L.A.'s jails are increasingly being filled with felons because of a controversial new law under which convicts who normally would be housed in state prisons are locked up locally instead.
"The jails are going to be filled with felons," said Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner, noting that because of jailhouse crowding that might not be a good option.
Sautner sought to revoke Lohan's probation Wednesday after she was kicked out of a community service program at a downtown women's shelter for repeatedly failing to show up.
The actress was taken away in handcuffs after Sautner launched into Lohan for her casual attitude toward her assigned community service. Lohan has completed only 21 hours of the 360 hours she was ordered to serve at the women's shelter. Lohan also was ordered to complete 120 hours of service at the county morgue.
Aware that Lohan probably would post her $100,000 bail, Sautner ordered the actress to immediately begin community service at the county morgue. Lohan must work there at least two days a week pending a Nov. 2 probation revocation hearing.
Lohan's attorney said her client would be at the morgue starting Thursday.
Sautner hinted that with jail overcrowding and the increase in felons being returned to local jails, where Lohan has served four short stints only to be released early each time, putting her behind bars might not be a good solution.
When Sautner gave Lohan a 120-day jail sentence for shoplifting early this year, she ended up serving only 35 days under house arrest because of jail overcrowding.
"If jail meant something in the state of California now, maybe I'd put her in jail," Sautner said.Sautner blasted Lohan during the 40-minute hearing, taking note that the actress had told probation officials that she did not find the work at the women's shelter to be "fulfilling."
"Her words: 'The service was not fulfilling.' Is that what a sentence is about? To fulfill the defendant?" Then she answered her own question: "No."
The judge also questioned how Lohan complied with her court-ordered weekly psychological counseling when she was working in Europe from Sept. 9 to Oct. 5.
Lohan's attorney, Shawn Holley, said the actress "had to earn a living to support herself and her family" and her opportunities are in Europe. Overall, Holley said, the actress' probation report was positive.
"We are dealing with someone on probation," Holley said. "Most people on probation don't always do things perfectly."
Source: latimes.com
