To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sheriff’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Liz Parra, 3116
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Inmate Welfare Trust Annual Report
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Receive the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Annual Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Report. The funds described in this report provide funding for programs primarily for the benefit, education, and welfare of the inmates confined within the Sonoma County adult detention facilities.
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Executive Summary:
California Penal Code Section 4025 (c) requires that this itemized annual report of the activity of the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund be submitted to the Board of Supervisors for review. Accordingly, the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Annual Inmate Welfare Report is attached for the Board's information and review.
Discussion:
The California Penal Code allows the Sheriff to authorize expenditures from this Trust Fund for items or programs primarily for the benefit, education, and welfare of the inmates confined within the Sonoma County detention facilities. Any funds that are not needed for the benefit, welfare, and/or education of the inmates may be expended by the Sheriff for the maintenance of jail facilities or for other programs as deemed appropriate by the Sheriff. Inmate Welfare funds must be expended in accordance with the California Penal Code, Section 4025(e).
The Sheriff is also authorized to operate a jail store, known as the Inmate Commissary, to sell goods to inmates. The Inmate Commissary is operated through the Jail Stores Trust Fund. Sale prices are determined by the Sheriff and all profits from the operation of the jail stores are deposited in the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund, to be kept in the Treasury of the County. Expenditures from the Jail Stores Trust are primarily for the purchase of goods sold (inventory) to inmates through the commissary. Per Section 4.2 B(a) of the Inmate Welfare and Jail Stores Trust Policy, the profit generated from these sales in excess of $100,000 is transferred to the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund. This revenue, combined with other revenue, fund $126,318 in expenditures identified in the report as Services and Supplies. The Inmate Welfare Trust also funds $508,500 in expenditures identified in the Report as Inmate Education Programs, including programs such as Starting Point (an inmate alcohol and drug treatment program),
Friends Outside (a non-profit agency providing support to inmates and their families), educational programs such as job skills and parenting classes, adult literacy programs, and GED preparation classes. Finally, the Inmate Welfare Trust funds approximately 2.1 full time employees, costing $286,576 in FY 18-19, to administer Inmate Educational Programs.
The Inmate Welfare Trust Fund (IWT) balance maintains a reserve to cover unexpected shortfalls in revenues or to pay for unanticipated expenditures. Over the course of the existence of the Inmate Welfare Trust and Jail Stores Trust funds, there have been periods when the funds have failed to generate profit, and the fund balance was used to offset any shortages; however, this has not occurred for several years. The IWT Committee has avoided spending the accumulated fund balance over the past several years due to volatility in the revenue sources. The criminal justice system has experienced sweeping changes since the implementation of California’s Public Safety Realignment initiative in 2011. Prior to Realignment, revenue shortfalls required the County General Fund to subsidize jail programs in the County’s adult detention facilities. Then, in 2013, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ordered a cap on phone rates in all prisons and jails. In the years following the rate cap, a series of court challenges created uncertainty for the future of phone commission revenue. Not knowing how these FCC changes would impact revenues, the IWT continued to maintain a fiscally conservative approach in the event fund balance would be needed to offset declining phone commission revenue. FY 17-18 was the first full fiscal year phone revenues were received under the new rates.
With the implementation of Realignment and a resolution on phone commissions, the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Committee, with the Board approval, added 1.0 FTE for an Administrative Aide in FY 17-18 to support Jail Programs. During FY 19-20, the Inmate Welfare Trust Committee will make additional considerations for programming using accumulated fund balance to ensure Trust funded positions can remain funded during unforeseen declines in revenue.
FY 18-19 Financial Summary
The FY 18-19 revenues for the Jail Stores Trust were $1,573,183 and expenditures were $1,604,151 for a FY 18-19 net cost of ($30,968). The Annual Report’s Exhibit A includes an itemized list of revenues and expenditures. The Trust’s ending fund balance for FY 17-18, FY 18-19, and projected balance for FY 19-20, is referenced in the table below.
Revenues for the Inmate Welfare Trust were $1,074,258. Expenditures totaled $921,394 for a net gain of $152,864. The Annual Report’s Exhibit B includes an itemized list of revenues and expenditures. The Trust’s ending fund balance for FY 17-18, FY 18-19, and projected balance for FY 19-20, is referenced in the table below.
The Sheriff is requesting that the Board receive the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Annual Trust Fund Report.
Prior Board Actions:
Annual acceptance of the Inmate Welfare Trust Report since the inception of the Inmate Welfare Trust.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
This item is requesting acceptance of a prior year fiscal report and serves as a historical record for the Inmate Welfare Trust and Jail Stores Trust. The item has no fiscal impact.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
FY 2018-2019 Annual Welfare Trust Report
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A