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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.

Merced County Grand Jury • 2014-2015

Jail Inspection Reports Merced County Sheriff’s Department/ Main Jail Facility The Mccgj inspected the Main Jail

Published: July 06, 2015 70 pages

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⚠️ 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 8 findings

Considering the age of the building, the interior and exterior of the facility are in satisfactory condition. All interior areas inspected were noted to be clean and well-maintained except for “holding cells,” which were commonly littered with food and trash but cleaned twice daily. Inmates are not held accountable for cleaning upon leaving the cell.

The staff is very well versed on “gang” identities and classifies all inmates in the “booking” process. This allows for segregation of affiliated gang members and insures the safety and security to all other inmates and staff members.

The Merced County Department of Public Health has a registered nurse from Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) on call for any first-time expectant mother placed in the custody of this facility.

Atwater Fire Department This department is under the direction of Cal Fire. At the time of this investigation, they did not have a Safely Surrender Baby Law policy in place but have begun working on a policy and training program.

Los Banos Fire Department The City of Los Banos moved to adopt the Safely Surrender Baby Law and developed policies and procedures, training manuals, and training for all fire personnel. They have appropriate signage and a kit ready to use in the event there is a baby surrendered.

Merced County Hospitals Mercy Medical Center and Los Banos Memorial do have policies and procedures pertaining to the Safely Surrender Baby Law in their Labor and Delivery Departments and Emergency Rooms.

Merced County Office of Education The Merced County Office of Education does provide to Merced County High Schools education material that is adopted from the State of California Education Department. It is clear the schools have adopted the curriculum for Safely Surrender Baby Law in their sex education classes. (AB 2817; Chapter 1099) There is a minimal amount of educational material available from the state of California Department of Education.

Merced Union High School District Although the MCCGJ realizes that this is not directly about the Safely Surrender Baby Law, we were very impressed with Merced High School District’s (MUHSD) program for pregnant teenagers. Once the school becomes aware that a student is pregnant, the student is provided with options of participating in the parenting classes, and day care for their children. Both the mother and father of the baby can participate in this program, which enables class attendance for the High School aged parents. The goal is graduation for all high school students regardless of their situation. This school program ensures the mother is seeing doctors and getting the care she needs and is offered help through Merced County Public Health Department in the Nurse Family Partnership; however, this is an option and the mother can opt out if she wants (with no questions asked). We found that most mothers attending Merced High Schools tend to keep their babies. These mothers and their babies remain healthy, and the mothers finish school or continue in General Education Diploma (GED) classes. Funding is limited, and many of the instructors take it upon themselves to provide books and transportation to doctor appointments. It was noted that not all the high schools within the MUHSD can participate because of transportation issues. 21

Recommendations 7

R1

Inmates must discard unused food items and trash before exiting their holding cells. COMMENDATION The Department of Public Health is to be commended for their Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) Program and their services and coordinated efforts in serving expectant mothers in the facility. MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT/JOHN LATORRACA CORRECTIONAL CENTER On January 23, 2015, the MCCGJ inspected the John Latorraca Correctional Center, located at 2584 W. Sandy Mush Road in Merced County. It has a state-rated capacity of 564 inmates. It houses both male and female inmates. Average capacity is 485, but it occasionally exceeds maximum capacity. John Latorraca Center was originally built as a Minimum Security facility. However, since the implementation of AB109, the jail now houses Medium to High-risk inmates as well. This facility is 24 years old. The cells as well as the interior and exterior of the buildings are in need of repair. Graffiti is present and appears to be gang-related in most cases. This facility maintains a Minimum level of staffing but is still fully secure (normally through the use of staff-overtime.)
R2

We recommend all fire stations throughout the county (including all Cal Fire stations) are Safely Surrender Baby receiving sites.
R3

We recommend funding to ensure that there is adequate transportation for the parent or guardian to safely surrender the infant to these sites within cities and county areas.
R4

We recommend that the county develops a website to inform women in crisis to provide immediate options and help. This website should include sites in their area to surrender the newborn, transportation options, and an easy-to-read rendition of the law which defines their rights to confidentiality and anonymity. We also recommend a hotline in place with an appropriate agency such as hospital or fire station and future implementation to the new 211 program. (The 211-program will be coming to Merced County. It is a directory/hotline of local programs for the community to assist in health and crisis.)
R5

There should be service announcements and bill boards, as well as marketing to the public that there are safe and discrete options for moms and/or families in crisis.
R6

It would be ideal for all county high schools to have the ability to participate in parenting programs. We recommend that the county seek funding in the future to allow the MUHSD to have more adequate transportation within their district. We also suggest that they continue funding for more parenting programs within all the county high school districts.
R7

We also would like to recommend educational information be provided to Alpha Pregnancy Crisis Center and to all Primary Care doctors in the Merced County area. If we in Merced County can save one baby, then any effort we exert will diminish in the victory we have achieved.