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COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
Inter-Departmental Correspondence
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County Manager’s Office
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DATE:
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September 20, 2007
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BOARD MEETING DATE:
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October 2, 2007
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SPECIAL NOTICE:
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None
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VOTE REQUIRED:
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Majority
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TO:
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Honorable Board of Supervisors
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FROM:
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John L. Maltbie, County Manager
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SUBJECT:
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2006-07 Grand Jury Response
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Recommendation
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Accept this report containing the County’s responses to the following 2006-07 Grand Jury report: San Mateo County Detention and Rehabilitation Facilities
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VISION ALIGNMENT:
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Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government.
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Goal 20: Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.
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This activity contributes to the goal by ensuring that all Grand Jury findings and recommendations are thoroughly reviewed by the appropriate County departments and that, when appropriate, process improvements are made to improve the quality and efficiency of services provided to the public and other agencies.
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Discussion
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The County is mandated to respond to the Grand Jury within 90 days from the date that reports are filed with the County Clerk and Elected Officials are mandated to respond within 60 days. To that end, attached is the County’s response to the Grand Jury report on San Mateo County Detention and Rehabilitation Facilities, issued on July 12, 2007.
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San Mateo County Detention and Rehabilitation Facilities
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Findings:
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Staff is in general agreement with the Grand Jury’s findings.
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Recommendations:
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The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff:
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1. Continue study of the proposed post-sentence facility for inmates of both genders and move as quickly as possible to fund and build such a facility to replace the Women’s Correctional Center
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Time is a critical concern. The jail populations today are beyond safe levels. This severely taxes our ability to manage today’s inmate populations. We are out of space and fast approaching a situation where there is literally no room to place more prisoners. The five year delay until a new facility can be constructed will place the system at the breaking point sooner rather than later. Additional jail beds must be found in the interim.
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Time should not be the only critical concern, however. The study and needs assessment must provide an accurate guide for developing capacity in the future and identifying the type of beds required. We should not permit the current crisis to force decisions that will not serve the County’s best interests in the extended future. The recommendations must be based on solid information that guides construction planning.
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As the needs assessment nears completion, a site for the new facility must be determined and architectural review initiated. This process incorporates the needs assessment to determine the type of building environment. This is where we will match the space with post-sentenced inmate programming and determine staffing. While this process is not a fast one, careful planning helps to prevent costly mistakes with the public’s money during construction on a facility that will last years into the future. The funding process will be a combined effort of San Mateo County Government and criminal justice stakeholders.
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2. Identify and promptly implement interim solutions to overcrowding at the existing Women’s Correctional Center
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To alleviate the over-crowding issue at the Women's Correctional Center an additional facility(s) must be identified which can provide minimum/medium-security housing for female inmates. Some relief for female inmates may be possible if crowding in the male facility can be addressed that could provide additional space opportunities for the female population to expand into.
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The Sheriff presented conceptual choices to address the overcrowding to Board of Supervisors at the final budget hearings on September 25, 2007. Fiscal implications are being weighed to assist with the decision making process. In this context the Sheriff will also be providing the Board with a proposal to ensure re-entry opportunities are included with sufficient housing options. The Grand Jury will be appraised of any decisions made by the Board.
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3. Implement the above recommendations in the context of the entire detention system, taking into account the special needs of women; and including innovative sentencing alternatives, treatment for substance abuse and mental problems, and programs to facilitate a phased transition from incarceration into society.
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The Sheriff’s report to the Board of Supervisors at the end of the month will lay out a number of options for consideration. The options will address both the male and female populations and will recognize the need to provide gender specific programming opportunities. The options will require financial commitment from the County, but will serve as pilot programs for the eventual construction and opening of the new facility.
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Response:
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The Sheriff provided like responses to the Grand Jury on September 4, 2007.
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