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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.

Santa Cruz County Grand Jury • 2001-2002

Report on the Rountree Facility

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Findings 14 findings

F1 Page 92
The two different categories of facilities at the site make it easier to handle discipline issues, since inmates can be easily moved from one to the other. Staff reports that the significantly higher level of privileges in the minimum-security unit leads most inmates to prefer and strive for assignment to that facility.
F2 Page 92
Each of the units in the medium-security facility has a rated capacity of 48. Each of the units in that facility has 55 beds, allowing for the temporary housing of more inmates than the rated capacity.
F3 Page 92
The minimum-security facility housed 68 inmates on October 3, 2001, the day of the Grand Jury’s tour.
F4 Page 92
All told, the facility has a rated capacity of 162 and a total bed capacity of 250 inmates. Again, this allows for the temporary housing of inmates numbering in excess of the rated capacity.
F5 Page 92
The kitchen floor has been refinished, in accordance with the recommendations of the 1999-2000 Grand Jury. Work was completed in 2001.
F6 Page 92
The roof of the minimum-security facility has been repaired in accordance with the
F7 Page 92
If a detainee is an illegal immigrant, the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) requires that they be held in at least a medium-security facility. These detainees are then transferred to the INS for a deportation hearing upon their release.
F8 Page 92
Inmates of the jail farm are able to attend classes daily from 8:30 AM until 11:00 AM. Vocational classes fall into five categories: auto body repair, food services, landscaping, building maintenance, and computer operation. Other classes offered at the facility include English as a second language and General Education Diploma (GED) preparatory classes.
F9 Page 92
Additional courses are available at the jail farm in substance abuse, anger management, and general job skills training. Additional programs are also provided by volunteer organizations. These include Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, AIDS education classes as well as Bible and church services. 2001–2002 Santa Cruz County Grand Jury Final Report -10 Report on the Rountree Facility
F10 Page 93
Although a somewhat smaller number of classes are available in the medium-security facility, courses are available in English as a second language, preparation for the GED, substance abuse, anger management and job skills. As at the farm, a number of self-help programs are also provided by volunteer organizations.
F11 Page 93
A library is available to all inmates at Rountree. Although books cannot be brought directly into the medium-security facility, they can be obtained on an inmate’s behalf directly from the publisher or from an online book distributor like Amazon.com. In the minimum-security facility, relatives are able to bring books to the inmates.
F12
An auto body shop is run at the facility. This is maintained partially for the purposes of training and to enable inmates to document work performance when subsequently entering the workforce. It also generates revenue.
F13 Page 93
The Sheriff’s department maintains a general accounting of Inmate Welfare Fund monies for all facilities collectively. However, there is no breakdown or itemization of income and expense items from the individual facilities.
F14 Page 93
The revenues received by the auto body shop are not reported as income into the “Inmate Welfare Fund.” Similarly, the expenses of the shop are not listed as expenditures associated with the fund. Conclusions

Recommendations 1