The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 05222007 - C.80 C-- . � o TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS _ CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FROM: John Cullen, County Administrator DATE: May 22, 2007 SUBJECT: Grand Jury Report No. 0706 — "Report on the Inspection of Detention Facilities in Contra Costa County" I I SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION(S): I RECEIVE the Grand Jury Report No. 0706 entitled "Report on the Inspection of Detention Facilities in Contra Costa County' and REFER it to the County Administrator for response. i i i CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR,RECOMMENDATION OF B COMMITTEE APPROVE_O 'HER \_ I SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON Z 4Q APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER 1 I VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS ISA I AUNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN YES: NOES:f ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. I Contact: Sara Hoffman,CAO ATTESTED A��2�o?� JOHN CULLON,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COU N NISTRATOR cc: CAO Sara Hoffman,CAO f BY PUTY I I -ir;' 1 I A REPORT BY THE 2006-2007 CONTRA COSTA COLITY GRAND TLRY -�� Court Strict Martinez. CA 9-1553 REPORT NO. 0-06 i I REPORT ON THE INSPECTION OF DETENTION FACILITIES I\ CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Mav 8, 200- -APPROVED , 200-_APPROVED BY THE GRAND JURY: Date: VGR--Ak- NESTLR OREPERSON I ACCEPTED FOR FILING: y i Date: JER SPINETT_�F THE SL RIOR COURT i i i I i i 16 i I I i Contact: Olga Jones Foreperson (925) 957-5879 REPORT ON THE INSPECTIO- OF DETENTION FACILITIES IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY I Sti NISI SRI` In accordance with its statuton- authority. the Contra Costa Count- Grand Jun- completed inspections of county detention centers and court holding cells. It also completed inspections of a number of local police agency fails. I I Overall. the grand jury found that the facilities met or exceeded the minimum operational j requirements as set forth by the California Corrections Standards Authority. Additionally: the I facilities' condition, procedures and polices appeared to be generally consistent v ith grand jur% � expectations with regard to the needs and safety of both detainees and staff. i The grand jun- noted isolated instances involving delayed maintenance and the need for improved security that should be addressed. I The complete report is available on the Contra Costa Count: Grand Jura- web site: courts.or_'o-randi ury. I I I I i I i i CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 0706 REPORT ON THE I\SPECTIO\T OF DETENTION FACILITIES I I\ CONTRA COSTA COUNTY One or more Grand Jurors recused themselves due to a possible conflict of interest and did not I participate in the preparation or approval of this report. TO: Contra Costa Count}- Board of Supervisors Office of the Sheriff, Contra Costa County I BACKGROUND The California Corrections Standards Authority`("CS A'1 is required to complete comprehensi,e. bi-annual physical inspections of detention facilities throughout the state. Inspections include verification of compliance with local building. fire. and health and safety codes. i The Contra Costa Count- Grand Jury is required b}° statute to conduct inspections separate from those completed by the CSA. California Penal Code section 919(b) states: "The grand iury steal. I inquire into the condition and management of the public prisons within the count,,-." By past practice. such inspections have also included temporary holding facilities in Superior Courts and jails within the counts. I California Penal Code section 925 also alloses the Grand Jury to investigate the operations of the Probation Department. This includes the count•`s juvenile holding and detention faclities. FINDINGS I I 1. Facilities inspected by the Grand Jure included: a. Count_• Detention Facilities — Martinez, West County (Richmond). and Marsh � Creek (Clayton). " I b. Superior Court Temporary Holding Facilities — Martinez. Pittsburg. Richmond. and Walnut Creek. c. Probation Department — Juvenile Hall (Martinez), CI-xis Adams Center (Martinez). and the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facilit- (The Baron Bo-"s Ranch). i d. Cit. Jails — Antioch. El Cerrito. Hercules. Kensington. Lafavette. Martinez. Pinole. Pittsbure. Pleasant Hill. San Ramon. and Walnut Creek. I I i i G-and Turf' ins;pectlon_ oI the abo:"e-menhoned Iactlrttes R'e_'e conducted :a accordarce ,ith Ca?ifomia Corrections Standards Authorit: guidelines. Cal=for.=a Corrections Standards Authorinv regulations are contained in Title 15 and Title 24. Ca l-Ifomia Code of Re_ulations. ' =. Court: detention facility inspections ections (Martinez. West Count, and harsh Creek-i - - - included a review of common incident reports, grievarce procedures. inmate reaues-s for information. medical care practices. telephone and visiting procedures_ and adherence to -hour requirement' for coup hearings. Performance in all areas was found to ne satisfactorn-. Site visits also included selected interviews with detainees to identify any areas of concern. None were identified. 4. A review was made of the Inmate Welfare Fund-Canteen Program for the Count: Detention Facilities. The administration of the fund and program are consistent with the i goals and objectives set forth b,, the oversight board. The operation of the fund includes appropriate and effective management controls and practices. 5. A review of the circumstances surrounding. and subsequent internal invIstigation of. t«o "Deaths in Custody" at the :Martinez Detention Facility-in 2006 led to the conclusion that procedures followed by the detention staff-were consistent with CSA standards. � 6. The Office of the Sheriff ("Sheriff") plans to remodel the women's holding area within The intake section in the Martinez Detention Facility to improve security. Modifications are underway in the Martinez Detention Facility to secure all movable housing unit furniture to the floor or to adjacent stationary objects to reduce vandalism and to discourage its use as weapons. To date, four of six housing modules have been so modified. I 8. The West Count- Detention Facility has experienced plumbing problems in several ! detainee housing unit showers. These problems were reported to the Count.- General ! Services Department more than six months ago and corrections have not been made. 9. The West County Detention Facilitri's security cameras offer only fixed views. Staff members are unable to modifv their fields of view to focus on selected areas or � individuals of interest outside of the cameras' current fixed views. 10. The floor covering immediately adjacent to the jail cell area in the Richmond Superior Court Holdine facility was found to be in need of replacement. Repair or refinishing does not appear to be a eiabie option. I I i ! CONCLUSION All of the facilities inspected were found to meet or exceed the minimum inspection stancards j established by the State of California Corrections Standards Authorit:-. I RECOMMENDATIO`S 1. The Sheriff should implement the plan to remodel the «omen's holding area within the intake section of the Martinez Detention Facilit•. The Sheriff should complete the project to secure all movable furniture to the floor or to adjacent stationary objects in the Martinez Detention Facility housing units to avoid vandalism and to discourage its use as weapons. The Sheriff should insist that the General Services Department promptly repair the Shower plumbing problems in the affected West County Detention Facility housing units- 4_ nits.4 _ The Sheriff should replace the West Count- Detention Facility's current fixed-view security cameras with new units that will allow staff members to modify their fields of view as required. The Sheriff should follow-up with the General Services Department to accomplisl: the replacement of the floor covering immediately adjacent to the jail cells in the Richmond Superior Court Holding Facility. REQUIRED RESPONSES f Findings: Contra Costa Count-Board of Supervisors: 1-10 Office of the Sheriff. Contra Costa County: 1-10 Recommendations: Contra Costa Count-Board of Supervisors: 1-5 Office of the Sheriff. Contra Costa Count•: 1-5 i I 4 ,