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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 08152000 - C183 COA TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Costa FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR, County Administrator County DATE: August 15, 2000 ' � SUBJECT: PROPOSED RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REPORT NO. 0003 ENTITLED "JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES" SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: ADOPT the attached report prepared by the County Probation Officer and Juvenile Hall Superintendent, as the Board of Supervisors' response to Report No. 0003 of the 19992000 Grand Jury entitled, "Juvenile Detention Facilities". BACKGROUND: The 19992000 Grand Jury filed the above report, which was reviewed by the Board of Supervisors and subsequently referred to the County Administrator and the Probation Department. After reviewing the report, the Probation Department prepared the attached response that clearly specifies: A. Whether the finding and recommendation is accepted or adopted; B. If the finding and recommendation is accepted, a statement as to who will be responsible for implementation and a definite target date; C. A delineation of the constraints if a recommendation is accepted by cannot be implemented within a calendar year; and D. The reason for not adopting a finding and/or recommendation. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT:YES ——-_ w---SIGNATURE` RE --0,- COMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMEN T N OF BOARD COMMITTEE ---'APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD Au RU s t 15 , [l i7 D APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN XX UNANIMOUS(ABSENT #4 ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE AYES: NOES: SHOWN. ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED CONTACT:JULIE ENEA(925)935-1077 PHIL BA HELOR,CL-RK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Cc GRAND JURY FOREWOMAN PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT COUNTY COUNSEL COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR JUVENILE COURT JUDGE COUNTY PROBATION OFFICER GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR B DEPUTY Probation Department Contra Steven L.Bautista County Probation Officer rrte� .,.>., Administrative Offices Costa osta � COWN PWA ��1VTy .,.:., ' I) Douglas Drive Suite 201 Chun Ainez, California 94553-8500 t�425) 313-4180 (925) 313-4191 FAX n To: Julie Enea Date: June 29, 2000 Sr. Deputy County Administrator From: 'ire utas Subject: Response to Grand County Probation Officer Jury Report Frere are the comments on the Grand Jury Report No. 0003, "Juvenile Detention Facilities", which was filed on May 25, 2000. These comments are specific to the findings and recommendations regarding the Orin Allen"Youth Rehabilitation Facility. BOYS' RANCH RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Replace worn and outdated furniture and equipment. Comment: This recommendation is accepted and initial steps have been taken to replace damaged and torn furniture. Deputy Chief David Grossi will continue to update equipment and furniture at the facility as funds become identified and available. 2. Install air-conditioning equipment in the old dormitory. Comment: This recommendation is accepted and steps have been taken to have air- conditioning installed in the old dormitory. This project will be completed in fiscal year 2000120001. Deputy Chief David Grossi will monitor this project's progress. 3. Repave the parking lot. Comment: This recommendation is accepted. The parking lot is in need of repaving. This project will be submitted for consideration to County Administration and will be moved upon as funds become available. To date there have been no monies identified to complete this project. Probation department Seven.B Bautista t cer Juvenile Hall ('Foss "102 Glacier Drive County ,'tinez, California 94553-4898 kzY25) 646-4800 FAX (925) 546-4854 i' To: Steve Bautista Date: June 20, 2000 County Probation Officer el From: JimMatheronSubject: Response to Grand Jury Chief Deputy Pr t'on Officer Report Here are the comments on the Grand.fury Report No. 0003,"Juvenile Detention Facilities", which was filed on May 25, 2000. These comments are specific to the findings and recommendations regarding the Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall. JUVENILE HALL - FINDING 1. The daily number of juveniles in residence often exceeds the authorized capacity of 160 youths by as many as 30. Hent: Our facility has been crowded for many years. We have no control over the number of juveniles ordered to reside in Juvenile Hall by the Juvenile Court. To address this need,the new larger facility will be constructed by 2003. 2. At night,the overflow population is housed in the recreation room, sleeping on the floor in portable fiberglass "canoe lake"beds. CDMn=: This procedure is authorized by the State Board of Corrections. Extra staff are called in to supervisor this "dorm like sleeping"during crowded periods of our facility. 3. By mid-2000,the Tamalpais dormitory construction project will add 10 more beds, but not enough to reduce the overcrowding. C lens: With the 10 additional beds, our new Board of Correction rated capacity will be 170. This will be far closer to our average daily population of 175 that we have experienced over the last year. 4. The required state fire inspection was not performed in 1999. or mgnt: The state fire inspection is usually completed toward the end of each calendar year. In 1998,the fire inspection was completed on 10/3/98. In December, 1999, 1 sent a letter to the State Fire Marshall reminding them that it was time for their annual inspection of our facility. That 1999 inspection did not occur until 1/26/00. 5. In the event of a fire, some of the sleeping areas require up to seven doors to be manually unlocked in order to release the juveniles. QonlM=: This is the nature of most detention facilities. In the event of a fire, all sleeping areas have a fire egress that only requires one or two locked doors to go through to reach a safe zone from a potential fire. 6. The 1998 inspection report from the State Fire Marshall indicated that fire drills are performed but not always recorded. The Hall's records indicate that during 1999 there were eight fire drills. Co : The supervisor in charge of fire drills has been reminded that it is crucial to have at least one fire drill per month in our facility. 7. Funds have been allocated for the building of a new juvenile detention facility and construction is expected to begin in November, 2000,with completion set for mid-2003. Cw= : As mentioned above, this new facility will provide a safer and more secure environment for all residents and staff and add many needed detention beds for the growing population of this county. 8. There is a continuing problem of attracting and maintaining qualified staff. Overtime in 1999 was $535,350 because of staff shortages. Qo : We have worked closely with the Department of Human Resources to institute a hiring process using"band certification". This allows us to fill our permanent staff vacancies much quicker than before. We still have a shortage of qualified temporary Probation Counselors. Here again, we are working with Human Resources to receive names off of each new hiring list after the exams are given four times per year. If the requested Probation Manager position is implemented in Juvenile Hall in the next fiscal year,this will facilitate a staff member to increase our recruitment efforts at local colleges and other sources of new employees. 9. Juvenile Hall is an aging facility with over 50 years of service but the Hall is clean and well maintained. : I am proud of the efforts given forth each by our Juvenile Hall staff that have to work in this old facility. The level of service given to this community and the residents housed here is still at a high quality despite the working environment. JUYNILE HALL R_..ECOM1VIFND TIONS 1. The staff at Juvenile Fall needs to make fire safety a top priority and to pursue the State Fire Inspectors to make annual visitations. Comm : This recommendation is accepted. As explained above,the State Fire Marshall was reminded about their 1999 inspection, but they were one month late in completing the Juvenile Hall inspection. I will take personal responsibility for making sure the State Fire Inspectors have adequate notice to complete their annual visitations. 2. Due to the aging and overcrowding of this facility, fire drills need to be conducted monthly and recorded. Com= : This recommendation is accepted. As mentioned above, I will take responsibility for making sure that the supervisor assigned to this duty completes these fire drills and records their results on a monthly basis. 3. The Probation Department needs to increase recruitment of staff to help decrease overtime cost. : This recommendation is accepted. I will take responsibility to insure that a Probation Manager increases recruitment efforts at our local colleges and other sources of potential employees. The Grand Jury also made recommendations that the Chris Adams Girls Center and the Summit Boys Center purchase furniture that is needed and replace furniture and equipment that is in disrepair. Comm om: The recommendation is accepted. Within budget limitations, I will work with the Mental Health Directors of these two programs to facilitate needed purchases. Please let me know if you need any further information to supply to the County Administrator regarding this Grand Jury Report. JM:pg