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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.
⚠️ 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.
Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F3
Findings 4 findings
F2
Page 78
The county jail staff excellently runs the jail without critical resources. Though admirable, this cannot nor should not last indefinitely. SBCGJ recognizes the county jail for what it is: a vital community agency, which renders superb service to the public 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The jail staff is commended. F3. Incidents of correctional officers injured due to lack of training/use of the safety chair used for violent inmates. Though urgently needed, there is no acceptable and workable protocol for WIC
F4
Page 78
5150 Psychiatric holds.
F5
Page 78
Additional staffing needed. Required duties performed per shift indicate the ratio of staff to inmates is at unsafe levels during known influx times.
F6
Page 78
Inmate complaints about the quality and portions of food provided at the jail seem warranted.
Recommendations 5
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R1Page 78F1, Employ a full-time, dedicated maintenance person for both preventative maintenance and routine repairs. The employee has his main office at jail and work on other outside Public Works jobs, if needed; not the other way around as is now. Note: If governing bodies plan to address this recommendation with a statement that simply refers to "lack of funds", SBCGJ also recommends this be accompanied by a cost/risk/benefit analysis using hours CO spend on repairs versus other duties; associated risk with CO's taken off the floor to do maintenance and the safety risk of skipping repairs; cost of major repairs due to lack of preventative maintenance; and a list of critical equipment's most recent preventive maintenance and calibrations.
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R2Page 78F2, F5, Provide the jail with needed resources and staff. The BOS should not become complacent and assert because the jail staff runs the jail well doesn't mean they don't need the additional assets that they continue to request. They make it work because it is a matter of life or death. Not providing the jail with assets penalizes staff for a job well done and keeps the jail running at high stress levels. Staffing is needed specifically during daytime court transports and in the evening for the additional duties specific during the night hours (i.e. when no nurse, medical, or behavior health personnel is on site). Additional staffing should also be regularly provided for planned events when it is known there is a large influx of people into the community, such as the bike rally weekend. Required duties performed per shift clearly indicate the ratio of staff to inmates is at unsafe levels during influx times.
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R3Page 78F3, Provide the jail staff with needed training. Provide training in extraction and restraint for hostile inmates, specifically in regard to utilizing the safety restraint chair. Having no policy or training on a safety chair used for violent inmates has already led to staff injury. Use of the Restraint Chair is necessary and therefore appropriate training is required.
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R4Page 79F4, Collaboration is vital to determine a workable system for WIC 5150 inmate evaluation and treatment. An agreement needs to be reached between the County Jail and Behavioral Health that is acceptable to both parties in regard to call out procedures; to evaluate suicidal inmates in a more timely manner so that correctional staff is not used for prolonged monitoring of a suicidal inmate or inmates needing other special psychiatric care.
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R5Page 79F6, It is time for SBC governing agencies to analyze carefully the potential high costs of the poor quality of food given to people in lock-up. The pervasiveness of food quality complaints by inmates in the SBC Jail is a call for stepped up external oversight. Not simply relying on reports generated by the contractor, the BOS should conduct an in depth management analysis of taxpayers' money spent for inmates in a service contract. This evaluation should review OSHA guidelines for quality assurance; proper food handling; food safety; and that FDA guidelines for nutrition are being provided to inmates. The BOS is strongly encouraged to opt for inspection from an outside nonprofit organization, such as the American Correctional Association.