California Code, Penal Code - PEN § 4019.5

(a) “Kangaroo court” as used in this section means a mock court conducted by any prisoner or group of prisoners for the purpose of inflicting punishment upon any fellow prisoner in any prison, jail, jail camp, or other place of detention.

(b) “Sanitary committee” means a committee of prisoners formed ostensibly for the purpose of enforcing institutional sanitation but actually used for the purpose of inflicting punishment on any fellow prisoner, or group of prisoners in any prison, jail, jail camp, or other place of detention.

(c) It is unlawful for any sheriff, deputy sheriff, police officer, warden or keeper of a jail to delegate to any prisoner or group of prisoners, authority to exercise the right of punishment over any other prisoner or group of prisoners in any county or city prison, jail, jail camp, or other place of detention at which any person charged with or convicted of crime is detained.

(d) It is unlawful for any sheriff, deputy sheriff, police officer, warden or keeper of a jail to knowingly permit any prisoner or group of prisoners to assume authority over any other prisoner or group of prisoners by the operation of “kangaroo courts” or “sanitary committees.”

(e) Every public official in charge of a prison, jail or other place of detention shall keep a record of all disciplinary infractions and punishment administered therefor.

(f) This section shall not prevent the use of skilled inmates, under adequate and proper supervision and guidance of jailers or other employed personnel, as instructors of other inmates in the performance of assigned work, if that relationship does not include the exercise of disciplinary authority.