The Marin County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved its response to a recent Civil Grand Jury Report.
On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the supervisors made it official that they disagreed with all but one of the report’s findings on the county jail and juvenile hall.
Their six-page response follows the release of Marin County Civil Grand Jury’s June report called “Marin County Justice Center: A Model for Change,” which found both the Marin County Jail and the Marin County Juvenile Hall dated and ill-equipped to address the needs of the changing inmate populations.
The supervisors agreed with the finding that the small population of the Marin County Juvenile Hall “does not justify the extraordinary expense of maintaining the existing facility.” However, they “wholly or partially” disagreed with the remaining points:
• The jail is dated and doesn’t meet modern standards.
• A complex classification system and Assembly Bill 109, legislation that realigned placement for non-violent offenders and resulted in increased jail populations, have reduced programming capacity.
• The jail lacks adequate medical and mental health facilities.
• Additional programs are needed at the jail, but physical limitations make them unavailable.
• The jail’s subterranean location precludes its expansion.
• The juvenile hall is dated, and its prison-like facility doesn’t create a restorative justice atmosphere.
• The juvenile hall is inaccessible to many parents and guardians of youths held there.
The report by the Civil Grand Jury, a group of civilians who audit government practices, included several recommendations. Among them, it called for the board to initiate a study to consider the creation of a new justice center to accommodate those with low-level felonies and a space for juveniles in a separate facility on the same campus.
Before the supervisors’ decision, Gary Besser, strategic projects manager for the county, said staff disagreed with the overall finding that the extraordinary cost of a new and larger jail facility would add benefit to the criminal justice system in Marin.
“Furthermore, the legality of a single facility that houses both adults and minors is likely a violation of several state and federal statutes,” Besser said.
The supervisors’ response addressing each of the findings and the board’s reasons for agreeing, disagreeing or partially disagreeing can be found here: bit.ly/4ddgzRG. It further highlights plans to implement the Civil Grand Jury’s recommendation to remove furniture or objects that could be used to inflict harm.
A letter from Marin County Sheriff Jamie Scardina detailed his disagreement with several findings as well, specifically noting that the jail is only 30 years old; it has passed state inspections every year of its existence; any complexities brought on by AB 109 have been offset by an overage decrease in the jail’s average daily population, which has been trending downward over the last five years; and the mental health services provided meet and exceed industry standards.
“In summary, our services are not only adequate and aligned with industry standards but are also continually evolving and improving,” Scardina stated.
