Paris HIlton Goes Back to LA County Jail

Paris Hilton returned to the Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood and placed in the special needs unit according to Fox News. Hilton's release is set for June 25 if everything goes as planned. The doctors decided her condition had stabilized after a week at the Twin Towers treatment center. Judge Michael Sauer sent her to the Twin Towers treatment facility after Sheriff Lee Baca released under house arrest. Paris underwent psychiatric evaluations to determine which facility she belonged.

No details were given of the medical condition but celebrity websites mention she had been suffering from panic attacks due to being confined in a small space. "Her condition will continue to be monitored." Sheriff spokesperson Steven Whitmore said on Reuters.com. She would also be moved back to her original cell if her condition allowed it. Hilton had previously been held in solitary confinement away from the other 22,000 inmates.

Sheriff Lee Baca came under fire when he released Paris Hilton from jail early sparking debate about the preferred treatment of celebrities. He believed she was treated more harshly and early releases were typical in her situation. Judge Michael Sauer ruled that Hilton was not to be placed under house arrest and would not qualify for work release.

Reuters reports that she has already served more time than most inmates in her situation would serve according to studies conducted by Los Angeles Times. Studies were based on 2,000,000 jail releases from 2002 that compared 1500 similar cases to Paris Hilton's case. The early release was common in sixty-percent of the cases where a defendant violated probation on previous charges of DUI. Inmates compared to Paris Hilton's case were sentenced to an average of twenty-three days, the same sentence she received.

Some inmates were released after serving twenty days with the average term fourteen days. The study did find that some inmates were released after serving four days of their sentence under the early release program to ease overcrowding. The studies did not include the defendant's behavior in the courtroom or the judge's sentencing record. LA Times conducted the investigation to determine whether the socialite received special treatment.

"Twenty-three days would be considerably more than the average person given her sentence would actually serve. The jails are so overcrowded that even though overcrowding is not he reason for her release, it colors every release system I the jails system.", criminal law professor Stan Goldman commented on Newsday. Only three inmates had been released because of medical conditions last year in the LA jail system. Baca claims he did not have a choice but to release Hilton because of budget problems and overcrowding. If Paris completes the twenty-three day sentence, it is the same sentence 4,000 inmates have served.

Associated Press, "Paris Hilton Moved From Medical Ward Into Medical Clinic At Women's Jail"
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,282252,00.html

Jack Leonard and Doug Smith, "Hilton Will do More Time Than Most, Analyst Finds"
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/la-me-paris14jun14,0,4501392.story

Steve Gorman, "Paris Hilton Moved Back To Jail"
http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1445160520070614?src=061407_1057_DOUBLEFEATURE_kurt_waldheim_dies