Supes require changes in clothing, healthcare in jails

Changes are forthcoming within Tulare County Jails in the wake of recommendations by the civil grand jury to provide more privacy in the law library, to pursue contracts with health specialists, such as cardiologists and urologists, to treat the ill and to abolish the practice of allowing inmates to share jackets.

The Grand Jury, convened yearly to probe local government agencies and respond to citizen complaints, criticized three aspects of the Tulare County detention operations in its most recent report. It called on the Sheriff’s Department, under the purview of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, to change its practices so they no longer compromise inmates’ legal defenses or adequate access to health care and to prevent  the transfer of diseases and infestation.

Although they agreed with most findings pertaining to pro per inmates — those who represent themselves in court — and agreed to review ways to provide more privacy for inmates when they use the telephone in the law library, a converted cell on the fourth floor, County Supervisors are objecting to a number of the grand jury’s criticisms of how treatment is provided to sick inmates.

The Grand Jury delivered 30 findings in a report titled “Medical and Medication Problems in the Jails” ultimately concluding that there is not secure accounting of unused medication resulting in the theft of the medications, sick inmates are not being attended to promptly and health care is limited. The Board of Supervisors fired back Tuesday in its response, stating there have been only a few isolated incidents in which medication is not refilled in a timely manner, inmates who require care are seen with 72 hours of submitting a sick call slip and an instance when a large box of medication “disappeared” from the Bob Wiley Detention Center led to an internal investigation and a new process to limit who has access to rooms where medications are stored.

As for needing more specialized physicians, the board agrees that it needs to initiate contracts to provide cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, pulmonary disease, rheumatology and urology.

“Failure to have these specialists contracted is not due to lack of continued attention and recruitment efforts, but is based on the lack of specialists willing to contract for services to this population, and on the fact that we are generally a ‘medically underserved area,’” Chairman Steve Worthley writes to Tulare County Superior Court Judge Melinda M. Reed in the Board’s response.

The Grand Jury in a separate report on inmate clothing, found that a supply of jackets is available at the roof top exercise area in the Main Jail in Visalia. Although a correctional officer on duty said the jackets were laundered regularly, jurors found that because the jackets are shared, they could spread disease.

Supervisors agree.

“The Sheriff’s Department discontinued the sharing of jackets and adopted a new procedure. An adequate supply of sweatshirts for the winter months for the Main Jail facility will be ordered. Each inmate housed at the Main Jail will be issued a sweatshirt,” the Board’s response state. “Sweatshirts will be laundered with routine clothing exchange. Shared jackets will no longer be utilized on the rooftop recreation area.”

Contact Jenna Chandler at 784-5000, Ext. 1050, or jchandler@portervillerecorder.com.