Chapter 1 – General Administration

The goodwill of the public is important to the Department, each facility, each parole region, and each employee.

This section designates employee responsibility in representing the Department in the community, and describes practices to encourage and maintain good community relations.

Community relations is the function of promoting positive interaction between the correctional community and the public in an effort to educate and develop public awareness. It is through better understanding of the Department’s mission that public confidence will be increased.

Community as used in this section refers to the general public, local, and State government bodies, employee organizations, special interest groups, and community organizations. The Department, its divisions, facilities, and units deal with many different, though frequently overlapping communities.

Examples of communities with which the Department is involved include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The State, counties, and cities.

• Employees of the Department.

• Law enforcement personnel at the State, county, and local levels.

• Legal groups.

• Taxpayers groups.

• Religious organizations.

• Medical associations.

• Labor unions.

• Chambers of commerce.

• Schools.

• Neighborhoods.

• Athletic organizations.

• Entertainment groups.

• Service organizations.

• Special interest associations.

Each group has its own viewpoint, interests, needs, and background. Each group is influenced by and influences other groups. Together with other groups, they make up the general public of a nation, state, county, city, or town.

The Department and its units were created and are maintained by the public to perform a task for the public. Policies and procedures of the Department, its divisions, facilities, and units shall be designed to serve the public’s interest. The effect of proposed policies and procedures on all public groups shall be carefully analyzed. Care should be used to ensure that steps taken to provide a service to one group does not harm some other group. In the event of conflict, alternative policy or procedure shall be sought to resolve it. If the conflict cannot be resolved and action is necessary, the alternative providing either the greatest good for the largest public group or the least inconvenience for the smallest public group shall be pursued.

Any policy or procedure which results in, or could appear to result in any of the following, shall be reexamined:

• Excessive noise.

• Smog, smoke, dust, bad odors, or other air pollutants.

• Dirt.

• Pollution of water.

• Traffic jams.

• Dangerous, unhealthy, or unsightly conditions.

• Unlawful discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex or sexual orientation, political affiliation, or age.

• Misuse of money, manpower, or resources.

• Brutality to or coddling of prisoners.

• Competition with business or labor.

• Favoritism to or discrimination against certain suppliers.

• Embarrassment to friends or relatives of inmates, to visitors, to passersby, or to nearby residents.

Policies or procedures that unexpectedly cause an unfavorable public reaction shall be reexamined as soon as brought to the attention of the Department, division, facility, or unit. Every effort consistent with the public interest shall be made to correct the situation as quickly as possible.

The employees of the Department are the greatest single resource for building good relations. Every employee is a community relations representative both on and off-duty. Employees shall be properly informed, through ISTIn-Service Training and other appropriate means, of departmental and facilities or divisional philosophies and practices. Employees are regarded as experts in all phases of correctional work by those with whom they come in contact; therefore, it is important that they understand the reasons behind the practices of the Department and its broad organization, as well as the position in which they are employed.

The designated staff liaison for community-related activities shall be the Community Resource Manager (CRMCommunity Resource Manager).

Wardens or RPAs, through the facility/regional CRMs and PIOs, shall coordinate all facility/regional activities which are a part of this section unless those responsibilities have been designated as the sole responsibility of the Warden or RPARegional Parole Administrator by statute or regulation.

Citizens Advisory Committee

• Each facility/parole region shall organize a Citizens Advisory Committee whose primary objective shall be to promote communications between the facility/region and the community. The role and function of these committees are further defined in DOMDepartment Operations Manual Chapter 10, Article 9.

• Positive programs to maintain premises well-kept and attractive shall be followed.

• Reputable citizens of the community shall be encouraged to come to the facility. Good community relations cannot exist when the facility is a place of mystery, set apart from the community.

• Reception of visitors shall be cordial and businesslike. Employees shall be courteous, pleasant, neat, helpful, and efficient.

• Appropriate, identifiable parking shall be provided for visitors where possible. In the planning of any event expected to attract large numbers of visitors, adequate parking space shall be arranged.

• The parking area shall be supervised. If the event may cause traffic problems off the grounds, the CHPCalifornia Highway Patrol and/or other appropriate agencies shall be notified in advance.

• Employees shall not act as traffic officers on highways off Department property.

• Employees shall be sensitive to possible misunderstandings by visitors. Where the possibility of misunderstandings exist, care shall be taken that an adequate explanation is made. Employees regularly meeting the public, conducting tours, or escorting groups shall make a particular effort to stay informed in order to make an effective presentation and provide accurate, complete answers to questions.

In the case where a facility requests the services of other departments or agencies, or those departments or agencies request an official visit as part of their official duties, to interview staff or inmates, or to do follow-up work to ensure compliance with legal requirements, the facility shall make every effort to assist those individuals in completing their assignment.

Examples of visitors of other departments or agencies include, but are not limited to, employees of:

• State DOJDepartment Of Justice, Law Enforcement Division (investigators, forensic scientists, fingerprint specialists).

• DHSDepartment of Health Services (environmental health specialists, vector, and sanitation experts).

• The Board of Prison Term (commissioners and Deputy Commissioners) if hearing cases in a special housing unit.

• The Legislative Analyst.

• The DOFDepartment Of Finance.

• Auditors.

• DA investigators.

• Coroners.

• FBIFederal Bureau of Investigation agents.

• Court monitors.

If the visitor(s) is doing follow-up work or interviewing staff or inmates, the visiting department or agency shall notify the office of the Warden at least 24 hours in advance of the visit date and delineate the time of arrival and purpose.

The Warden, or designee, shall ensure the necessary gate clearance is forwarded to the gate officer.

Visitors shall be required to produce official identification and a standard search will be conducted.

Visitor Clearance

• The Warden’s office shall ensure that the visitor or visiting group is assigned a staff member to escort the visitor(s) while at the facility. The staff escort shall remain with the visitor(s) during the entire stay in the facility. The staff escort may be from sworn, non-sworn, or other personnel assignment.

Equipment

• If the visitor has equipment that is required to complete their task, proper security of that equipment shall be maintained during the entire visit.

• If necessary because of the size/weight of the equipment or weather conditions, transportation shall be provided by the facility to the area of the visit if possible.

• Parking shall be provided.

Service clubs, trade associations, labor unions, educational groups, and other civic organizations shall be encouraged to visit facilities and community correctional centers. Arrangements for group tours may include providing meeting facilities for the groups.

Facilities, camps, and community correctional centers may set aside a regular time one day each week for a conducted tour of individuals. These individuals shall be treated as a group.

• Facilities where the small number of individual requests or other reasons make weekly tours impractical may set aside one or two days a month for such tours.

• Spouses or other close relatives of employees may be conducted on a tour as a group at least annually.

TACTrade Advisory Committee

• TACs provide an important public information and community relations opportunity. Special efforts shall be made to keep the committees accurately informed through special tours and visits to the various trade areas.

• TACs shall be encouraged and assisted in the preparation of special articles for trade publications covering their appropriate fields.

Distinguished Visitors

• Distinguished visitors assist the Department in being visible to the community. Distinguished visitors include: the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, U.S.United States Senators and Congressmen, State Legislators, foreign dignitaries, noted authors, and other national, State, and local officials. The Director shall be notified, when appropriate, of the impending visit of a distinguished visitor. In the event of a visit by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General or a State Legislator, a full written report of the visit shall be made promptly to the Director, with a copy to the Assistant Director, LLOLegislative Liaison (see OOL). The report shall include the purpose of the visit, together with any comments or other information that may assist the Director in making any necessary response.

• State Legislators, and other elected California Constitutional Officers shall be permitted to visit and tour facilities, camps, and community correctional centers without prior notice. Appropriate escorts shall be provided. All reasonable access and cooperation shall be given. Access for such officials may be denied only during emergencies, with the approval of the Director. Guests accompanying elected officials may be denied access in absence of prior approval by the Warden, or RPARegional Parole Administrator.

• An appropriate personal escort from either the YACA or CDC shall be provided for nonpublic tours of institutional facilities for the Legislature, Lieutenant Governor, State Controller, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Insurance Commissioner, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Attorney General, members of the State BOEBoard Of Equalization, elected city and county officials, and candidates for political office and members of their staff.

• A separate tour may be arranged for the news media and other members of the public through the office of the Warden, or RPARegional Parole Administrator, according to provisions of DOMDepartment Operations Manual 13010.

PCPenal Code 919 and 921 entitle Grand Juries to free access, at reasonable times, to the public prisons within their county for the purpose of inquiring into the conditions and management of these prisons and to examine public records. Each Warden shall, therefore, extend an invitation, at least once a year, to the Grand Jury of the county in which their facility is located. Such visits shall be coordinated with the BPT’ schedule when possible and where practical.

Visits shall be scheduled as soon as possible after the impaneling of each new Grand Jury.

When visits to a facility are initiated by the Grand Jury, employees shall be made available as necessary to guide, orient, or otherwise assist the Grand Jury. A report of such visit shall be made to the Director.

Exhibits depicting the activities of the Department, divisions, facilities, units, and the work or training involving inmates, may be displayed in Department facilities.

Properly planned and prepared exhibits (not including inmate handicraft) may also be displayed at conventions, banquets, and other appropriate locations where they may be helpful for educational or recruitment purposes. Care shall be taken that no commercial sponsorship or endorsement is stated or implied.

The facility may participate in some community activities either as a State agency or as a group of employees or inmates.

• Activities as a State agency (staff/inmates) can include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Community service work crews.

  • Mutual aid, police, and fire agreements.

  • Provisions for informative material and speakers to schools, colleges, civic groups, and other organizations.

  • Appropriate assistance in the prevention of delinquency and crime.

  • Arts work crew.

  • Vocational shop repairs and construction products.

• Activities as a group of employees or inmates may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Participation in charity drives and blood donations.

  • Sponsorship of athletic teams, scout troops, or cultural groups.

  • Formation of employee teams, bands, and orchestras.

  • Sponsorship, support, and supervision of youth activities aimed at instilling good citizenship.

Employees shall be encouraged to participate in community functions. While the job shall come first, such encouragement shall include changes in duty time or days off (when possible), for employee participation in specific community events.

Employees seeking approval to represent the Department in public appearances shall submit a request in writing to the Warden or RPARegional Parole Administrator.

• The request shall include a complete description of the type of event, purpose, size of the audience, date of the event, and topics to be discussed.

• When a speaking engagement has been completed, the employee involved shall submit to the PIOPublic Information Officer a written summary of the event including:

  • Evaluation of the audience response.

  • Number of people present.

  • Presence of news media representatives.

The Assistant Director, Communications, or designee is responsible for ensuring that the contents of this article are kept current and accurate.

PCPenal Code §§ 919, 921, and 5056.

CCRCalifornia Code of Regulations (15) (3) §§ 3260 – 3265.

DOMDepartment Operations Manual §§ 13010 and 31040