Santa Clara County Grand Jury
• 2004-2005
2004-2005 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report Gender Gap in Vocational Training at Elmwood
⚠️ 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 4 findings
F1
Access to the vast majority of the vocational/industrial classes at Elmwood is not available to female inmates. While the DOC Inmate Programs-Unit Directory of Classes indicates that classes are open to all minimum security inmates, the investigation has revealed that female inmates are not given the opportunity to participate in almost 90% of the vocational/industrial classes (see Table 1).
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
DOC and MUSD should work together to more fairly allocate available resources to achieve gender parity in vocational/industrial course offerings and access for all minimum security inmates.
F2
DOC does not allow female inmates equal access to vocational/industrial classes provided by MUSD, which is a recipient of funds for Institutionalized Adults at Elmwood. This denial is a possible violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681. 7
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
DOC should recognize MUSD’s legal responsibility to conform to the provisions of Title IX and should provide the necessary resources and facilities to ensure compliance with Title IX.
F3
A disproportionate focus on substance abuse classes prevents female inmates from engaging in vocational/industrial classes.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
DOC should work to balance the requirements of substance abuse programs, mandated by the courts, with vocational/industrial classes for female inmates. The existing richness of the course offerings and the balance between substance abuse training and vocational/industrial training for male inmates appears to be good. The program for female inmates should be upgraded to be comparable in all respects to the program for male inmates.
F4
Substantially more monies from the IWF were used in 2004 to fund expenses for DOC salaries and benefits than in earlier years. In FY 2003, the rate of salary/overhead withdrawals was 45%. This rate rose, in the Grand Jury’s opinion, to an unacceptable level of 99% in FY 2004, resulting in a 70% cut in IWF funds for inmate programs and thereby jeopardizing their overall effectiveness.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4A
In fairness, the IWF Committee should limit salary and overhead withdrawals from the IWF to an amount not greater than 50% of the total income before expenses.
R4B
Inmates should have greater advocacy on the IWF Committee A representative from DOC involved in inmate programs or vocational/industrial training should be a member of the IWF Committee. PASSED and ADOPTED by the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury on this 13th day of January 2005. ________________________________ Michael A. Smith Foreperson 8
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
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