San Joaquin County Jail and Juvenile Hall in California have been found to be failing to protect detainees from sexual and physical abuse, according to a report from the Civil Grand Jury.
The report revealed that the facilities were not in compliance with federal requirements under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) and had not conducted mandatory audits for PREA compliance, putting them at risk of losing federal grant funding.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office oversees the county jail, while the County Probation Department is responsible for Juvenile Hall. The report identified four potential PREA violations in the county jail and seven in Juvenile Hall. The Lodi Police Department Jail was also found to be non-compliant.
The Civil Grand Jury report highlighted specific PREA violations, including failure to complete mandated PREA audits, inadequate provision of written materials and visible posters to explain inmate rights and the Sheriff's zero-tolerance policy, failure to provide adequate means to report sexual abuse or harassment confidentially and privately, and a lack of video or audio recording equipment in interrogation rooms.
Under California state law, all three law enforcement agencies are required to respond to the Civil Grand Jury's findings and recommendations within 60 days. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office has already taken steps to address the issue by installing more than 100 additional cameras and acquiring 350 body cameras. However, the report indicates that more needs to be done to ensure that detainees are adequately protected from abuse and harassment.
The failure to comply with PREA requirements not only puts detainees at risk but also exposes the facilities to lawsuits and a potential reduction in grant funding. The San Joaquin County Jail and Juvenile Hall will need to take further action to address the report's findings and ensure that they meet federal requirements under the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Look into this deeper at Stocktonia.
