Lassen Superior Court MarkNareau 2610 Riverside Drive Presiding Susanville, Ca 96130 Superior Court Judge (530)

Conclusions 2

• CL1
  Each facility visited by the LCGJ was professional, clean, and well run. Financially CCC is Operating in the black. No discrepancies were noted. The Grand Jury would like to acknowledge the hospitality, patience, and professionalism, oft he warden and staffd uring our visit. The staff at the institution were warm and welcoming. All inmates that were encountered by the LCGJ spoke highly about the prison and the staff. After having toured the CCC facility, the LCGJ feels it would be a great injustice and have a devastating effect on the community of Lassen County for CCC to be closed in this highly fire prone area. The community has become very dependent on this facility when a fire or any emergency e.g., floods, etc., occur in the area knowing we have the support of these professionally trained fire fighters to keep the community safe. The LCGJ feels Lassen County Grand Jury Final Report 14 Fiscal Year 2021-2022 devastation in the area could be much worse if this community had to wait for support from another outlying area. As we have found in the past, it takes an extended periodoftimetogetfire support into the area from other support areas. The presence of CalFire on any emergency site gives this community the confidence needed, as we are located in a vulnerable out-of-the-wayarea. Lassen County Grand Jury Final Report 15 Fiscal Year 2021-2022 HIGH DESERT STATE PRISON On Wednesday, May 25, 2022, the 2021-2022 Lassen County Grand Jury (LCGJ) toured High Desert State Prison (HDSP) located near Susanville. HDSP currently housing 2,295 inmates 877 Correctional Officers and 569 non-custody employees. The LCGJ were greeted by Warden Rob St. Andre, Warden (A), Kim Thornton, Chief Deputy Warden (A), and management staff of HDSP for a briefing, question and answer session. HDSP was built in August of 1995 on 475 acres. HOSP designed capacity is 2,259 and is currently housing 2,295. HDSP run on an annual budget of $159.8 million. Health care runs on a budget of $44.2 million. HDSP houses minimum support security (level I) offenders who perform job duties in various areas of the institution outside the secure perimeter, such as the ware house, garage, personnel kitchen, etc., medium security (level III) and sensitive needs high security (level IV). HOSP also has an Administrative Segregation unit which house offenders with safety concerns or that may need a higher level of security. Currently HDSP just implemented a new hiring program called; Jump Start Program. It is a fast track hiring procedure to jump start the process by conducting the health/exercise portion and the application. The process takes approximately 6 months start to finish. Mission Statement: The mission of HDSP is to protect the public and community. To provide the offenders health care with licensed medical, dental and mental health professionals. HDSP offices rehabilitative tools to effect change of culture and to inspire the offenders to self-rehabilitate by educational and vocational opportunities, re-entry services, inmate activity group programs, religious services, recreational activities, and in hope to reduce recidivism. Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program: HOSP has an integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT) program. ISUDT is an in depth comprehensive approach to treating substance abuse and so much more. This program is taught by Correctional Counselors who conduct group therapy sessions. The ISUDT program provides insight into a patient's recovery, assist with developing relapse-prevention plans, and provide counseling. This teaches job skills, and encourages education. The goal is to lessen the recidivism rate. Education Department: The Education department provides literacy training, mandated by SB-949. HOSP offers academic education for the offender's population. Academic classes provide instruction to upgrade math and Lassen County Grand Jury Final Report 16 Fiscal Year 2021-2022 reading skills, with an ultimate goal of earning a GED or high school diploma. HDSP also offers an opportunity to attend college courses to earn an associate's degree, provided by in the class room instructors from local colleges. HDSP also provides recreational and library services to the institution population. Vocational Department: The vocational department provides work-training for eligible offenders. This depart gives the offender skills to utilize upon release. The vocational training programs, providing hands on training which will assist them in the job market. The offenders can learn about building maintenance to include framing, electrical wiring, and overall construction. Also available are computer skills and a library for legal knowledge and research. Sadly other programs have been cut out of the curriculum such as welding, Auto body, and numerous programs. Re-entry/Inmate Activity Groups/Religious Services: HDSP offers Re-Entry programs such as Substance Abuse, Criminal Thinking, Anger Management, and Family Relationships. Inmate Activity Groups such as Veterans Group, Getting Out By Going In, Arts in Corrections, Creative Conflict Resolutions, Marin Shakespeare, Positive Parenting, Prison Fellowship, Place for Grace, and Life Choices just to name a few. Health Care: HDSP 's Correction Treatment Center (CTC) is a licensed hospital with 32 beds. The CTC provides sub-acute medical services, emergency dental services, and mental health crisis bed level of care. HDSP has the ability to treat up to 10 patients with need of respiratory isolation, up to 10 patients in mental health crisis and up to 12 patients with sho1t to long-term medical cases. The CTC has a fully equipped and staffed Emergency Room for treatment and stabilization of patients prior to transfer to the local hospital, if needed. The CTC has negative pressure patient rooms, which has been useful during COVID pandemic. Currently the COVID cases have subsided. HDSP has 3 COVID cases with 75% of the offenders vaccinated. HDSP has strict testing requirements for staff and mask requirements. HDSP has strict testing requirements for staff and mask requirements. HDSP proved to be resilient during the pandemic and were quickly able to adjust to the ever changing guidance/requirements of COVID. Crisis Response Team: In 1983 the Crisis Response Team (CRT) was formed by the California Governor in response to the New Mexico State Prison riot. The primary mission is hostage rescue. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation currently operates 19 CRT 's throughout the State of California. Team 1 is comprised of members from HDSP and CCC located in Susanville, CA. The CRT also conducts operations in escaped inmate, high risk warrant service, barricaded subjects, Lassen County Grand Jury Final Report 17 Fiscal Year 2021-2022 rural operations and narcotic eradication, as well as supporting local law enforcement in mutual aid. The CRC was deployed to assist the United States Marshal Services for the apprehension of a triple homicide suspect Shane Miller in Humboldt County, CA. In September 2014 HDSP CRT participated in the Homeland Security Evaluation Exercise Program (HDSEEP) known as Urban Shield. This event is a full-scale regional preparedness exercise assessing the overall Bay Area Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Region's response capabilities related to multi-discipline planning, policies, procedures, organization, equipment and training. Teams from other nations along with the United States Military and full tie Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams were present. HDSP ranked above 14 other full time SW AT teams based on their performance and ability to respond to 34 scenarios in 48 hours. HDSP currently has two Canine Officer Handlers with their partners Lily and Shadow. Lily and Shadow are trained in passive drug detection. Both have proven their worth by keeping narcotics out of the institution. The HDSP K-9 unit is also utilized often with other agencies in the community. Investigative Services Unit: The Investigative Services Unit (ISU) primary function is to eliminate the use, possession, manufacture and distribution of illicit drugs within the institution. They accomplish this by monitoring offender activities on all the facilities throughout the intuition. ISU gathers intelligence through confidential informants, utilizing the surveillance equipment within the visiting areas and monitoring phone calls with the Inmate Monitoring and Recording System. ISU conducts and controls investigations concerning violations of California Law and/or misconduct involving inmates, contract employees, non-custody staff and visitors of HDSP. The ISU responses to incidents and processes crime scenes. This includes but is not limited to photography and collection of evidence. Responsible for maintaining a Substance Abuse Control Program (random drug testing) for the offender population with a history of substance abuse. ISU also implements random drug testing for employees who are required to possess a commercial driver's license and CDCR Bargaining Unit 6 employees. ISU provides assistance to the Institutional Gang Investigator with validation of security threat group member and associates. Functions as liaison with other· law enforcement agencies. ISU is responsible for the safety and security of the institutional staff and the offender population. Conclusion: The LCGJ was very impressed with the overall cleanliness and organization of the prison. Both custody and non-custody staff provided open and candid responses to our inquiries and are to be acknowledged of the job they do in a highly stressful and confined setting with many high security and sensitive needs offenders. The LCGJ is most appreciative for the hospitality extended by Rob St Andre, Warden (A) and staff. Each facility visited by the LCGJ was clean, and well maintained. LCGJ would like to acknowledge the transparency, professionalism, and hospitality of the warden and staff during our Lassen County Grand Jury Final Report 18 Fiscal Year 2021-2022 tour. The offender population the LCGJ encountered with spoke highly of the staff and the prison. HDSP should be very proud if all the programs, services and activities that are provided, not only to the offender population, but to the community with donations to the local non-profit organizations raised with fundraisers. The decision to possibly close California Correctional Center (CCC) has a direct impact on HDSP. The isolated and rural setting of HDSP has resulted in fewer staff available that in more populated areas. Staffing levels were already low and have now compounded by the proposed closing of CCC. Lassen County Grand Jury Final Report 19 Fiscal Year 2021-2022
• CL2
  The LCGJ was very impressed with the overall cleanliness and organization of the prison. Both custody and non-custody staff provided open and candid responses to our inquiries and are to be acknowledged of the job they do in a highly stressful and confined setting with many high security and sensitive needs offenders. The LCGJ is most appreciative for the hospitality extended by Rob St Andre, Warden (A) and staff. Each facility visited by the LCGJ was clean, and well maintained. LCGJ would like to acknowledge the transparency, professionalism, and hospitality of the warden and staff during our Lassen County Grand Jury Final Report 18 Fiscal Year 2021-2022 tour. The offender population the LCGJ encountered with spoke highly of the staff and the prison. HDSP should be very proud if all the programs, services and activities that are provided, not only to the offender population, but to the community with donations to the local non-profit organizations raised with fundraisers. The decision to possibly close California Correctional Center (CCC) has a direct impact on HDSP. The isolated and rural setting of HDSP has resulted in fewer staff available that in more populated areas. Staffing levels were already low and have now compounded by the proposed closing of CCC. Lassen County Grand Jury Final Report 19 Fiscal Year 2021-2022