HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12131994 - FC.5 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: FINANCE COMMITTEE - Tom Torlakson, Gayle Bishop
DATE: December' 13, 1994
SUBJECT: STATUS OF HOUSING STATE INMATES IN COUNTY ADULT CORRECTIONAL
FACILITIES AND HOUSING JUVENILES IN AN ADULT FACILITY
(FY 1994-95 Budget Hearing Referral)
Specific Request(s) or Recommendations(s) & Bac groun usti ication
RECOMMENDATION:
ACCEPT status report on housing state inmates in county adult correctional facilities and
housing juveniles in an adult facility.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND:
Contract Inmates
Historically, Contra Costa County has housed both state and federal contract inmates in its
detention facilities. Over the last three years the average monthly population of such
inmates has gone from 78 to 28. This drop in population is due to the addition of more
state beds and the opening of more prisons. Not only has the average population dropped,
but the average daily rate of reimbursement as well. Although the State Jail Daily Rate
Manual acknowledges a rate of $69.41 and $67.77 for the Main Detention and West
County Detention facilities respectively, the state pays only $59.00 per day. The average
cost of housing an inmate last year was $65.43 excluding transportation and overhead.
Contra Costa County will continue to offer beds to contract inmates, however, due to the
reduced population and reimbursement rate the benefit is not significant. Real savings only
occurs when inmates can be added to beds in existing modules without adding additional
staff. Because the County's detention facilities continue to be over capacity, there are few
beds to offer. In addition, contract inmates are difficult to plan for as their population
CONTINUED 0,NAI ENT: X YES
Signature: Tom Torlakson Gayle Bishop
Recommendation of County Administrator
X Recommendation of Board Committee
X Approve Other
Signature(s):
Action of Board on: 99 Approved as Recommended Other
Vote of Supervisors: 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
Unanimous (Absent ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN.
Absent: Abstain:
Attested: 13,
cc: CAO-Justice System Programs Phil.Batchelor, Clerk of
Sheriff-Coroner the Board of Supervisors
and County Administrator
By: r2 DEPUTY
December 13, 1994
Page Two
fluctuates wildly. Due to the reduced number of contract inmates available the Department
has lost its ability to "pick and choose" which inmates it wants; which makes placement
difficult as inmates are placed in modules by classification. Most contract inmates are
awaiting Parole revocation hearings and are only housed at County facilities for short
periods of time. This means significant added work for staff with little or no benefit to the
Department or County.
Juvenile Inmates
There are many potential problems with housing juveniles at adult detention facilities. It is
currently illegal to integrate juveniles into the main population of an adult detention facility.
Juveniles may be housed in a separate module, if one were available, in the Main Detention
facility. If the County detention facilities were not over capacity, inmates could be shifted
to other facilities thus freeing a housing module for Juveniles. However, the County's adult
detention facilities are over capacity.
The Sheriff's Department houses inmates in modules by classification. It would be difficult
to house the current adult population with fewer modules, even if there were space for
them in other modules or facilities.
In conclusion, current State law prohibits the housing of juveniles in an adult detention
facility unless there is "sight and sound" separation. There are no separate housing
modules available that could be used to house juveniles.
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