Title
Accept the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 2015-16.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the Board of Supervisors accept the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 2015-16.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Budget Committee recommended submitting this report to the Board of Supervisors at the meeting held on January 25, 2017.
The Inmate Welfare Fund (IWF) is governed by California Penal Code Section 4025. In part, 4025 PC states:
4025. (a) The sheriff of each county may establish, maintain and operate a store in connection with the county jail and for this purpose may purchase confectionery, tobacco and tobacco users’ supplies, postage and writing materials, and toilet articles and supplies and sell these goods, articles, and supplies for cash to inmates in the jail. (b) The sale prices of the articles offered for sale at the store shall be fixed by the sheriff. Any profit shall be deposited in an inmate welfare fund to be kept in the treasury of the county. (c) There shall also be deposited in the inmate welfare fund 10 percent of all gross sales of inmate hobbycraft. (d) There shall be deposited in the inmate welfare fund any money, refund, rebate, or commission received from a telephone company or pay telephone provider when the money, refund, rebate, or commission is attributable to the use of pay telephones which are primarily used by inmates while incarcerated.
In Monterey County, the primary sources of monies generated for the IWF comes from inmate commissary sales and revenues from inmate telephone usage. A recent Federal Communications Committee (FCC) ruling has reduced the allowable fees charged to inmate families for telephone calls. Accordingly, telephone revenues for this fund are expected to decrease in the current fiscal year. However, there will be new services and corresponding revenues available via the new inmate telephone service provider contract that are expected to offset some of the decreases resulting from the FCC ruling. At this point, it is difficult to predict the future available revenues for the IWF.
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 for a contract for religious services, plus 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.
The Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Committee is comprised of the Corrections Operations Bureau Chief Deputy, Facility Captain, Program Services Commander, and four (4) citizens of the community appointed by the Sheriff.
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.
Prepared by:
_______________________________
John Mineau Date
Chief Deputy-Corrections Operations Bureau
Approved by:
_______________________________
Steve Bernal Date:
Sheriff-Coroner
Attachment A: FY 2015-16 Annual Financial Report