Mendocino County Grand Jury
• 2008-2009
Bulging at the Seams a Report on the Mendocino County Jail May 24, 2009
⚠️ 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.
Findings and Recommendations 19 findings
F1
According to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation May 20, 2008 inspection report, some areas of the jail are overcrowded due to prisoner gender and classification. It currently houses 300 inmates. Review of the average daily census over a two year period found that the facility was consistently near its rated capacity, making it extremely difficult to appropriately house inmates based on their classification.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
There were inmates sleeping on “stack-a-bunks” on the floor (a plastic frame with a mattress).
No recommendations for this finding
F3
Some floor tiles at the delivery station doorway and the adjacent drain were broken or missing. All of the broken or missing tiles are scheduled to be replaced by May 20, 2009.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Grand Jury recommends that the Sheriff’s Office:
repair and replace kitchen floor tiles (Finding 3)
F4
The kitchen staff will soon be using newly acquired bakery equipment in an area of the kitchen to bake bread daily. In addition to supplying the main jail facility, they will also provide baked goods for the Juvenile Hall and other detention facilities.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
The current cost for baked goods for the jail exceeds $30,000 annually. The equipment will pay for itself in three years.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
The jail staff is short two sergeants, three correctional deputies, one Sheriff’s service officer and a laundry supervisor. The only position allowed to be filled is the laundry supervisor. The current hiring freeze limits the filling of the other positions.
No recommendations for this finding
F7
The door lock system is prone to excessive wear. Minor repairs are made using limited parts on hand. All other repairs depend on receiving parts from a distant manufacturer. Delivery time is often excessive.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
The copper plumbing is deteriorating throughout the jail and must continually be replaced.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Grand Jury recommends that the Sheriff’s Office:
research and identify the cause of the plumbing deterioration and, if found to be cost-effective, take steps to monitor and correct it. (Finding 8)
F9
There is a large, well-organized herb and vegetable garden maintained by the inmates and supervised by a contracted part-time employee.
No recommendations for this finding
F10
A classroom is set up for study programs through which many inmates earn their GED.
No recommendations for this finding
F11
Computers and computer instruction are available but there is no internet capability.
No recommendations for this finding
F12
Classes are offered to teach conflict resolution, parenting and life skills, anger management and drug/alcohol recovery.
No recommendations for this finding
F13
There is no longer a law library at the jail. If an inmate has a legal question, they can send it out to a contracted firm where law students will research it and return an answer.
No recommendations for this finding
F14
There is a dentist on site once a week.
No recommendations for this finding
F15
There is medical staff on site seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
No recommendations for this finding
F16
Prescription drugs are dispensed and taken under close monitoring by the medical staff.
No recommendations for this finding
F17
There is a Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division brochure describing all of the inmate services.
No recommendations for this finding
F18
Inmate property is bagged but not inventoried at intake. Inventory of personal property is done during the booking process.
No recommendations for this finding
F19
Employee stress counseling is available. There is a minister available as well as a psychologist.
No recommendations for this finding
Agency Responses 1
Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Mendocino County Sheriff
Elected County Office