Inquiry Into the Management of Inmate Welfare Funds

The DOC Inmate Welfare Fund Committee has eight voting members: chief of correction, assistant chief of correction, deputy chief of correction, four captains, and a DOC administrative services manager. There is a three member advisory staff: lead county counsel, DOC financial services manager, and DOC inmate welfare fund manager. The committee meets monthly or more frequently if necessary. Meetings are conducted under Roberts Rules of Order and minutes of meetings are maintained. Recommendation None.

The DOC Inmate Welfare Fund draws monies from inmates’ use of a commissary, telephones, and hobby craft items. The October 22, 2002 financial report of this fund indicates an annual income for fiscal years 2001 and 2002 of approximately $3.5 million. The amount of money in this fund as of November 24, 2002 was $3.89 million. The money is appropriately used for the benefit of the inmates at the Elmwood Complex and the Main Jail Complex in San Jose. Recommendation None.

The Department of Probation has a fund for two adult programs, Men’s Work Furlough and Women’s Residential Center, showing a combined balance of $8,344.80 as of December 3, 2002. There are seven funds for juveniles within the Department of Probation. The balances shown in the following table are as of December 3, 2002: 2 Probation Department Welfare Funds FUND NUMBER TITLE BALANCE 0200 Juvenile Traffic Fines $ 0.00 * 0313 Holden and Wright $22,707.41 Endowments 0314 James Ranch $34,283.80 0316 Juvenile Court Trust $ 5,375.82 0317 Juvenile Rehabilitation $ 4,096.68 Trust 0318 Juvenile Welfare Trust $34,129.22 0319 Men’s Work Furlough & $ 8,344.80 Women’s Residential 0320 Enterprise Fund $28,009.90 *Fund 0200 has no balance. This fund is used for the deposit and clearance of traffic fines received by the Juvenile Traffic Court. Facility managers contact the Department of Probation fiscal officer when funds are needed. When the fiscal officer at the Department of Probation completes a purchase request, the facility manager is unaware, due to the lack of routine documentation, if the cost of the purchase is taken from the welfare fund or from the general budget. There is no evidence that regular meetings are held with the managers of the funds. Recommendations