Santa Cruz County Jails Review

Recommendations 62

• R1
  The Sheriff’s Department and the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors should continue to work on solutions to address jail overcrowding.
• R2
  The Board of Supervisors should take action to increase the pay scale for the detention nursing staff.
• R3
  The Board of Supervisors should work to re-open the medical clinic at the Rountree facility to reduce the workload of the nursing staff and to cut transportation costs of bringing inmates to the Main Jail for treatment.
• R4
  The Main Jail should adopt “bubble” packaging for dispensing medication to save money.
• R5
  Jail administrators and staff should be commended for the care and integrity they apply toward the running of this institution.
• R6
  The Main Jail should continue to conduct the inmate grievance procedure in the fair and well-documented manner they currently employ. Rountree Medium Security Findings
• R7
  Rountree is a well-run facility.
• R8
  Rountree inmates can benefit from a variety of programs and educational opportunities.
• R9
  The grievance procedures are due for a review and possible update.
• R10
  The staff at Rountree performs its duties in a professional manner.
• R11
  Closing the medical facility resulted in otherwise eligible inmates being housed in the Main Jail facility because of prescription drug needs. Recommendations
• R12
  The staff should be commended for their attractive and well-run facility. Juvenile Hall Findings
• R13
  The Home Electronic Monitoring Program should be continued as it reduces the facility population.
• R14
  The Board of Supervisors should budget money to upgrade the security system to include security cameras and electronic doors.
• R15
  Juvenile Hall is well managed with a caring and diverse staff.
• R16
  The Juvenile Hall buildings and grounds are well maintained. - 12 Santa Cruz County Jails Review
• R17
  Construction of a closed gymnasium would allow for adequate physical activity during poor weather.
• R18
  The Home Electronic Monitoring program reduces the Juvenile Hall population.
• R19
  For security and safety reasons, electronic doors need to be installed throughout the facility.
• R20
  The heating and ventilation system in Juvenile Hall is inadequate. Recommendations
• R21
  The California Youth Authority Camp facility was well managed by a professional and well-trained staff.
• R22
  The California Youth Authority Fire Camp provided a community service to Santa Cruz County.
• R23
  The support provided to the CDF by the CYA wards was a beneficial service to our community.
• R24
  The wards once housed there have lost an enriching opportunity to learn an employment skill, which might have kept them from returning to a life of crime. Recommendations
• R28
  On December 3, 2005, the population was 55, well within the rated capacity of 96.
• R29
  The S.A.F.E. program, a drug rehabilitation program, had 27 participants on December 3, 2005.
• R30
  The on-site nursing position was eliminated in February of 2004 due to budget cuts. As a result, the facility cannot house any inmates requiring daily medical injections or psychotropic drug dosing. Other types of prescription drugs are dispensed by a nurse from the Main Jail seven days a week for two hours in the morning. Detention staff estimated that 25-30 inmates on psychotropic drugs could be housed at Rountree if the medical facility were staffed by a full-time, on-site nurse. This would alleviate Main Jail overcrowding.
• R31
  Non-urgent medical issues are handled by transporting inmates to the Main Jail medical facility or, on occasion, to Doctors on Duty by officer-driven vehicle. Emergency medical issues are handled by transporting inmates to the Watsonville Community Hospital by either ambulance or officer-driven vehicle.
• R32
  An established and documented grievance procedure, dated May 4, 1996, is in place to respond to issues relating to conditions of confinement.
• R33
  General housekeeping/cleanliness of the medium security facility was observed to be very good by the touring Grand Jury members. Rountree Minimum Security Facility Findings
• R34
  On December 3, 2005, the population was 115, well within the rated capacity of 162. - 8 Santa Cruz County Jails Review
• R35
  There have been 13 escapes (walkaways) since the seating of the 2004-2005 Grand Jury, up from seven during the term of the 2003-2004 Grand Jury.
• R36
  There are ample opportunities for inmates to participate in numerous programs during incarceration. A partial list follows. • Education: • English as a Second Language (ESL) • General Equivalency Diploma (GED)/ESL • GED Testing • Self Improvement: • Alcoholics Anonymous • Narcotics Anonymous • Bible study/church • AIDS awareness class/testing • Substance abuse • Tobacco cessation • Vocational: • Auto body and paint • Computer skills • Building maintenance and landscaping
• R37
  A designated area outside the facility is maintained for family visits.
• R38
  An established and documented grievance procedure, dated May 4, 1994, is in place to deal with issues relating to conditions of confinement. Conclusions
• R50
  This facility has a State Board of Corrections rating of 42 detainees. It has an average daily population of 24.7 (fiscal year).
• R51
  This facility has passed inspection by the State Board of Corrections, the local Fire Department and Nutritional Health.
• R52
  The County Board of Education provides school programs for Juvenile Hall wards.
• R53
  The average length of stay in Juvenile Hall is between nine and 11 days.
• R54
  Counseling and substance abuse treatment are part of the Juvenile Probation process. Juvenile Hall is not a treatment program but has a drug counselor on staff 20 hours per week. Mental health services are provided 80 hours per week. Santa Cruz County Jails Review - 11
• R55
  Juveniles are housed in two units. One of the units houses boys who are more “criminally sophisticated.” The other unit houses girls and less “criminally sophisticated” boys.
• R56
  Juveniles are given an orientation to the facility upon intake. They are given a list of the rules and consequences which they must acknowledge and sign.
• R57
  Rules and grievance procedures are posted, and a box is provided to receive the grievance forms. The box is checked twice daily.
• R58
  Juveniles are assigned to a housing unit based on a classification system that includes consideration of: • age; • gender; and • type of crime.
• R59
  Parents are charged $24 per day while their child is in Juvenile Hall.
• R60
  Juvenile Probation has a Home Electronic Monitoring Program which allows for early release. Two counselors make daily visits to wards released on this program.
• R61
  This facility houses juveniles between the ages of 12 and 18. Children under the age of 12 are the responsibility of Child Protective Services and are not housed at Juvenile Hall.
• R62
  This facility does not have a covered gymnasium.
• R63
  The detainees’ rooms are small, and they contain: • a bed; • a sink; • a drinking fountain; and • a toilet.
• R64
  Juvenile Hall does not have adequate heating, ventilation or air conditioning. The walls of the detainees’ rooms are made of cement blocks. They retain extreme temperatures. Juvenile Hall staff report that the inadequacy of the heating and air conditioning is not compatible with good public health.
• R65
  There are electronic doors entering the facility and the courtyard, but other areas do not have electronic doors. Staff reported that electronic doors throughout the facility would improve the response time in an emergency. Conclusions
• R66
  This facility had a State Board of Corrections rated capacity of 85. Prior to closure, its average daily population was approximately 46.
• R67
  The wards were all at least 18 years old and sentenced to the California Youth Authority, where they would stay until they were 25 years old or had completed their sentences.
• R68
  The wards had already served a portion of their sentences in a locked California Department of Corrections Youth Authority facility before being moved to the Fire Camp.
• R69
  This facility provided a full high school program.
• R70
  This facility employed seven counselors to work with the wards to address any emotional problems they may have had and to prepare them for release back into the community.
• R71
  Many of the wards were trained to work on a fire crew, which could prepare them for employment upon their release.
• R72
  The grievance procedure was well defined and taken seriously by the staff. Both written and verbal responses were provided to the wards.
• R73
  There had never been a suicide or suicide attempt at this facility.
• R74
  This was a minimal security facility and the wards slept in a dorm setting with shared showers and toilet facilities. The heating system was old and unable to heat the facility adequately.
• R75
  Meals were shared in a central dining area and the food served was plentiful and well prepared.
• R76
  There were 22 escapes during the past year. All were “walkaways” from job sites. Conclusions