Monitor the LASD Custody Division website for updated visitation rules, as these change frequently based on staffing and health protocols.
- Engage with the "JusticeLA" coalition if you want to participate in the public discourse regarding jail closure and the reallocation of funds to community health.
- Request a "Mental Health Evaluation" through the inmate’s public defender immediately upon booking to ensure they are placed in the correct module and not general population.
- Document everything. If you are communicating with jail medical staff, keep a log of who you spoke to and when. This is vital if you ever need to escalate a concern to the Board of Supervisors or the Inspector General.