Chapter 5 – Adult Custody and Security Operations

52050.16.5 Unclothed Body Search of Inmates

• Unclothed body searches:

  • Correctional personnel, other than qualified medical staff, shall not conduct unclothed body inspections or searches of an inmate of the opposite sex, except in an emergency.

  • Inmates assigned to designated areas, (i.e., vocational programs, industries, plant operations, warehouse, outside crews, etc.), may be subject to unclothed body searches before returning to the institution’s general population.

  • Routine unclothed body searches shall be conducted in a safe manner and in an area that allows the inmate to preserve some measure of dignity and self-respect. Routine unclothed body searches shall not be completed by staff of the opposite biological sex.

  • The inmates shall be required to remove all articles from their pockets. All articles shall be inspected by staff. If it is suspected that an inmate is in possession of dangerous contraband, the inmate shall be detained and closely observed until there is sufficient staff to conduct a “safe” search. In this circumstance, the staff member conducting the search shall initially conduct a clothed body search and remove all articles from the inmate’s person rather than allow the inmate to remove them.

  • The inmate shall then completely disrobe. Staff shall inspect and search each item of clothing and visually inspect the inmate’s body.

  • The inmate shall face the staff member who shall visually inspect the inmate’s hair, ears, mouth, nose, body, armpits, hands, scrotum, genitals, and legs. The inmate shall turn away from staff upon instruction and staff shall then inspect the inmate’s back, buttocks, thighs, toes, bottom of the feet, and lastly, the anal area by having the inmate bend over, spread the cheeks of their buttocks, and cough.

  • Unclothed body searches of inmates by staff of the opposite biological sex shall only be conducted in emergency situations. If a cross gender unclothed body search is required, the search shall be documented. This documentation shall be completed utilizing a Notice of Unusual Occurrence which shall be reviewed by the supervisor and routed to the institutional PCM. The PCM shall retain the completed document, in accordance with the Records Retention Schedule, for audit purposes.