Imperial County Prison Inspection

There were no escapes or attempted escapes in the previous twelve months.

There was one suicide during the previous twelve months.

There are over 160 cameras in the jail facilities. At times, cameras do fail, but are repaired or replaced as soon as possible.

There is no inmate overcrowding in the facilities. The lower security facility is at only about 30 percent of inmate capacity.

There are problems with the utilities in the Regional Adult Detention Facility. There are times when the heaters do not work properly in parts of the jail. This is true of the air conditioning system as well. Despite repairs made to the chillers last year, there are parts of buildings which are not effectively cooled. This is particularly a problem in the infirmary area during the summer months. The committee also observed paint peeling off of the walls and ceiling in inmate shower areas. There was evidence of mold as well. Drainage of water and sewerage appears to be a continuing problem. A leak was observed from the base of a toilet in the recreational yard that ran into the activity area. The committee examined a drain in a shower area that had just been dug up and repaired; it also noted evidence of other similar repairs on drains throughout the facility.

Hepatitis and tuberculosis is found among the inmate population. About one case of tuberculosis is detected every six months.

The ceiling is not water tight in the infirmary / medical area. When it rains the ceiling becomes damp and drips water. The patient beds are about 26 years old. Some are rusty and missing parts; the brakes do not work on some of the beds. The patient bed area may not be American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. In particular, there is not a system of rails to assist disabled inmates housed in the infirmary area.

In some control center areas of the jail, newspaper was used to cover window areas so that inmates could not look in. The taped newspapers give the facility a less than professional appearance.

With the exceptions noted above, the facilities inspected during the tour were clean and in good condition. 22

On November 6, 2007, the Corrections Standards Authority (CSA) of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation conducted the 2006-2008 biennial inspection of the Regional Adult Detention Facility (RADF) and the Herbert Hughes Correctional Center (HHCC). The previous inspection done by CSA had found had identified several deficiencies including the lack of hourly safety checks and housing three inmates in double cells. The current inspection found that these deficiencies had been rectified. In the current inspection, CSA found that the RADF was not incompliance with requirements that single occupancy cells house a maximum of one inmate. In fact CSA found that all single cells have been double-bunked and used as double cells. The Jail was instructed to submit a corrective plan within 90 days of receipt of the 2006-2008 inspection report.

The Imperial County department last inspected the HHCC on 3/31/06. A fire inspection is required every two years by the Health and Safety Code. Materials reviewed indicate that the HHCC had a fire inspection on 3/31/06. A health inspection was last done for both facilities on November 14, 2006.

The administration should consider implementing a routine program of inspection of shower facilities so that shower areas do not fall into extremely poor condition before they are repaired. Also, the drainage situation appears to be a recurring problem because of the age and condition of the facilities. It is not clear what can be done to address this situation in a preventative way without building a new structure. Nonetheless, the administration should make repairing drains a priority when they are obviously clogged or in poor condition.

The leaky ceiling in the infirmary should be repaired immediately.

The condition of the beds in the infirmary is a problem that should be addressed soon. Consideration should be given to replacing the existing beds.

The heating and air conditioning problems in the infirmary should be addressed in a way that results in a more permanent solution to this problem. 23

The patient areas of the infirmary should be inspected to see if they are ADA compliant, and if they are not, then they should be made ADA compliant as soon as possible.