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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09191989 - IO.9 Td: Board of Supervisors - _ ,; I.O. 9 FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE DATE: September 11, 1.9890 srA-cools`►'; SUBJECT: PROPOSED RESPONSE TO THE REPORT OF THE 1988-89 GRAND JURY ENTITLED "DETENTION FACILITIES" Specific Request(s) or Recommendations(s) & Background & Justification RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Adopt the following report of our Committee as the Board of Supervisors' response to the Report of the 1988- 89 Grand Jury entitled "Detention Facilities". 2. Remove this item as a referral to our Committee. BACKGROUND: On June 16, 1989 the 1988-89 Grand Jury approved the attached report on "Detention Facilities". On September 11,.1989 our Committee met with Assistant Sheriff Gerald Mitosinka and staff from the Probation Department and members of the 1988-89 and 1989-90 Grand Juries. We reviewed the proposed response suggested by both the. Sheriff-Coroner and County Probation Officer and discussed the Grand Jury's recommendations with the members of the Grand Jury and the staff from the Sheriff's Office and Probation Department. At the conclusion of these discussions we formulated the following response,utilizing a format suggested by the Grand Jury in their final report, in which the Grand Jury requested that written responses to Grand Jury recommendations clearly specify: A. Whether the recommendation is accepted or adopted. B. If the recommendation is accepted,a statement as to who will be responsible for implementation and a definite target date. C. A delineation of constraints, if a recommendation is accepted but cannot be implemented within the calendar year. D.The reason for not adopting a recommendation. Continued on attachment: YES Signature: Recomme atio of County Administrator Recommendation of Board Committee Ap' Other: Signatures nPOWERS SUNNE WRIGHT MC PEAK Action of Board on: September 19, 198_S, Approved as Recommended x Other Vote of Supervisors I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN x Unanimous (Absent ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE .Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Absent: Abstain: cc: County Administrator Attested �L/ Sheriff-Coroner Phil Batchelor County Probation Officer , Clerk of the Board Director of Personnel of Supervisors and County Administrator Director of General Services Foreman,1988-89 Grand Jury J ' Foreman,1989-90 Grand Jury By . � n/ Deputy Clerk Superior Court Judge Wayne Westover � clvm:eh(io-9bo) This and all future responses to Grand Jury recommendations coming from our Committee will follow this format as closely as possible. RECOMMENDATION# 1: Administration at Marsh Creek Detention Facility be allowed to develop a procedure whereby its bakery program is directly reimbursed for baked goods supplied to County offices and functions returning money to this excellent program. RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is approved. B. The Sheriff-Coroner has responded that it is the intent of the program to provide baked goods to those departments in county government who have that need. Our Committee notes that the Sheriff's baking program will be supplying the lunch and refreshments for the upcoming Central County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Conference and that the Sheriff will be reimbursed for this expense. To the extent that this recommendation requires further action to be fully implemented the Sheriff-Coroner will be responsible for working,as needed, with the County Administrator and Auditor-Controller to complete procedures to made this recommendation a complete reality. RECOMMENDATION#2: Marsh Creek Detention Facility continue to pursue grant monies and awards to add to its facility and give training and direction to inmates. RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is approved. B. The Sheriff-Coroner indicates that he will continue to actively pursue grant monies and awards designed to increase the availability of tangible inmate training and programs. RECOMMENDATION#3: More inmates be encouraged to enroll in the programs provided by the County Office of Education. RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is approved. B. The Sheriff-Coroner notes that this County enjoys the highest percentage of inmates in educational programs of any county in the State of California. The Board of Supervisors joins with the Sheriff-Coroner in indicating its pride in this accomplishment. The Sheriff also notes that he intends to continue this level of inmate participation. After considerable effort on the part of the Sheriff's staff,the first college level course began this summer at the Marsh Creek Detention Facility. This course,Psychology 102,Career and Life Planning,is being offered under the auspices of Contra Costa College. -2- RECOMMENDATION#4: The extensive acreage at Byron Boys' Ranch be further utilized for buildings and agriculture to allow more boys to benefit from living there. RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is accepted in part. B. The Probation Officer notes that the soil at Byron Boys' Ranch is so poor that it will not support any agricultural activity. While implementation of the Grand Jury's recommendation would provide substantial benefit to the boys confined at the Ranch it does not appear practical to pursue this recommendation at this time, not because we do not wish to do so, but because it is impractical. The County Probation Officer also notes that he does not support expanding Byron Boys'Ranch beyond 74 beds since doing so would make it less personal and more difficult to manage. We are asking that the effort to review the juvenile correctional facilities being recommended by the County Administrator at least review this recom- mendation further and evaluate the extent to which is or some modification of it is feasible and programmatically sound. RECOMMENDATION#5: Emergency repairs at the Ranch be made immediately to insure the health and safety of the inmates. RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is approved to the extent that state bond funds are available. B. A contract has been let and construction work will be completed in 1990 on remodeling of the restroom/shower area using Proposition 52 funds. Future remodeling to ensure health and safety may be done using Proposition 86 funds. Approximately$1.3 million should be available from this source. These funds,which require a 25% county match, can only be used to address fire, health and safety issues. The County Probation Officer, in cooperation with the County Administrator and Director of General Services, will be responsible for recommending the appropriate use of these funds. RECOMMENDATION#6: The Board of Supervisors inspect Byron Boys' Ranch and direct the Probation Department to develop definitive long-range plans for renovation or replacement of the dormitory. RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is approved in the context of the responses given to similar recommendations in the Grand Jury's Report entitled: "Detention and Placement Programs for Juvenile Offenders". B. See the response provided to similar questions in response to the recommendations in the Grand Jury's Report entitled: "Detention and Placement Programs for Juvenile Offenders". - 3 - RECOMMENDATION#7: Immediate repairs be made at Juvenile Hall to insure the health and safety of the inmates until such time as the facility can be rebuilt. RESPONSE: A. See the responses to recommendations#5 and#6 above and similar recommendations made in response to the Grand Jury's Report entitled: "Detention and Placement Programs for Juvenile Offenders". RECOMMENDATION#8: The Probation Department work with the Sheriff's Department to benefit from the aggressive management used in the adult detention facilities. RESPONSE: A. The Board of Supervisors certainly wishes all of the juvenile facilities to be well managed and believes that they are. It is unclear exactly what the Grand Jury had in mind in regard to this recommendation since the findings and conclusions provide no mention of the need formore aggressive management. The County Probation Officer notes his belief that he and his staff are aggressively managing the juvenile detention facilities and the Board of Supervisors concurs with this assessment. B. Without further detailed comments from the Grand Jury regarding what they found that led to this recommendation it is difficult to assign responsible for its implementation. RECOMMENDATION#9: The Probation Department explore with the Sheriff's Department the feasibility of utilizing the skills of the inmate labor pool at the Marsh Creed Detention Facility to accomplish the many needed repairs and renovations at Byron Boys' Ranch. RESPONSE: A. This recommendation is accepted,subject to meet and confer requirements of the Myers-Milias-Brown Act and operational considerations which would have to be worked out with the Sheriff-Coroner. B. The Director of Personnel will be responsible for discussion with appropriate employee organizations their willingness to cooperate with the implementation of this recommendation. In addition, the County Administrator will be responsible for meeting with the Sheriff-Coroner and County Probation Officer to discuss the feasibility of implementing this recommendation,assuming any problems with employee organizations can be worked out. - 4 - A REPORT BY THE 1988-89 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GRAND JURY P. O. Box 1110 Martinez, CA 94553 ( 415) 646-2345 DETENTION FACILITIES Contra Costa County RECEIVED JUN 16 1989 Office of County Administrator- APPROVED BY THE GRAND JURY: DATE• y PHILIP SITZ GRAND JURY FOREMAN ACCEPTED FOR FILING: DATE: i I� 190 A E WES OV JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT DETENTION FACILITIES SUMMARY The juvenile detention facilities pale when compared to adult detention facilities in Contra Costa County. Byron Boys' Ranch and Juvenile Hall have deteriorated considerably while adult facilities are among the best in California. Sub-standard housing of juvenile offenders must stop! FINDINGS 1. In Contra Costa County, the adult detention facilities are operated by the Sheriff ' s Department and juvenile facilities by the Probation Department. Marsh Creek Detention Facility (MCDF) 2. MCDF, located at the base of Mt. Diablo on Marsh Creek Road east of Clayton, is a medium security prison that currently houses 560 inmates, 80 of whom are female prisoners. 3 . Significant advances have been made by replacing antiquated dormitories with modern modular buildings paid for largely by funds derived through Proposition 52. 4 . Inmates, under the guidance of the educational staff, have secured grant money for construction of desired facilities, i.e. a government grant paid for the building of an outdoor gazebo complex to be used as covered reading areas. 5. The "D.E.U.C.E." Program (Deciding Educating Understanding Counseling Evaluating) for alcohol/drug rehabilitation, conducted by the County Office of Education, has been successful in allowing those inmates: who are so inclined to explore avenues for positive change and examine socially acceptable lifestyles when no longer incarcerated. 6 . "Cottage industries" have been developed at MCDF where inmates are taught marketable skills under experienced craftsmen. Most notable of these is the bakery which pro- vides baked goods for Contra Costa County adult detention facilities. Other County offices also request baked goods without reimbursing the bakery program. 7 . During the past year major improvements in facilities have been accomplished utilizing inmate labor under the super- vision of skilled County employed journeymen. These include painting of buildings, construction of a medical facility, conversion of an old dormitory to a chapel, renovation of older facilities and numerous other repair projects. -1- 8. MCDF shares some of the grounds with the East Diablo Fire Protection District. This relationship provides MCDF with on-site fire protection. 9. Visitation at the facility is strictly monitored, done at scheduled times with definite restrictions placed on visitors. Visits are conducted in the dining hall and friends and family are encouraged to bring children. Work Furlough (WF) 10 . Work Furlough, a minimum security detention center for approximately 160 men, is located in Richmond off Giant Road near the West County Detention Facility now under construc- tion. 11. Assignment to Work Furlough is contingent upon the adjudicated criminal having a legitimate job. However, some women without employment were housed at WF because of overcrowding in the women' s section at Martinez Detention Facility. As of May 26, 1989, however, WF is a male only detention facility. 12. There is no restriction on inmates assigned to Work Furlough regarding the nature of their crimes. Criminal offenses represented at Work Furlough range from homicide, to theft, to white collar crime, to drunk driving. 13 . Most inmates at Work Furlough are employed, allowed to leave the facility every day to go to their job sites and return after work. Incarceration is basically during the evening hours and on weekends for the inmates housed there. 14. Each employed inmate is charged a daily rate to stay at Work Furlough and is billed monthly. Those who are under court order to do so are required to pay child support. 15. The grounds and buildings are clean and well maintained by the inmates. Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) 16. MDF is the main jail in Contra Costa County located at 1000 Ward Street, Martinez. It was built as a maximum security facility for 386 inmates . 17 . Over 800 inmates are housed at MDF, . with two or more people in most cells. Men and women are incarcerated at this facility in separate modules of the building. 18. Inmates provide the majority of the janitorial duties, operate the laundry, maintain their own cells and keep the common areas clean. -2- 19 . A voluntary education program is available wherein inmates may earn their high school equivalency diploma (G.E.D. ) as well as work on college courses. In addition, special interest classes are taught (e.g. Project Second Chance - adult literacy) . The County Library System maintains a small branch within the facility. 20. State-of-the-art electronic equipment is utilized to monitor inmates in their cells and in common areas. Byron Bovs' Ranch (the Ranch) 21 . Byron Boys' Ranch is a non-secure facility located in East Contra Costa County which opened in 1960-61 to house 45 delinquent, adjudicated boys. The grounds are extensive and include game fields, grazing area for the Ranch' s herd of cattle and a well-maintained swimming pool. 22 . Up to 74 male minors in residence now live at the Ranch, all attend classes, receive counseling, perform housekeeping duties, some learn food preparation, participate in sports activities, maintain the grounds and help tend the herd of cattle grazing at the Ranch. 23. Dining hall maintenance duties, bussing tables, doing dishes and washing floors, are supervised by adult staff and accomplished by inmates. In addition, food preparation is taught as a marketable skill. 24. The dormitory is a single-story, warehouse-like building built on a cement slab, sleeps 74 and affords little or no privacy. Lighting is grossly inadequate throughout the building and the plumbing is barely functioning. 25. Funds were allocated in the 1987-88 budget to rebuild the restrooms in the dormitory but construction has not yet begun. 26. Staff are dedicated people who are devoted to rehabilitating the youth at Byron Boys ' Ranch. 27 . Byron Boys' Ranch is administered and supervised by the Probation Department. Administrators, counselors and staff are Probation Department employees. Juvenile Hall 28. Juvenile Hall, located at 202 Glacier Drive, Martinez, supervised by the Probation Department, is a locked facility which houses 140 delinquent boys and girls, pre-sentenced or adjudicated, awaiting placement. 29 . The facility was constructed and opened in 1950 with major additions in 1973 . It is in need of major renovation, i.e. -3- deteriorating condition of shower rooms and other deficien- cies as indicated in the 1987-88 Grand Jury Report. The necessary repairs funded by Proposition 52 were scheduled for Spring 1989 but have not yet been accomplished. CONCLUSIONS: The 1988-89 Contra Costa County grand jury concludes that: Marsh Creek Detention Facility 1 . MCDF is a well-managed, efficiently operated installation which is systematically replacing deteriorating dormitory buildings with new, modern living quarters. 2. Creative and committed leadership is noteworthy for its accomplishments in utilizing inmate labor and in developing a more positive climate and a greater feeling of self-esteem in the prisoner population. 3 . "Cottage industries" are constant sources of pride and self-esteem for inmates and could be self-supporting and potentially revenue producing. Martinez Detention Facility 4. The main jail is well run and maintained by a very profes- sional staff. Sheriff ' s personnel operate this maximum security facility with a minimum number of deputies. 5. Advanced electronic equipment allows efficient surveillance of all areas of the detention center without employing excessive numbers of personnel. 6 . Programs provided by the County Office of Education allow inmates to complete their high school education and benefit from college level classes. 7 . The opening of the West County Detention Facility should reduce the overcrowding at MDF. Byron Boys' Ranch 8. Staff and management are conscientious individuals whose main concern is the welfare of the boys incarcerated at the Ranch. 9 . The residence dormitory is in deplorable condition. The warehouse-like building is on a cement slab, plumbing is significantly sub-standard and there is little or no privacy in the toilet, shower or sleeping areas. Lighting is woe- fully inadequate with only a few fixtures suspended from a cavernous ceiling. -4- 10 . The buildings which house the dining hall, shop classes, classrooms, library and administration are satisfactory. 11. The extensive acreage could be further developed agri- culturally and with more buildings to allow more boys to benefit from living at the Ranch. 12. Byron Boys' Ranch provides an environment which allows for growth, goal setting and an opportunity to alter delinquent behavior for those youngsters who wish to take advantage of it. Juvenile Hall 13 . Although custodial services are adequate, the building is old and shows signs of age . and deterioration is serious enough that replacement should be considered. 14. Juvenile Hall is routinely overcrowded. All Facilities 15. In Contra Costa County, adult detention facilities, operated by the Sheriff ' s Department, are large, innovatively managed, well maintained and new or newly renovated. 16. The Probation Department supervises the juvenile detention facilities. Personnel are dedicated, activities are adequate but, some living quarters are deplorable! RECODRUNDATIONS The 1988-89 Contra Costa County grand jury recommends that: 1. Administration at Marsh Creek Detention Facility be allowed to develop a procedure whereby its bakery program is directly reimbursed for baked goods supplied to County offices and functions returning money to this excellent program. 2. Marsh Creek Detention Facility continue to pursue grant monies and awards to add to its facility and give training and direction to inmates. 3 . More inmates be encouraged to enroll in the programs provided by the County Office of Education. 4. The extensive acreage at Byron Boys' Ranch be further utilized for buildings and agriculture to allow more boys to benefit from living there. 5 . Emergency repairs at the Ranch be made immediately to insure the health and safety of the inmates. -5- 6 . The Board of Supervisors inspect Byron Boys' Ranch and direct the Probation Department to develop definitive long- range plans for renovation or replacement of the dormitory. 7 . Immediate repairs be made at Juvenile Hall to insure the health and safety of the inmates until such time as the facility can be rebuilt. 8. The Probation Department work with the Sheriff' s Department to benefit from the aggressive management used in the adult detention facilities. 9 . The Probation Department explore with the Sheriff' s Department the feasibility of utilizing the skills of the inmate labor pool at the Marsh Creek Detention Facility to accomplish the many needed repairs and renovations at Byron Boys ' Ranch. C014MENrS The ultimate goal of the County' s detention systems should be to adequately provide for our youthful offenders to keep them out of the adult inmate population! -6-