To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Liz Parra, 565-3116
Vote Requirement: Informational Only
Supervisorial District(s): All Districts
Title:
Title
Electronic Monitoring Program Policy Annual Review
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Receive and review the 2020 Administrative Policy for the Electronic Monitoring Program to comply with electronic monitoring program regulations as required by Penal Code 1203.16, 1203.17 and 1203.18. The Sheriff’s Electronic Monitoring Program serves as a cost-effective detention alternative for Sonoma County to manage its jail population by lawfully offering a home detention alternative to low/moderate risk adult inmates in lieu of incarceration.
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Executive Summary:
The Sheriff is requesting the Board of Supervisors perform its annual review of the rules, regulations, and administrative policy of the Sheriff’s Electronic Monitoring Program allowing the Sheriff to lawfully provide the detention alternative to its incarcerated adult population.
Discussion:
Penal Code 1203.016(b) states that “The board of supervisors, in consultation with the correctional administrator, may prescribe reasonable rules and regulations under which a home detention program may operate.” In 2011, as part of the County’s Community Corrections Partnership Plan, the Board of Supervisors authorized the Sheriff as the correctional administrator to offer a home detention program to low/moderate risk level inmates in lieu of incarceration in the County’s detention facilities. The Sheriff refers to this program as the Electronic Monitoring Program. Inmate eligibility for participation in the Program is primarily based on the risk assessment tool. Through a request for proposal process, the Sheriff hired an outside contractor to provide the equipment and home visits needed to administer the Electronic Monitoring Program. The first contract with BI Incorporated was approved in 2014, and the second in 2017. The current contract is a one-year Agreement that will expire on
March 31, 2021. A formal solicitation for electronic monitoring services is scheduled to be released in collaboration with the Probation Department by October 2020.
The Electronic Monitoring Program is a detention alternative used by law enforcement to increase public safety when monitoring offenders in the community. The Program provides Sonoma County a cost-effective detention alternative to help manage its jail population. This service provides an alternative for offenders that otherwise may be incarcerated, at a much greater expense, or possibly released into the community without the enhanced safety of continuous monitoring. In 2019, 13,712 bed days were saved as a result of electronic monitoring.
Penal Codes 1203.016(d)(1), 1203.017(d)(1) , and 1203.018(e) state that “The rules and regulations and administrative policy of the program shall be written and reviewed on an annual basis by the county board of supervisors and the correctional administrator.” There have not been any changes to the Detention Alternatives Electronic Monitoring Program Policy since the Board’s last approval on September 25, 2018.
Prior Board Actions:
Adoption of the annual Public Safety Realignment Implementation Plan since 2012. In 2019, the approval of Detention Alternatives Electronic Monitoring Program Policy was inadvertently overlooked. It was last approved on September 25, 2018.
Fiscal Summary
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FY20-21 Adopted |
FY21-22 Projected |
FY 22-23 Projected |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
No fiscal impacts from the review of the policy.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A.
Attachments:
Detention Alternatives - Electronic Monitoring Program Policy
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Public Safety Realignment Implementation Plan for Fiscal Year 20-21.