San Mateo Courts - Civil Grand Jury
2001
Final Report:
San Mateo County Jail Facilities
Summary
| Background |
Findings | Conclusions
| Responses
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The
2001-2002 Grand Jury made announced and unannounced visits to the jail
facilities of San Mateo County to determine whether these facilities are
properly maintained and whether the prisoners are properly treated.
Issue: Are
the jail facilities in San Mateo County properly maintained and are prisoners
properly treated? |
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Penal
Code §919 (b) states that "[t]he grand jury shall inquire into
the condition and management of the public prisons within the county."
Members of the Grand Jury met with the supervising officers of the Maguire
Men's Facility, the Women's Correctional Facility, the Sheriff's Honor
Camp, and the Hillcrest Juvenile Facility. In each facility, the Grand
Jury members were given an instructive briefing and then received an extensive
and informative tour. Grand Jurors also made a second unannounced visit
to the Maguire Men's Facility. |
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The
Grand Jury found:
- The environment
is clean and well lighted at each facility.
- Attention is paid
to reducing the risk of harm to staff and inmates in each facility's
design and operating procedures.
- There is careful
classification of inmates and they are separated into different living
areas corresponding to their needs and other considerations.
- Attention is paid
to preserving individual rights and the dignity of inmates as they pass
the input processing and detention stages.
- The commissary
facilities support a range of needs and special interests of the inmates.
- Health care services
are readily available.
- There are efforts
to help the inmates present an alert and well kempt appearance at trial,
by means of the early breakfast routine and clothing services.
- There are staffing
shortages as evidenced by the large number of employees working overtime
and comments by the staff about overtime.
- Due to the age
of the facilities, the working conditions are difficult at the Women's
Correctional Facility and the Hillcrest Juvenile Facility.
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The jail facilities
in San Mateo County are properly maintained and prisoners are properly
treated.
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Response
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