The
The medium security facility houses inmates who require
incarceration and/or segregation from other inmates but do not require the
maximum segregation provided by the Main Jail. The medium security facility
also houses inmates with cases pending in court.
The minimum security facility houses inmates who do not have
a high level of criminal sophistication and those who do not pose a threat to
other inmates, as well as those who qualify for the Work Furlough program.
1.
The Grand Jury toured the Rountree
Detention Facilities on
2. All Rountree inmates are men who are classified as either minimum or medium security risk. Security classification is determined at the Main Jail shortly after initial detention.
3. Gang affiliations are considered when assigning inmates to either the minimum or medium security facility.
4.
The California Corrections Standards Authority last
inspected the facilities
5. The Corrections Standards Authority sets minimum standards for detention facilities. The standards include the number of inmates each detention facility was built to hold (rated capacity) and the number of inmates that can safely be housed in the facility (maximum capacity). Both Rountree facilities operate an average of 20 to 40 percent below rated capacity.
6.On average, about one quarter of the Rountree inmate population speaks only Spanish. At least one Spanish-speaking officer is on duty most, but not all, of the time. Bilingual inmates are sometimes used as translators when no other option is available, particularly when a Spanish-speaking inmate must communicate with the nurse.
7.The sleeping areas in both facilities are open rooms with bunks two or three beds high. The areas are neat and clean.
8.The dining areas of both facilities appear to be well maintained. The meals are nutritious and fresh and the portions are adequate. Inmates also have access to food vending machines. They use debit cards funded with money deposited in their account by family or friends.
9.Most inmates are assigned jobs such as cleaning. Many are also required to participate in court-ordered rehabilitation programs. It is mandatory for all inmates to attend a skill-building class.
10. Inmates are not allowed to sleep late or lie around idle during the day. There is time available daily for recreation such as exercise, playing board games, or watching television.
11. Educational programs are offered in both the medium and minimum security facilities. The Watsonville/Aptos Adult Education program offers preparatory classes for the General Education Diploma (GED) and Adult Basic Education. Parent Education and substance abuse classes are also offered. A number of programs are provided by volunteer organizations, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and church services.
Response from the
12. A medical unit serves both facilities. It includes private examination rooms and seems well equipped and well maintained. An experienced registered nurse is on duty eight hours a day, five days a week. If a problem arises, the staff can call the Main Jail medical staff. If necessary, the inmate will be transported to a nearby medical facility. The Sheriff’s Department recently received additional funding to add nursing hours on the weekend. They are currently recruiting for this position.
13. In
keeping with the requirements of
14. There is one automated external defibrillator (AED) in each facility. All correctional officers are trained in first aid, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and AED use as a part of their initial training. They also attend a refresher course annually.
15. All visitors must be approved in advance. Only six people per inmate, including children, are on an inmate’s approved visitor list during any 90-day period. Every 90 days, the inmates may submit new visitor lists for approval.
16. Telephones are available to all inmates. They can use prepaid phone cards to make a call. They can also make collect calls as long as the party being called has posted a deposit with the phone service provider.
17. The Environmental Health Report dated July 10, 2007 indicated the plumbing and condition of the floors, coving, and lower walls of the showers “are deteriorated” in the minimu0m security facility. The Grand Jury members noted these conditions on their visit.
Response from the
County: AGREES.
18. The
medium security facility is designed with two direct-supervision housing units.
Half the facility was opened in May of 1996, and the other half was opened in
February 1999. The rated capacity is 96 inmates and the maximum capacity is
110. On
19. There
are five correctional officers on duty per 12-hour shift at the medium security
facility, except between
Response from
The Santa
Cruz County Office of Education provides occupational training classes to both
medium and minimum security inmates as agreed upon by Rountree
administration and the Regional Occupational Program. Classes offered vary, sometimes from
year-to-year as they are available from Regional Occupational Program (ROP) and
as requested by Rountree administration. Last year, two courses were no longer
provided at the request of Rountree. The
20. One officer is stationed in a secured area and controls all doors and gates. This area also has surveillance cameras monitoring inmate detention areas. No record is kept of the surveillance videos.
21. Medium security inmates attend classes located in the two classrooms behind the control room area of the facility. These classrooms hold about 20 inmates at a time. In addition to the educational programs previously mentioned and offered for both medium and minimum security inmates, the following classes are offered exclusively to medium security inmates: English as a Second Language (ESL) and domestic violence prevention classes.
22. Medium
security inmates can be visited Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, during one
of the four hour-long periods between
23. Contained within each unit is an exercise yard with equipment such as pull-up bars and a basketball hoop.
24. The minimum security facility, often referred to as the “Jail Farm,” was first opened in 1970. The board rated capacity is 162 inmates with a maximum capacity of 250. The population on inspection day was 99. They were categorized as 60 “White,” 34 “Hispanic,” four “Black” and one “Other.”
25. There are three officers on duty during the day shift and two during the night shift. The shifts are 12 hours long. As with medium security, there may be fewer staff onsite when officers are needed to transport inmates from one place to another.
Response from the County: AGREES.
26. There are surveillance cameras monitoring inmate detention areas. No video record is kept of the surveillance.
27. Visiting
is allowed for minimum security inmates on Sundays from
28. More educational programs are available to minimum security inmates than to those in medium security. The following job training programs are offered by the Regional Occupational Program (ROP) and Watsonville/Aptos Adult Education: computerized diagnostic car repair, auto body repair, computer assembly and repair, and a computer skills lab. In the near future, ROP will begin offering landscaping and culinary arts job training. In addition, a men’s health education program and a home construction course will soon be implemented.
Response from
ROP currently provides Auto
Detailing/Auto Body Repair and Computer Applications classes at the Rountree facility.
In 2007, ROP no longer provided two courses, Landscape and Building
Maintenance, and Food Service, at the request of Rountree
administration.
Finding #28 makes no
distinction between Regional Occupational Program classes and
29. Minimum security inmates can walk away from the facility, and it happens about four times a year. Those who walk away are generally rearrested within 24 hours. They are then likely to be held at the Main Jail for the remainder of their sentences, and new charges can result.
30. Due to the lack of fencing around the facility, Rountree has had problems with unauthorized persons entering the grounds. This has enabled contraband to be dropped off in the parking lot area which can be picked up by inmates working in the area and brought into the facility. The Grand Jury has been informed the Sheriff’s office has secured $72,000 to install fencing around the front of the facility. The automatic gates into the facility would be controlled from the control room located in the medium security section of Rountree. The Sheriff’s Office is waiting for the General Services Department (GSD) to put this project out to bid.
Response from the County: AGREES.
31. Exercise and recreational options are adequate and include basketball, weight lifting, horseshoes, volleyball, baseball, soccer and ping pong.
32. The County has provided $48,000 in funding to repair and replace the shower posts, flooring and support walls at the Jail Farm. This was reported to be a problem in the Environmental Health Report. Funding has been secured for this project. Rountree staff is still awaiting GSD to put the project out to bid.
1.
Correctional officers and civilian workers at
2. Inmate visits in both facilities are well managed and beneficial to both the inmates and their families.
3. The maintenance and cleanliness of all areas of both facilities is good.
4. There are a commendable variety of constructive activities and skill building classes for inmates although few are conducted by Spanish-speaking teachers.
5. Because the Rountree jail inmate populations are consistently under capacity, the facilities could be better utilized to relieve the overcrowding at the Main Jail.
6. The staffing of the facilities is inadequate to properly oversee, protect, and transport the inmate population.
7. Onsite medical care is currently available 40 hours a week. The newly approved nursing weekend hours are needed to assure that medical problems are properly assessed and expeditiously treated. This weekend coverage will allow qualified inmates who need mental health maintenance medications to be transferred from the Main Jail to Rountree.
8. The video surveillance system has been noted to be inadequate in earlier Grand Jury reports, but it has still not been improved.
9. Installation of fencing around the facility would prohibit the public from entering the facility without permission and would deter contraband from entering the facility.
10. The Grand Jury agrees with the Environmental Health Report that the shower posts, flooring and support walls at the Jail Farm are in need of repair and replacement.
Recommendations
1.
The Grand Jury recommends that the
Response from
2. The Grand Jury recommends the Sheriff’s Office develop new strategies to house more of the County’s Main Jail population at the Rountree facilities.
3. It is recommended that the Sheriff’s Office finish recruiting for the weekend nursing position.
4. It is recommended that the Sheriff’s Office and the Board of Supervisors locate funding for additional correctional officers, at least one per shift per facility, to assure the safety of staff and inmates.
Response from the County: WILL NOT BE IMPLEMENTED.
The current staffing meets State requirements for all shifts
and are operated so as to assure the safety of staff and inmates. As noted in
the Grand Jury report, both facilities operate an average of 20 to 40 percent
below rated capacity.
5. The Grand Jury strongly recommends that the Sheriff’s Office provide a recording of all surveillance camera activity.
6. The Grand Jury strongly recommends GSD put the shower repair project out to bid as soon as possible.
Response from the County: HAS NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED, BUT
WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE FUTURE.
Funds are currently allocated for additional plumbing
upgrades, however, the fencing project is the priority project and may need
additional funds that would supersede the plumbing/shower issues at this time.
The Sheriff’s office will prioritize site needs within the existing allocation
after bids are received on the fencing project.
7. The Grand Jury strongly recommends GSD go out to bid for the fencing project as soon as possible.
Response from the County: HAS NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED, BUT
WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE FUTURE.
The fencing project will be going to
bid On October 7, 2008.
8. The Grand Jury recommends the Sheriffs Department and the Board of Supervisors secure the necessary funds to install fencing around the remaining perimeter of both facilities.
Response from the County: WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE
FUTURE.
The recommendation will be
implemented in FY ’08-09.
Respondent
|
Findings
|
Recommendations
|
Respond Within / Respond By
|
|
|
19, 25, 30 |
4, 8 |
60 Days |
|
County of Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office |
12, 13, 19, 20, 25, 26, 30 |
2 -5, 8 |
60 Days |
|
|
11, 28 |
1 |
90 Days |
|
General Services Department |
17, 30 |
6, 7 |
90 Days |
Sources
Prior Grand Jury reports: 2005-2006 and 2006-2007.
California
Corrections Standards Authority report
Interviews with Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Personnel
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Regulations/Adult_Operations/docs/Title15-2007.pdf
The daily Population Analysis Report published on the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s website.
Environmental Health
Report