Santa Cruz County Grand Jury • 2018-2019

Consolidated Final Report of the 2018–2019 Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury

Published: September 25, 2019 400 pages Consolidated Report

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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 12 findings

F1 Page 13

Drugs continue to come into all facilities undetected.

F2 Page 13

Overcrowding continues to be an issue at the Main Jail with no-long term solution in place. (See Grand Jury reports from 2013–2014, 2014–2015, and 2016–2017.)

F3 Page 13

Ongoing staff shortages and unfilled positions result in mandatory overtime.

F4 Page 13

Many detention facility staff commute long distances because local housing is unaffordable, increasing staff stress.

F5 Page 55

Santa Cruz Public Libraries used Gale Analytics on Demand without examining the contract for this service, thus raising potential liability issues related to data ownership, data breaches, and patron privacy.

F6 Page 55

The contract is unclear and does not contain language that protects the interests of the Pacific Library Partnership, its member libraries, and their patrons.

F7 Page 55

The use of Gale Analytics on Demand by Santa Cruz Public Libraries is inconsistent with best practices in the library community regarding patron privacy.

F8 Page 55

Santa Cruz Public Libraries used Gale Analytics on Demand without adequately evaluating the effectiveness of the tool.

F9 Page 55

The use of Gale Analytics on Demand by Santa Cruz Public Libraries has created disagreement among Library staff concerning the traditional responsibility of libraries to protect patron privacy, the validity of data analytics as a planning tool, and potential security vulnerabilities of the system.

F10 Page 247

Standard forms are an excellent way to implement some County policies, but they must be used to be effective.

F11 Page 247

County leaders misinterpret the meaning of County Counsel’s approval of a contract “as to form.”

F12 Page 247

The County lost potentially valuable information when the County destroyed copies of contracts with, and reports submitted by, the public defense contractors.

Recommendations 4

R5
Page 13

The Sheriff’s Department should, within the next six months, set a target date for implementing the recommendations in this report.
R6
Page 56

SCPL should designate a data privacy officer and give this officer full authority and responsibility to implement and enforce the privacy policy, and to periodically report to the SCPL director, JPA board, LAC, and the public. (F7)
R7
Page 56

SCPL should perform a meaningful evaluation of any tool that uses patron information to determine if the benefits outweigh the risks to patron privacy. (F8)
R8
Page 56

SCPL should offer workshops for patrons to explain how the Library uses patron information and to explore related privacy issues. (F3, F4)

Conclusions 8

CL1 Page 43

informing patrons how SCPL uses their personal data;
CL2 Page 43

giving patrons the opportunity to consent to use of their personal data; Published June 24, 2019 Page 12 of 24 2018-19 Consolidated Final Report with Responses 55
CL3 Page 43

explaining patron data use in proposed privacy policy and online documents;
CL4 Page 55

adopting best practices outlined by the ALA;
CL5 Page 43

carefully evaluating risks versus rewards when using AoD;
CL6 Page 43

staying abreast of state laws concerning library use of patron data; and
CL7 Page 43

resolving the disagreements among staff regarding the use of AoD and its implications for patron privacy.
CL8 Page 137

Santa Cruz County Probation Department Adult Division DPOs are dedicated professionals who care deeply about their mandate to assist offenders in reintegrating into society. They also care about the safety of the community they serve, as well as their own personal safety when carrying out their duties. Unfortunately, many DPOs believe and told the Grand Jury that the "appearance and standing [of the Department] in the community" is of more importance to Department management than the concerns and safety needs of DPOs who are on the front lines. The Grand Jury heard testimony that paints a picture of an environment where Department staff do not feel they can depend on management to support them or to provide them with the safety equipment and training needed for safe field work. In light of extensive documentation and testimony the Grand Jury has developed the following findings and recommendations for the Santa Cruz County Probation Department, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, and the Santa Cruz County Administrative Officer. Published June 25, 2019 Page 11 of 17 138 Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury

Commendations 1

CM1 Page 138

The Grand Jury commends the dedication and passion of the Santa Cruz County Probation Officers who work to keep themselves and our community safe while facing multiple challenges in fulfilling their duties.