Title
Receive an oral update of the Monterey County Jail Upgrades.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors receive an oral update of the Monterey County Jail Upgrades
SUMMARY:
The Public Safety Realignment Legislation (AB109) became operative in October of 2011. AB109 dramatically changed sentencing laws in California’s Criminal Justice System. AB109 required certain convicted felons be committed to county jails. Shifting convicted felons into county jails quickly changed jails from their traditional roles to house pre-trial detainees and convicted misdemeanor offenders. Historically, misdemeanor offenders spent a year or less in county jails. AB109 effectively turned county jails into regional prisons with felony offenders serving multiple year sentences. The long-term offenders brought a prison mentality to local jails. Those offenders also brought an increased burden for counties to deal with more intensive medical, mental health, dental, and ADA issues as offenders spent more time confined locally. Attorneys that traditionally represented state prison inmates began to focus attention toward county jails as many state prisoners began to serve new sentences in local facilities. Many counties have experienced legal challenges for jail conditions since AB109 became operative. Monterey County became a defendant in a jail conditions case in the matter of Hernandez V. County of Monterey. Monterey County developed an implementation plan as part of the settlement agreement and is currently in the monitoring phase. The implementation plan required many upgrades within the Monterey County Jail.
OTHER AGENDAY INVOLVEMENT
None.
FINANCING:
Accepting this oral report has no impact on the County General Fund Contribution at this time.
Prepared by: John Mineau, Chief Deputy Sheriff X3753
Approved by: Mike Moore, Undersheriff, X3859
Attachment: Jail Upgrades Implementation Plan