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JAIL
FACILITIES
INTRODUCTION
Each year the Humboldt County Grand Jury inspects all jail and holding facilities in the county,
pursuant to California Penal Code, Section 919 (b). When warranted, follow-up visits are made
to verify improvements or changes which may occur during the year. The following is a report
of the grand jury's findings and recommendations for all facilities inspected during FY
2000-2001
FINDINGS
Humboldt County Correctional Facility (HCCF)
Construction of this facility was completed in 1998. Its total capacity is 410 inmates, both male
and female. The facility is in very good condition and well-maintained.
F-1 Staffing for this facility is chronically below mandated levels causing excessive use of
overtime.
F-2 Correctional officers are continually hired but leave because of low pay.
F-3 The present commander of the facility has adopted a management philosophy which has
raised the general morale of the staff.
F-4 The food facilities received the highest rating given by the County Health Department.
CONCLUSIONS
C-1 Understaffing creates security problems and excessive use of overtime.
C-2 Despite understaffing, the facility appears to be clean and well-managed.
RECOMMENDATIONS
THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY GRAND JURY RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING:
R-1 The Board of Supervisors provide funding to hire and retain sufficient personnel for
the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.
HUMBOLDT COUNTY JUVENILE HALL AND
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL FACILITY
Northern California Regional Facility
This is a relatively new facility with state-of-the-art security and program capabilities. The facility
is operated by Humboldt County but also serves Lake, Del Norte, and Mendocino Counties.
Counties other than Humboldt are charged $200 for each person per day for housing hard-to-place
minors. The rated capacity is eighteen.
Juvenile Hall
This is an aging facility which has a capacity of twenty-six minors, both male and female. Discussions
and plans for remodeling this facility have been under consideration for several years. The kitchen
facility services both Juvenile Hall and the Regional Facility.
JUVENILE HALL
F-5 Day rooms are frequently used to house minors when the capacity is exceeded.
F-6 The kitchen was observed to be cramped, making food operations difficult.
F-7 Staff members report the kitchen is too small to service the Juvenile Hall and
Regional Facility.
F-8 The building has no secured facility to provide security for intake operations.
F-9 The medical examination room must be used as an intake booking area.
F-10 Plans and agreements were made to begin major remodeling in November 2000, but work has not yet occurred.
CONCLUSIONS
C-3 Capacity of this facility is often exceeded, causing some minors to be housed in
substandard conditions.
C-4 The kitchen facilities need to be adequately expanded to meet the present and possible
future demands for food service.
C-5 Intake and booking areas need to be expanded and improved to provide
better security and adequate working areas.
C-6 Major remodeling of the facility needs to be accomplished as soon as possible.
RECOMMENDATIONS
THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY GRAND JURY RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING:
R-2 The Board of Supervisors provide sufficient funding and authorization to
accomplish major remodeling of this facility, addressing in particular, the bed
capacity, kitchen facility, and the intake area.
JAIL FACILITIES IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY
CITY AND COUNTY JAIL FACILITIES:
FINDINGS
Arcata
F-11 The Arcata jail has one cell.
F-12 The cell is clean and in very good condition.
Fortuna
F-13 The Fortuna jail has two cells.
F-14 The cells are clean and in very good condition.
F-15 Video cameras are used to monitor the prisoners.
F-16 The maximum holding time is four hours.
Eureka
F-17 The Eureka jail has three cells.
F-18 The cells are clean and in very good condition.
F-19 Video cameras are used to monitor the prisoners.
Garberville Substation
F-20 The Garberville Sheriff's Substation has two cells.
F-21 Mattresses and pillows are provided.
F-22 The cells are clean.
F-23 The toilets are very old, unsightly, unsanitary, and need to be replaced.
Hoopa Substation
F-24 The substation has two jail cells that hold four people per cell.
F-25 One cell is for female prisoners and the other cell is for male prisoners.
F-26 There is one mattress in each jail cell.
F-27 A correctional officer is assigned to the Hoopa Substation.
F-28 The Hoopa Substation does not have any custodial service; this work is done by office personnel.
F-29 The cell toilets are forty-five years old and made of concrete; they are unsightly and unsanitary.
F-30 The interior of the office has been repaired but has not been repainted.
F-31 The rear door to the building has a hole in it where a lock was removed, creating a major security problem.
F-32 The fire door does not meet state building code requirements.
F-33 The Hoopa Substation is not wheelchair accessible.
CONCLUSIONS
C-7 Arcata, Eureka, and Fortuna jails appear to meet state standards.
C-8 Toilets in Garberville Substation may be hazardous to health.
C-9 Hoopa Substation does not have a sufficient number of mattresses.
C-10 The job description for the sheriff's clerk at Hoopa does not include custodial duties.
C-11 Hoopa cell toilets may be hazardous to health.
C-12 Unauthorized persons could enter the Hoopa Substation because the building is not secure.
C-13 The fire door will not contain a fire at Hoopa Substation.
C-14 A wheelchair cannot enter any of the rooms inside the Hoopa Substation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY GRAND JURY RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING:
R-3 Replace toilets in Garberville jail.
R-4 Provide sufficient mattresses in Hoopa jail.
R-5 Continue to recruit a person for custodial service for the Hoopa Substation.
R-6 Replace toilets at the Hoopa jail.
R-7 Replace the rear door at Hoopa Substation.
R-8 Replace the fire door at the Hoopa Substation with one that meets state standards.
R-9 Modify the Hoopa Substation to comply with American Disability Act (ADA) standards.RESPONSES
THE FOLLOWING RESPONSES TO REPORT 01-12 ARE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO P.C. 933 AND THE STANDARD FORMAT FOR RESPONSES.
1. The Board of Supervisors respond to all findings and recommendations concerning all county-owned facilities.
2. The Sheriff respond to all findings and recommendations concerning all county-owned
facilities.
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