Office of the She*

MCGJ finds that in housing areas of the jail, staffing levels are not adequate to ensure the safety of the staff and inmates. Response: I partially agree/disagree with this finding pursuant to California Penal Code 933.05(a)(2). Staffing shortages are an issue for nearly every county correctional facility state-wide. Though public safety has inherent associated risks, and staffing shortages will increase those risks, we do utilize overtime and contracted security to supplement the deficit to ensure the safety of our staff and inmates. With I agree that additional staffing is necessary based on a number of factors. realignment, we are housing increasingly sophisticated inmates as well as inmates that have been convicted and sentenced that would have previously served their sentences in state prison. We continue to have more requirements and regulations added to our workload each year. Our facility has grown over the years, but we struggle with recruitment and retention. We are seeing several correctional officers taking positions with the California Department of Corrections. Others take positions in the private sector unrelated to public safety and corrections for a higher paying career ☐ Sheriff@MaderaCounty.com Q 2725 Falcon Drive, Madera, CA 98687 (559) 675-7770 and/or better schedules. Though we can bridge the gap with overtime temporarily, this is a short- term mitigation and will ultimately result in burn-out compounding the problem. I disagree with what may likely be an unintentional inference that we are not currently able to safely manage our facility or ensure the safety of staff and inmates. I believe a more correct findings statement would be that we will have long term negative impacts to the facility and programs should the staffing levels remain at their current level for an extended period of time. I agree that staffing is a major issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

MCGJ finds that the custody areas lack routine maintenance. Response: I disagree with this finding pursuant to California Penal Code 933.05(a)(2). I would encourage the MCGJ to tour other county facilities state-wide. Our facility is clean and well maintained in comparison. We have three maintenance personnel who work around the clock ensuring the facility remains in good working order. They access routine maintenance requests daily. Per staff, they handle around 10 routine maintenance requests daily and consistently keep up with demands. There are always opportunities for improvement, but I am unable to agree to a blanket statement that the entire facility lacks routine maintenance.

MCGJ finds that a lack of a daily structured regimentation contributes to a lack of self-pride by inmates. Response: I disagree with this finding pursuant to California Penal Code 933.05(a)(2). Inmate schedules are very consistent and must meet state mandates. Each inmate is afforded the opportunity to shower, recreate, socialize and take care of basic needs. Not all inmates take advantage of these opportunities. Under normal circumstances, we are unable to force an inmate to come out of their cell, nor force them to shower. We are not able to force them to socialize, shave, brush their teeth nor take care of basic hygienic needs. The inmates own mental wellness and personal decisions or preferences primarily contribute to their hygiene and appearance within the facility. Several of our inmates are suffering from substance abuse and mental health disorders. It has been a challenge to get these inmates to shower properly. We provide free hygiene supplies and schedule regular shower days. We recently purchased 250 new mattresses as well as replaced the clothing for inmates in the entire facility. I believe the modules visited in the limited time available to the MCGJ were not an accurate representation of all inmates.