Glossary Cdcr: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation- (Title 15): Covers all

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The suicide prevention procedures should be reviewed both in 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 them selves. It seems some 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.

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As many prisoners as possible should be transferred to the Public Safety Center as new construction is completed.

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The SCCGJ recommends that exercise time be increased for prisoners. REQUEST FOR RESPONSES The Stanislaus County Sheriff The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER – 200 East Hackett Road Modesto This facility was constructed in 1992. It is a modern prison facility and the comparison with the downtown jail is striking. The facility is composed of 6 “pods” or cell areas. Each cell pod has a large open area that prisoners can read and watch television in an open central area. Prisoners may get up to 8 hours per day in this area depending on behavioral issues. Some prisoners get much less. This area is surrounded by two stories of cell blocks. There is a floor-level observation platform where deputies can monitor activities of inmates. There are 40 deputies assigned to the PSC. At the time of the SCCGJ’s visit there were 698 inmates with a total capacity of 726. All prisoners are separated by a classification staff and wear different colored uniforms to denote the type of inmate. The visiting hours are the same as the downtown jail. Female inmates are housed in two separate pods away from male prisoners. There are 4 female prisoners to a cell. The compound has a large outdoor grass recreational area for some prisoners to exercise. There are programs available for inmates that include both GED degrees and college AA courses. Prisoners with mental health problems are housed in separate cells and monitored by deputies. When their problems can no longer be dealt with by jail personnel they are sent to a mental health facility that is contracted to Doctors Medical Center. Beds are limited at the medical center facility so inmates have to wait until space is available up before they are transferred. Depending on their classification, some severely mentally handicapped prisoners are sent to state mental health facilities. The SCCGJ was told funds have become available to add one deputy each to the PSC and downtown jail to help deal with prisoners with mental health problems. A separate building at this location houses a modern kitchen and laundry facility. There is a large storage area that contains large amounts of food, laundry and personal supplies. Snacks and condiment items are stored here that can be purchased by prisoners. This facility prepares 4,000 meals per day. The SCCGJ was told that the food meets guidelines for nutritional needs. Condiments for meals must be purchased by inmates .Coffee is no longer provided as part of the meals. There are special meals provided for those with special needs such as diabetes. There is a large laundry facility that does laundry for all prison facilities. Some prisoners work in the laundry and kitchen facility. This appears to be a well run and managed operation. The jail has a work release program that allows low risk inmates to serve out their sentence by working in public works programs. A classification unit selects inmates for participation. This program used to be comprised of 300 inmates, but has grown much larger because of lack of jail space. In the past inmates that did not meet their work commitments were returned to custody. Because of lack of jail space this is no longer possible. Inmates in this program work in public works programs such as parks clean up and graffiti removal. There are over 40 sites that are part of this program. . A major change occurred in 2011 for the Stanislaus County Jails and Probation Department. Assembly Bill 109 mandated that some low risk prisoners in state prisons be relocated to county jail facilities. This was a result of a federal court ruling that sought to correct over-crowding in the state prisons system. Stanislaus County jails received the first of these inmates in the fall of 2011. The State of California provided funds to help counties with the costs of housing these inmates, but they are of a temporary nature and further funding for staffing is in question. Two pod areas that had been closed in the Public Safety Center were reopened to house these inmates and deputies were rehired to staff these facilities. There are major expansion plans for this facility. In June of 2010 a fire destroyed two of the four buildings of the Stanislaus County Honor Farm. Money from an insurance settlement will be used to construct additional capacity at the Public Safety Center. Constructions of three new pods are scheduled to begin in July of 2012 and be completed a year later. This will allow the housing of 192 additional inmates and possible transfer of honor farm inmates. Stanislaus County received a grant from the California Corrections Standards Authority for $80 million that must be used for construction of new facilities. These funds will be used for further jail expansion that will house an additional 384 inmates. A medical and mental health wing will provide a much needed capacity of 72 beds. A day reporting center and central control station will also be constructed. Additionally, these funds will be used to pay for the relocation of the morgue to the vacant Medical Arts Building in downtown Modesto. FINDINGS