| Penal Code #919(b)
states that “the grand jury shall inquire into the condition and management
of the public prisons within the county.”
The Grand Jury toured the premises and grounds of each facility and met
with the officers and staff of the Maguire Correctional Facility (MCF),
the Men’s Honor Camp, the Women’s Correctional Center (WCC) and Women’s
Honor Camp.
The Maguire Correctional Facility is the screen facility for all inmates
and a maximum security jail for male inmates. The architectural pod layout
allows supervision in groups and lock down into individual cells. The
Men’s Honor camp is located in a remote setting in La Honda. It is low
security facility for specially screened inmates who fit the criteria
of good behavior and low security risk.
The Women’s Correctional Center is a maximum security jail built in 1980.
Adjacent to it in a separate building is the Women’s Honor Camp, which
houses inmates who are low security risks and are rewarded for good behavior.
The Grand Jury observed the way that inmates were supervised and managed,
the interaction between the staff and the inmates and condition and environment
of the inmate facilities.
|
| Table
1 on page 2 illustrates the capacity and services at each facility.
Maguire Correctional Facility
- Inmates are classified on their current psychological state, consideration
of gang affiliation, past criminal activity and physical attributes
so that their grouping does not create hazards to their cellmates.
- Donated clothing is available for court appearances.
| Table 1 |
Capacity
and Services at San Mateo County Correctional Facilities |
|
|
Mcguire Correctional Facility |
Men's Honor Camp |
Women's Correctional Center |
Women's Honor Camp |
| Health care
services |
On call Doctor
Nurse 24/7 |
First aid onsite
emergencies to hospital |
Weekday nurse
|
Weekday nurse
|
| Educational
and improvement classes |
G.E.D., Anger
Management, AA, Narcotics Anonymous, Choices counseling, Fathers
and families |
G.E.D., Anger
Management, AA, Narcotics Anonymous |
G.E.D., Anger
Management, AA, Narcotics Anonymous, Choices counseling |
G.E.D., Anger
Management, AA, Narcotics Anonymous |
| Library |
Recreational
and Law library part time staff |
Recreational
library |
Recreational
library and loan out from MCF |
Recreational
library and loan out from MCF |
| Exercise And
Workout equipment |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes, in poor
condition |
Yes
|
| Rehabilitation
opportunities |
Food Preparation
and laundry |
Fire safe program,
food prep |
None
|
Food preparation/
Bakery apprentice program |
| Current (Approximate)
population/ bed rated Capacity |
876/1047
|
74/165
|
123/151
|
15/30
|
Men's Honor Camp
- This facility offers several community benefit programs such as fire
suppression and trail maintenance. Materials and equipment for these
programs are stored on site.
- Assignment to this facility is a motivation for good behavior due
to the lower security higher privilege atmosphere.
Women's Correctional Center
- Solid glass separates visitors from inmates and an intercom system
allows communication. The Grand Jury found that the intercom system
had been inoperable for some time; inmates and visitors had to shout
to communicate. On a return visit the Grand Jury found the system had
been repaired.
- The Grand Jury learned that there were areas that could not be supervised
due to: 1) lack of staffing, 2) male officers are restricted from entering
the women’s bathrooms, and 3) there is no means of visual or electronic
surveillance. It was also evident that many areas provided seclusion
and opportunity for a distraught inmate to attempt suicide. An officer
in the facility stated that staff could not watch all the inmates and
could not prevent a determined inmate from committing suicide. Supervision
is hindered by the physical floor plan.
- Currently bed rated cells are used for intake and isolation.
- There has been only one death in the woman’s facility since it was
built. The Grand Jury did not investigate the recent death of an inmate.
Women's Honor Camp
- Supervision is minimal during the day and absent after 6:00 p.m.
- The camp has two positions for outside work placements to teach baking
and pastry skills.
Both the men’s and women’s honor camps are scheduled for closure in July
2003 due to budget considerations.
|
