2011-2012 Stanislaus County Jail, Public Safety Center, Probation Department and Juvenile Hall Inspections*

R1

The suicide prevention procedures should be reviewed both in the psychological evaluations of the prisoners and changes that can be made to cells that are used for at risk prisoners. The SCCGJ observed that the cell used in the last prisoner suicide made it easy for a prisoner to stand on a bed and reach a horizontal cross bar that separated two cell segments. Prisoners are able to stand on a bed and wrap a bed sheet around the upper bars and have enough vertical space to hang themselves. It seems more modification can be made to these cells to make it more difficult for at-risk prisoners to hang themselves in this manner. Title 15 Section 1046-Inmate Death requires that a team with specified composition review each in-custody death and submit a report to the CSA. <b>Response:</b> The respondent disagrees with the recommendation. The recommendation to change cell bars to reduce the risk of suicide is untenable. The structural design and configuration of the cell bars cannot be altered. Instead, the department utilizes heightened referrals to mental health staff, increased observations by uniformed staff and enhanced utilization of beds at the Public Safety Center for mental health inmates to minimize the risk of suicide. Per established policy, a team comprised of Adult Detention managers and medical/mental health care staff conducts a review of each in-custody death. After the specific suicide noted in this report, the review team instituted a policy pertaining to inmates removed from the Safety Cell. With the modification, more frequent checks are made of inmates removed from the Safety Cell, in conjunction with follow-up clinical assessments. Inmates assigned to a Safety Cell are observed twice every 30 minutes, not the one time reflected in the Grand Jury's report. Outside of the Safety Cell, inmates are observed every hour.

R2

As many prisoners as possible should be transferred to the Public Safety Center as new construction is completed. <b>Response:</b> The respondent partially agrees with the recommendation. . . The Honorable Ricardo Cordova July 2, 2012 Re: Response to Civil Grand Jury Report 12-30GJ As new construction is completed and beds activated at the Public Safety Center, inmates will be moved as deemed appropriate by classification staff to maximize public safety, the safety and security of both staff and inmates and to comply with the security requirements of the inmates confined in our facilities. With the enactment of AB 109- Public Safety Realignment, Stanislaus County remains challenged to provide adequate jail bed space in order to retain serious criminal offenders in custody. The expansion of inmate beds at the Public Safety Center will afford the department the opportunity to house inmates commensurate with their security needs; meet the demands of a growing population in the community and in our detention facilities but clearly will not be adequate to close the aging Men's Jail.

R3

The SCCGJ recommends that exercise time be increased for prisoners. <b>Response:</b> The respondent disagrees with the finding. The facility is currently in compliance with Title 15 Standards adopted by the Corrections Standards Authority for inmate recreation. Any increase in exercise yard time would be untenable due to the physical limitations of this aged facility, budgetary constraints to hire additional staff needed to supervise recreation activities and the increased security risks associated with additional inmate movement to and from the recreation yard. Stanislaus County Public Safety Center Narrative: The report states that 40 deputies staff this facility. The correct number is 79. The report states that visiting hours are the same as the downtown men's jail. The actual visiting hours for the Public Safety Center are 8:00-11:00 a.m., 12:30-5:00 p.m. and 8:00- 9:30 p.m. In the Minimum Unit, inmates visit on Saturday and Sunday only, from 7:15- 10:15 a.m., 12:00-4:00 p.m. and 5:30-7:15 p.m. The PSC inmates have non-contact visits in booths but the Minimum Unit inmates have full contact visits. The construction of 192 beds to replace those beds lost to a fire at the Honor Farm is scheduled to begin in August of 2012. Construction will not include expansion of the current Public Safety Center or the addition of "pods" Unit #2 will be constructed adjacent to Unit #1 or what's referred to as the "Minimum Unit" and will also include programming space for educational, vocational and rehabilitative opportunities. The last paragraph in this section refers to the $80 million state grant the county received under the provisions of AB 900 to construct new facilities. The Grand Jury referenced the addition of 384 inmate beds and a medical/mental health wing with 72 beds. They also referenced a "central control station" and the relocation of the "morgue" to the vacant The Honorable Ricardo Cordova July 2, 2012 Re: Response to Civil Grand Jury Report 12-30GJ Medical Arts Building in downtown Modesto. In fact, the Central Control/Booking Facility and Coroner's Division Facility are not funded by AB 900 but from other funding allocated by the County. All project details including funding are a matter of public record as these projects have been approved by the Board of Supervisors. <b>Stanislaus County Public Safety Center Findings:</b>