Title
Accept the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 2013-14.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the Board of Supervisors accept the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 2013-14.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to Section 4025(e) of the California Penal Code, the money deposited in the inmate welfare fund shall be expended by the sheriff primarily for the benefit, education, and welfare of the inmates confined within the jail. Any funds that are not needed for the welfare of the inmates may be expended for the maintenance of county jail facilities. Maintenance of county jail facilities may include, but is not limited to, the salary and benefits of personnel used in the programs to benefit the inmates, including, but not limited to, education, drug and alcohol treatment, welfare, library, accounting, and other programs deemed appropriate by the Sheriff. An itemized report of the expenditures shall be submitted annually to the board of supervisors, Attachment A provides that report.
Currently at the Sheriff's Office, the Inmate Welfare Fund (IWF) pays the salary and benefits of Staff assigned to the Inmate Programs Unit (Unit). The Unit consists of one Inmate Programs Sergeant, four Inmate Service Specialists (ISS), and one Senior Inmate Service Specialist. The personnel assigned to the Unit are responsible for developing the job skills of sentenced inmates, coordinating the work of inmate crews, and providing training, direction, guidance, and feedback on work completed. The Unit Sergeant is the liaison for the academic education, life skills education, drug and alcohol treatment program. The Programs Sergeant is responsible for coordinating all volunteers within all custody facilities. Attachment B provides detailed IWF programs, activities and statistics.
The Sheriff's Office is committed to providing inmates with quality goods and services at reasonable costs and ensuring all inmate welfare funds are expended in accordance with Penal Code Section 4025(e). The Corrections Programs Manager has expressed concerns to Sheriff Administration about the makeup of the Inmate Welfare Fund Committee since two of the board members are also receiving funds from the Inmate Welfare Fund as contract providers. This creates an obvious conflict of interest.
The Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Committee is composed of the Custody Bureau Chief Deputy, Support Services Commander, Inmate Services Sergeant, Inmate Education Coordinator, a civilian representative, and the facility Chaplain.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
FINANCING:
There is no General Fund Contribution as a result of this recommendation. All inmate welfare income sources are deposited into the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund. Inmate welfare expenditures are reconciled at the end of the fiscal year and offset by transferring an equivalent amount from the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund to the General Fund.
There is a serious threat to the inmate welfare fund as a result of the FCC's proposed rulemaking eliminating local agency commissions paid when inmates utilize an inmate phone system. The proposed rulemaking could have potential impact of a $1 million reduction in revenue for the inmate welfare fund based on our future projections, while increasing the revenues realized by the corporate phone providers. This would greatly eliminate our ability to bring the new programs we have identified above to the Monterey County Jail, and reduce or eliminate the current programs offered without General Fund replacement of those lost revenues.
Prepared by: Charles DaSilva, Corrections Programs Manager
Approved by: Scott Miller, Sheriff-Coroner
Attachments:
Attachment A: Annual Financial Report
Attachment B: Jail Programs and Activities