Santa Cruz County Grand Jury
• 2023-2024
• Agency Response
Envisioning the Future of our Jails We Continue to “Kick The Can”
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 10 findings
F1
Page 13
Permanent mandatory overtime for Corrections Officers has a negative effect on them that leads to high turnover, and the need to hire more COs and train them, which is inefficient and demoralizing for the Sheriff’s Office.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
Page 13
Overcrowding at the Main Jail would be alleviated if the Blaine Street Women’s Jail and the second unit at Rountree could be reopened.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
Page 13
Keeping women who do not need to be in a high security facility in the Main Jail is clearly detrimental to their mental health, and to their chances of staying out of jail once released. Envisioning the Future of our Jails published May 25, 2023
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Page 14
Reopening Blaine Street and the second unit at Rountree would give the Sheriff’s Office much more scope to balance the jail population between the three facilities, and would allow some inmates from the Main Jail to move to Rountree and take advantage of the programming available there.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Page 14
Lack of programming at the Main Jail is bad for inmate welfare, both their mental health while on the inside, and their ability to stay out of the criminal justice system once released.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
Page 14
Programs such as those run by the Public Defender’s Office and CAFES that reduce recidivism are effective because they give former inmates the mental health and/or substance abuse treatments they need, as well as case management and supportive housing.
No recommendations for this finding
F7
Page 14
Lack of continuing care for released inmates, most especially those with mental illness, SUD and/or who will be homeless after release, significantly contributes to recidivism, which then contributes to the need for a new jail.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
Page 14
Some continuing care does exist, but is massively underfunded, especially for former inmates who need supportive housing.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
Page 14
The Main Jail is old, has been overcrowded, and does not meet current requirements for incarceration.
No recommendations for this finding
F10
Page 14
The Main Jail might be adequate for incarcerating inmates who need to be in a high security facility, providing it can be renovated to meet current incarceration requirements for a much reduced population.
No recommendations for this finding
Conclusions 1
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CL1 Page 13In a perfect world, the Sheriff’s Office would have sufficient funding to raise Correctional Officers’ pay sufficient to hire all the officers they need, and build the new jail they want. But in that perfect world, there would also be sufficient resources to give all inmates the mental health care they need and to provide adequate continuing care after they are released, including supportive housing as appropriate. This report asks the question “In the real world, with the funding constraints in this County, what is the best solution to both the aging Main Jail and to the distressingly high recidivism rate?” The Santa Cruz County Grand Jury believes that funding for the Sheriff’s Office to hire and retain more Correctional Officers should be increased. Funding for the Public Defender’s Office and County Behavioral Health should also be increased so their anti recidivism efforts can reduce the current horrifying 60 percent recidivism rate.
Commendations 1
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CM1 Page 15C1. The Probation Office and the Public Defender’s Office are doing an excellent job of diverting low level offenders away from the criminal justice system. C2. The Probation Office is providing their Juvenile Hall youngsters a more physically and emotionally healthy environment that most of them ever had at home.