Report 2018-106 Recommendations

When an audit is completed and a report is issued, auditees must provide the State Auditor with information regarding their progress in implementing recommendations from our reports at three intervals from the release of the report: 60 days, six months, and one year. Additionally, Senate Bill 1452 (Chapter 452, Statutes of 2006), requires auditees who have not implemented recommendations after one year, to report to us and to the Legislature why they have not implemented them or to state when they intend to implement them. Below, is a listing of each recommendation the State Auditor made in the report referenced and a link to the most recent response from the auditee addressing their progress in implementing the recommendation and the State Auditor's assessment of auditee's response based on our review of the supporting documentation.

Recommendations in Report 2018-106: Correctional Officer Health and Safety: Some State and County Correctional Facilities Could Better Protect Their Officers From the Health Risks of Certain Inmate Attacks (Release Date: September 2018)

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Recommendations to Alameda County Sheriff's Office
Number Recommendation Status
7

To ensure the health and safety of its employees and hold its supervisors accountable, Santa Rita should revise its policies and procedures to require documentation that its supervisors are notifying victims of gassing attacks in a timely manner of the medical services and workers' compensation benefits available to them.

Fully Implemented
8

To ensure the health and safety of its employees and hold its supervisors accountable, Santa Rita should revise its policies and procedures to require documentation that its supervisors are notifying victims of gassing attacks in a timely manner of their right to request that the inmates involved be tested for communicable diseases.

Fully Implemented
9

To ensure the health and safety of its employees and hold its supervisors accountable, Santa Rita should revise its policies and procedures to require documentation that its supervisors are notifying victims of gassing attacks in a timely manner of the counseling services available to them.

Fully Implemented
10

To make certain that victims are aware of threats to their health, Santa Rita should follow state law and ensure that its medical personnel immediately inform victims of gassing attacks of any evidence suggesting that the inmates involved have a communicable disease. It should further document that it has provided this information to victims.

Fully Implemented
16

To ensure that it properly investigates gassing attacks and refers cases for prosecution, Santa Rita should implement procedures to ensure that it collects sufficient physical evidence and submits the gassing substance for laboratory testing, as state law requires.

Fully Implemented
17

To ensure that it properly investigates gassing attacks and refers cases for prosecution, Santa Rita should develop practices to ensure that it submits all cases for prosecution when probable cause of a crime exists. Further, it should expedite its review of the four cases that we identified, and if probable cause exists, submit those cases to the district attorney for prosecution.

Fully Implemented
24

To better prevent gassing attacks and promote desirable changes in inmate attitude and behavior, Santa Rita should follow its policy and pursue appropriate internal disciplinary actions—including consideration of the inmate's mental health and competency when determining whether to impose internal discipline.

Fully Implemented
25

To ensure the health and safety of its officers when interacting with inmates, Santa Rita should develop a policy regarding the placement of "gasser" tags on the cells of inmates who have committed or attempted to commit a gassing attack.

Fully Implemented
26

To ensure the health and safety of its officers when interacting with inmates, Santa Rita should provide annual training that is specific to preventing and responding to gassing attacks.

Fully Implemented
27

To ensure that it is able to identify high risk situations and deter repeat offenders, Santa Rita should specifically track all gassing attacks and use the tracking data as a tool to prevent future gassing attacks.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations to Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
1

To ensure the health and safety of its employees and hold its supervisors accountable, CIM should revise its policies and procedures to require documentation that its supervisors are notifying victims of gassing attacks in a timely manner of their right to request that the inmates involved be tested for communicable diseases.

Fully Implemented
2

To ensure the health and safety of its employees and hold its supervisors accountable, CIM should revise its policies and procedures to require documentation that its supervisors are notifying victims of gassing attacks in a timely manner of the counseling services available to them.

Fully Implemented
3

To make certain that victims are aware of threats to their health, CIM should follow state law and ensure that its medical personnel immediately inform victims of gassing attacks of any evidence suggesting that the inmates involved have a communicable disease. It should further document that it has provided this information to victims.

Fully Implemented
11

To ensure that it properly investigates gassing attacks and refers cases for prosecution, CIM should implement procedures to ensure that it collects sufficient physical evidence and submits the gassing substance for laboratory testing, as state law requires.

Fully Implemented
12

To ensure that it properly investigates gassing attacks and refers cases for prosecution, CIM should develop goals for how long investigations should take and ensure that its officers adhere to these goals.

Fully Implemented
13

To ensure that it properly investigates gassing attacks and refers cases for prosecution, CIM should separate its evaluation of officers' use of force from the investigation process it uses to refer cases to the district attorney.

Fully Implemented
18

To better prevent gassing attacks and promote desirable changes in inmate attitude and behavior, CIM should follow its policy and pursue appropriate internal disciplinary actions—including consideration of the inmate's mental health and competency when determining whether to impose internal discipline.

Fully Implemented
19

To ensure the health and safety of its officers when interacting with inmates, CIM should maintain a sufficient supply of preventative equipment that is available to its officers and staff in all locations where gassing attacks can occur.

Fully Implemented
20

To ensure the health and safety of its officers when interacting with inmates, CIM should develop a policy regarding the placement of "gasser" tags on the cells of inmates who have committed or attempted to commit a gassing attack.

Fully Implemented
21

To ensure the health and safety of its officers when interacting with inmates, CIM should provide annual training that is specific to preventing and responding to gassing attacks.

Fully Implemented
22

To ensure that it is able to identify high-risk situations and deter repeat offenders, CIM should specifically track all gassing attacks and use the tracking data as a tool to prevent future gassing attacks.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations to Legislature
Number Recommendation Status
28

To shorten the time to submit cases of gassing attacks for prosecution, the Legislature should modify state law to provide correctional facilities the discretion to omit testing the gassing substance for the presence of a bodily fluid when the correctional facility, in consultation with its district attorney, finds that such testing is unnecessary to obtain sufficient evidence of a crime.

Legislation Proposed But Not Enacted
Recommendations to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Number Recommendation Status
4

To ensure the health and safety of its employees and hold its supervisors accountable, Men's Central should revise its policies and procedures to require documentation that its supervisors are notifying victims of gassing attacks in a timely manner of their right to request that the inmates involved be tested for communicable diseases.

Fully Implemented
5

To ensure the health and safety of its employees and hold its supervisors accountable, Men's Central should revise its policies and procedures to require documentation that its supervisors are notifying victims of gassing attacks in a timely manner of the counseling services available to them.

Fully Implemented
6

To make certain that victims are aware of threats to their health, Men's Central should follow state law and ensure that its medical personnel immediately inform victims of gassing attacks of any evidence suggesting that the inmates involved have a communicable disease. It should further document that it has provided this information to victims.

Fully Implemented
14

To ensure that it properly investigates gassing attacks and refers cases for prosecution, Men's Central should implement procedures to ensure that it collects sufficient physical evidence.

Fully Implemented
15

To ensure that it properly investigates gassing attacks and refers cases for prosecution, Men's Central should develop goals for how long investigations should take and ensure that its officers adhere to these goals.

Fully Implemented
23

To ensure the safety of its staff, Men's Central should provide annual training that is specific to preventing and responding to gassing attacks.

Fully Implemented


Print all recommendations and responses.