HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07072015 - C.176RECOMMENDATION(S):
RECEIVE Civil Grand Jury Report No. 1508 "The Underutilization of the Marsh Creek Detention Facility"
(attached), and FORWARD to the County Administrator for response.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
On May 28, 2015, the 2014/15 Civil Grand Jury filed the above referenced attached report. Per standard procedures,
this action alerts the Board of Supervisors that the report has been received and directs appropriate staff to review the
report, provide the Board of Supervisors with an appropriate response, and forward that response to the Superior
Court within 90 days (August 26, 2015).
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
No immediate consequence.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
No impact.
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 07/07/2015 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV
Supervisor
ABSENT:Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
Contact: Timothy Ewell,
925-335-1036
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors
on the date shown.
ATTESTED: July 7, 2015
David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: June McHuen, Deputy
cc:
C.176
To:Board of Supervisors
From:David Twa, County Administrator
Date:July 7, 2015
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Civil Grand Jury Report No. 1508 "The Underutilization of the Marsh Creek Detention Facility"
ATTACHMENTS
Grand Jury Report No. 1508, "The Underutilization of the Marsh Creek Detention
Facility"
RECOMMENDATION(S):
RECEIVE Civil Grand Jury Report No. 1508 "The Underutilization of the Marsh Creek Detention Facility"
(attached), and FORWARD to the County Administrator for response.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
On May 28, 2015, the 2014/15 Civil Grand Jury filed the above referenced attached report. Per standard procedures,
this action alerts the Board of Supervisors that the report has been received and directs appropriate staff to review the
report, provide the Board of Supervisors with an appropriate response, and forward that response to the Superior
Court within 90 days (August 26, 2015).
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
No immediate consequence.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
No impact.
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY
ADMINISTRATOR
RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD
COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 07/07/2015 APPROVED AS
RECOMMENDED
OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV
Supervisor
ABSENT:Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
Contact: Timothy Ewell,
925-335-1036
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors
on the date shown.
ATTESTED: July 7, 2015
David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: June McHuen, Deputy
cc:
C.176
To:Board of Supervisors
From:David Twa, County Administrator
Date:July 7, 2015
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Civil Grand Jury Report No. 1508 "The Underutilization of the Marsh Creek Detention Facility"
ATTACHMENTS
Grand Jury Report No. 1508, "The Underutilization of the Marsh Creek Detention
Facility"
Contra Costa County 2014-2015 Grand Jury Report 1508 Version 5/28/2015 8:41 AM Page 1
Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
Contact: Sherry Rufini
Foreperson
925-957-5638
Contra Costa County Grand Jury Report 1508
The Underutilization of the Marsh Creek Detention Facility
Overcrowding at the Martinez Detention Facility
TO: The Contra Costa County Sheriff
SUMMARY
Contra Costa County owns 164 acres of rural land at the eastern foot of Mt. Diablo,
approximately 5.5 miles south of downtown Clayton. The Contra Costa County Sheriff's
Office (SO) maintains a law enforcement shooting range and safety training area at the
site.
The minimum-security Marsh Creek Detention Facility (MCDF) was built on 32 acres on
the north side of the property in 1942. The male-only facility has the capacity to house
160 inmates, but is underutilized by almost 70%. There are two reasons for the
underutilization:
1. Inmates with cardiac/pulmonary issues, diabetes, intense allergies and asthma,
cannot be housed at the MCDF because they need access to emergency care
and the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center (CCRMC, the "County Hospital")
is over 20 miles away. Additionally, it is unsuitable for such inmates because
many of the daily activities are outdoors, the infirmary is not open at night or on
the weekends and there is no pharmacy on-site.
2. The facility lacks perimeter cameras and inmates can escape by climbing over
the fences. Thus, the facility is not suitable for un-sentenced pre-trial inmates
who are viewed as a flight risk.
Despite MCDF's minimum security, there has been no inmate escape in years. Due to
minimum misconduct by inmates, the facility is staffed by a lone deputy on the night
shift. A variety of vocational classes and the rural setting provide restorative benefits.
The Grand Jury has been told that both deputies and inmates consider being assigned
to MCDF a privilege.
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Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
In contrast, the overcrowded four-story Martinez Detention Facility (also referred to as
the County Jail) is situated on one square block of downtown Martinez. The Martinez
Detention Facility houses approximately 636 inmates per day on three of the four floors
(One floor is used for administration). There are no classes or vocational training at the
Martinez Detention Facility and inmates eat their meals in their cells. Staff report that
inmate-to-inmate violence has increased 50% over the last year. In March, one inmate
took a female guard hostage for several hours before releasing her unharmed.
California State Senate Bill 863 authorizes $500 million to non-rural counties for jail
construction. The SO intends to apply for $90 million, which it will use to construct a
240-bed mental health wing at the West County Detention Facility. This increased
capacity will relieve overcrowding at the Martinez Detention Facility. If the SO's
application is granted, construction will be completed by 2019. If the SO is
unsuccessful, the crowding at the Martinez Detention Facility could be relieved by
obtaining alternative funding.
Crowding at the Martinez Detention Facility could also be relieved if the SO renovates
the permeable wood floors of the two abandoned dormitory wings at the MCDF and
opens the dormitories for occupancy. So that more men might have the opportunity to
rehabilitate in the MCDF setting, the SO could also add more medical personnel during
evenings and weekends so that the inmate classification could be broadened.
METHODOLOGY
Detention facility tours.
Interviews with county personnel.
Prison rehabilitation research and review.
INITIAL FINDINGS
Comparison of the Martinez Detention Facility and the Marsh Creek Detention
Facility.
The Martinez Detention Facility
Pursuant to Penal Code §919(b), "The Grand Jury shall inquire into the condition and
management of the public prisons in the county". The 2014 - 2015 Grand Jury toured
the County's adult and juvenile county detention facilities. There is a marked difference
between the Martinez Detention Facility and MCDF.
The Martinez Detention Facility is usually the first point of contact for people arrested in
the County. After people are booked and assessed at the Martinez Detention Facility,
they are housed there until they are released, have been tried and sentenced, or are
transferred to another facility. The Martinez Detention Facility is also adjacent to the
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Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
courts and administration for the SO.
Inmates who have medical or mental health issues are housed at the Martinez
Detention Facility because of its proximity to CCRMC in Martinez.
Of the three adult detention centers in the County - the Martinez Detention Facility, the
MCDF and the West County Detention Facility (WCDF) - the Martinez Detention Facility
houses the most violent inmates. Those who are a danger to society and/or to
themselves must serve their sentences in a highly-secured facility. Gang violence is
also a security concern. Gang inmates exact revenge on rival gang members as well as
men in the same gang. This makes congregating all inmates for classes or meals
impossible. Staff must coordinate the inmates so that rivals are not in contact with each
other during free time. Inmate-to-inmate violence is on the rise at the Martinez Detention
Facility.
The Martinez Detention Facility was never intended to house inmates for a long period
of time, but due to state-mandated prison realignment in 2011, inmates can be in
custody for years while awaiting trial. Inmates are doubled-up in the interior cells and
are allowed to leave their cells for only one to three hours per day. Maximum security
inmates are allowed to leave their cells for one hour and ten minutes every other day.
Outside areas are rectangular cement slabs surrounded by high walls. Inmates eat
meals in their cells. There is no dedicated space for classes.
A double cell at the Martinez
Detention Facility
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Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
The Martinez Detention Facility in
Downtown Martinez
The Outside Courtyard of
the Q Wing at the Martinez
Detention Facility
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Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
The Marsh Creek Detention Facility
MCDF, built in 1942 at the foot of Mt. Diablo in Clayton, has capacity for 160 inmates.
Its population fluctuates between 30 and 80 inmates, averaging approximately 50
inmates daily. There has not been an escape in years even though inmates could throw
a blanket or mattress on the razor wire and climb over the fence. The staff reports that
there are minimal behavioral conflicts among inmates. One deputy is assigned for the
night shift and the property lacks security cameras. The inmates spend their days
tending to the landscape and cultivating grape vineyards for commercial production.
They prepare food, take classes to obtain high school diplomas, learn job re-entry skills,
and master woodworking. There are substance abuse rehabilitation classes as well as
stress management classes. In addition to a lending library and basketball courts, there
is a chapel that provides weekly spiritual services for all denominations.
The Marsh Creek Detention Facility
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Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
Classroom Buildings at
the MCDF
The MCDF "D" Wing
and Outside
Courtyard
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Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
The Grounds of the
MCDF
The MCDF Vineyards
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Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
Inmate Rehabilitation
For certain inmates who have already been sentenced and are not at risk of escaping,
MCDF's monastery-like setting provides a unique opportunity to rehabilitate. Stress
reduction and mental restoration are benefits associated with living near green areas
and spending time in natural settings. Research demonstrates that gardens - similar to
MCDF - provide opportunities to reconnect with nature and that this can be a catalyst to
self-improvement. Prison gardens reduce violence, improve mental health, teach
horticulture skills, and reduce recidivism rates.
Furthermore, residents of urban, low socioeconomic neighborhoods often experience
chronic stress due to higher exposure to noise, violence, unemployment, and crime.
Chronic stress, combined with little opportunity for recovery, can lead to unhealthy
levels of psychological and physiological reaction. Individuals experiencing chronic
stress are more likely to suffer from impaired memory, sleep problems, loss of appetite,
poor mental health, cardiovascular complications, and Type II diabetes.
Inmates spend a large portion of everyday working outdoors at the MCDF. Research
shows that the human body's systems respond quickly to contact with nature.
Experiencing nature can inspire feelings of contemplation, impressions that are
reinforced by calmed heart rate, reduced stress response and healing processes.
(See Appendix A)
Ways to Increase Occupancy at the MCDF
Four of the six dormitory wings at MCDF are uninhabited. Wings A and B are
uninhabited due to unreinforced wooden floors and Wings E and F are uninhabited due
to mold damage. The occupancy rate at MCDF is also limited because the MCDF
infirmary is only open 8:30 - 4:30 Monday - Friday, and lacks a pharmacy.
The SO cannot currently increase occupancy at MCDF due to these conditions. To
prepare the property for increased occupancy, the following should be done at MCDF:
1. Reinforce the floors of Wings A and B.
Wings A and B could be occupied after the aged wooden floors are
reinforced.
2. Expand the infirmary hours and add a pharmacy.
If the infirmary expanded its hours and provided care seven days a week,
more inmates with medical conditions could be transferred to the MCDF.
An on-site pharmacy would also broaden the scope of medical care.
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Ways to Decrease Occupancy at the MDF
1. SB 863 Jail Construction Funding to increase inmate capacity
In August 2015, the SO will apply for Senate Bill 863 funding (jail
construction) that would provide $90 million to build a 240-bed mental
health wing at WCDF. The County will provide a 10% match of $9 million.
If the bid is successful, the new facility will not be completed until late
2018 or early 2019.
Conclusion
The Grand Jury recommends that the SO maintain strong inmate classification
oversight so that each individual has an opportunity for restorative rehabilitation.
Increasing the MCDF occupancy is an opportunity to provide more inmates with the
benefits of living in a natural setting.
If the SO is unsuccessful in obtaining new construction funds for a WCDF mental health
wing, the Grand Jury recommends that the SO find alternative funding to relieve the
crowding at the Martinez Detention Facility.
FINDINGS
F1. The MCDF uses 1/3 of its dormitory space.
F2. The five-year average daily occupancy rate at the MCDF is 52 inmates, although
there is capacity for 160 inmates.
F3. MCDF, built in 1942, is 73 years old.
F4. MCDF occupies 32 acres of a 164-acre parcel owned by the County at the
southeastern foot of Mt. Diablo.
F5. The Sheriff's Office has a shooting range and a training facility on the County's
164-acre parcel at the southeastern foot of Mt. Diablo.
F6. There are six dormitory wings at the MCDF.
F7. The MCDF dormitory, Wings F and G, are permanently closed, Wings B and C are
open; and Wings A and B are closed but could re-open if the flooring were
reinforced.
F8. Barbed wire fences surround the perimeter of the MCDF.
F9. MCDF is a low-security prison.
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Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
F10. MCDF lacks security cameras.
F11. The SO does not transfer offenders who are flight risks and prone to violence to
the MCDF because it lacks adequate security.
F12. One Contra Costa County deputy sheriff is on duty at night at the MCDF.
F13. There are minimal behavioral conflicts at the MCDF.
F14. The infirmary at the MCDF is open 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday.
F15. Inmates needing access to medical personnel 24-hours a day, such as those with
cardiac and pulmonary issues, diabetes, asthma and severe allergies, may not be
housed at the MCDF
F16. The MCDF lacks a pharmacy.
F17. The MCDF inmates have opportunities for rehabilitation.
F18. The So provides classes for personal growth, academic education and job skills to
inmates at the MCDF.
F19. Gang issues are a primary reason why Martinez Detention Facility inmates do not
eat in a communal setting or take group classes.
F20. Inmates at the Martinez Detention Facility are released to an interior room and a
cement-walled courtyard for one to three hours either once a day or every other
day, based on an inmate's classification.
F21. In August 2015, there are plans to submit an application on behalf of Contra Costa
County, for $90 million of State funds made available pursuant to Senate Bill 863.
The funds will be used to build a 240-bed mental health wing at the WCDF.
F22. If the State awards Contra Costa County with Senate Bill 863 funds, the SO
estimates that construction of the 240-bed mental health wing at the WCDF will be
completed by late 2018 or early 2019.
RECOMMENDATIONS
R1. The SO should consider ways to fund the restoration of MCDF Wings A and B.
R2. The SO should consider providing medical staffing 24-hours a day, seven days a
week and a pharmacy at the MCDF, and ways to fund such staffing and the
pharmacy.
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R3. Once Recommendations 1 - 2 have been accomplished, the SO should consider
broadening the classification of MCDF inmates so that the facility will be fully
utilized.
R4. If the State does not award SB 863 jail construction funds to the County, the SO
should consider alternative plans and associated funding methods to reduce
inmate occupancy at the Martinez Detention Facility.
REQUIRED RESPONSES
Findings Recommendations
The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office Findings 1-22 (Recommendations
1-4]
Appendix A
TGF Foundation Naturesacred.org UNDERSTANDING STRESS
Hartig, T, M Mang, & GW Evans. 1991. RESTORATIVE EFFECTS OF NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT EXPERIENCES. Environment and Behavior 23, 1: 3-26.
Tyrväinen, L., A. Ojala, K. Korpela, T. Lanki, Y. Tsunetsugu, & T. Kagawa. 2014. THE
INFLUENCE OF URBAN GREEN ENVIRONMENTS ON STRESS RELEASE
MEASURES: A FIELD EXPERIMENT. Journal of Environmental Psychology 38: 1-9.
Ulrich R.S., 1984. VEIW THROUGH A WINDOW MAY INFLUENCE RECOVERY
FROM SURGERY. Science 224, 27: 420-1.
Wright, Kevin. 1993. PRISON ENVIRONMENT AND BEHAVIORAL OUTCOMES,
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, Vol 20, 93-113