Main Jail Inspection Report: No Room at the Inn
June 18, 2014
Santa Cruz Indymedia
By Santa Cruz Progressive Newswire
On June 17 the Santa Cruz
County Grand Jury released the report "Main Jail Inspection Report: No
Room at the Inn," which highlights issues of overcrowding at the Santa
Cruz Main Jail. The report found that issues that need improving include,
"overcrowded housing, unsafe security conditions, and inadequate
staffing.”
During the Grand Jury
inspections it was noted that the housing unit for shortterm, minimum security
inmates and inmates awaiting arraignment was disproportionately overcrowded
compared to other housing units. According to the Grand Jury report, in 2013,
the Main Jail’s monthly number of inmates was always over capacity, ranging
from a low of 29 to a high of 100 inmates.
During one Grand Jury visit
to the Main Jail, the Grand Jury observed that a general population housing
unit designed for 18 inmates contained 40 inmates, some of whom were sleeping
on the day room floor in temporary plastic beds referred to as “boats".
The Grand Jury report also
noted that instances of inadequate oversight of inmates at the jail were
observed during the inspections: a video monitor's view was obstructed, and an
issue was observed with Central Control, which monitors most of the jail by video
surveillance and also controls all entries and exits. The Grand Jury visited
Central Control twice during the day shift and on one of those occasions noted
that only one officer was staffing it.
This report on overcrowding
at the Main Jail follows two other Grand Jury reports released this year
concerning the County Jail System: "Five Deaths in Santa Cruz" and
"Juvenile Hall Meal Preparation Program" (see Santa Cruz Grand Jury
Releases Reports on Jail Deaths and Juvenile Hall Meals http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/05/19/18755964.php
).
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