Yolo County Grand Jury
• 2025-2026
2025-26 Yolo County Civil Grand Jury Report: Detention Facilities Correctional Officer Staffing Issues Continue
⚠️ 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 6 findings
F1
Correctional officer hiring and staffing is still a serious challenge for MDF.
F2
The MDF should have 120 officers; at the time of inspection, they had 98. At a follow-up meeting in May 2025, they had 94 correctional officers due to a handful of recent retirements. They currently have 95 (soon to be 97) correctional officers.
F3
Due to the staffing shortage, there is a still quite a lot of forced overtime.
F4
Understaffing at the MDF is creating the need to release inmates because the jail has reached capacity. Per MDF leadership, and the previous Grand Jury report, in 2024, a total of 18 individuals were released under the consent decree. In 2025 this number dropped to 6. The individuals released were in different stages of their court proceedings or serving time when released. The individuals released were determined to be the most suitable for release based on the consent decree criteria. (Re: Yolo County Jail NA (E.D. Cal.) | Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse)
F5
Applying for the correctional officer position is a long process. The county has improved on the time it takes for the application process but still loses candidates to other surrounding counties with higher pay.
F6
The pay scale for the Yolo County correctional officer continues to be lower compared to other adjacent counties. RECOMMENDATIONS The Grand Jury makes the following recommendations:
Recommendations 1
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R1While the Yolo County application process for correctional officers has been updated and streamlined, the 2025-26 Grand Jury suggests finding even more, innovative ways, to speed up the process. COMMENDATION 6.1 MONROE DETENTION FACILITY: The facility is clean and orderly, and the care of the incarcerated persons appears humane and thoughtful. MDF staff is doing a good job despite the staffing challenges. The Grand Jury, once again, found that the programs director is very passionate about his role and works tirelessly to provide incarcerated persons access to education and enrichment and continues to search for useful programs for all the incarcerated persons in the facility. 6.2 JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER: A commendation for the excellent educational opportunities that are provided – both high school and college curriculum. The JDC staffing levels are good, especially with the low number of wards. The JDC staffing levels continue to be at a good level and the staff appears dedicated to working with the wards and continue to come up with innovative programs to keep the wards engaged 7 RESPONSES Recommendations from a Civil Grand Jury are not binding on the public agency being investigated. However, the governing body of any entity must respond to the Civil Grand Jury findings and recommendations of report issuance, and an elected official or agency head must respond to the Civil Grand Jury findings and recommendations The next year’s Civil Grand Jury may then evaluate and report on the required responses. 7.1 REQUIRED RESPONSES Pursuant to Penal Code sections 933(c) and 933.05, the following responses are required from the following elected county officials of receipt of this report: Entity Findings Recommendations Yolo County Board of Supervisors F1-6 R1 Yolo County Sheriff’s Office F1-6 R1 Responses must be submitted to the presiding judge of the Yolo County Superior Court in accordance with the provisions of Penal Code section 933.05. Responses must include the information required by Penal Code section 933.05.