📋
Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

San Joaquin County Grand Jury • 2008-2009

Deuel Vocational Institution

3 pages
View PDF View Full Original

Findings 5 findings

F1 Page 24
The overcrowding problem that was addressed in the 2007/2008 San Joaquin County report continues. The continued use of the gymnasium as a large, open dormitory and the use of former day rooms for inmate housing is evidence of the problem. The issue of overcrowding within the prison system is currently under review by the Federal Court as part of the Plata and Coleman litigation against the CDCR. 5
F2 Page 25
Maintenance issues, including peeling paint on the ceiling of the kitchen, were cited in the 2007/2008 San Joaquin County Grand Jury report. The kitchen has been painted. Although the problem with the ceiling paint was remedied, the overall condition of the kitchen deserves further comment. Thousands of meals are prepared daily. It is difficult to maintain a sanitary and efficient kitchen operation while dealing with an aging and worn out kitchen facility.
F3 Page 25
The recent implementation of the State Offender Management Systems (SOMS) centralized Inmate Trust Accounts. Inmates no longer have to wait for their trust accounts to be transferred when the inmate moves from the sending institution to the receiving institution. The implementation of the SOMS should significantly reduce the many questions to staff and inmate appeals regarding inmate trust accounts.
F4 Page 25
Two DVI inmate escapes within the last year can be traced directly to the failure of staff and/or inadequate release procedures. In the first case, an inmate was released on parole earlier than he should have been, due to one or more errors in calculating his release date. In the second case, two inmates who were related conspired so that one inmate could successfully represent himself as the other. This conspiracy resulted in a mistaken-identity release.
F5 Page 25
Although DVI has improved its procedure for reviewing files and interviewing inmates, it is impossible to ensure that available staff with be personally acquainted with inmates to the extent that every inmate’s identity will be known to the releasing staff. Electronic fingerprint scan hardware and software is available for scanning state and/or local databases to positively identify inmates prior to release.

Recommendations 2