Lompoc’s Federal Prison was ground zero in COVID-19 cases in Santa Barbara County, quickly becoming the largest prison outbreak in the country. The prison’s response fostered outrage about the conditions inside the penitentiary, igniting community backlash and frustration among family members. In response to the troubling conditions inside the penitentiary, the ACLU of Southern California has now filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the inmates. KCSB’s Ashley Rusch spoke with the sister of an inmate, who wished to remain anonymous, and Reverend Jane Quandt, a support group leader, about the conditions inside the prison.

Photo Credit: Federal Bureau of Prisons