Chapter 6 – Adult Classification

61020.9.1 Confidential Material/Reliability of Source

• No decision shall be based on information from a confidential source unless other documentation corroborates the information received from the source, or unless the circumstances surrounding the event and the documented reliability of the source satisfies the decision maker(s) that the information is true.

• The description of the “circumstances” shall state how it was possible that the events occurred as described by the confidential sources, and include any facts or evidence (who, what, when, and how) which confirm the truthfulness of “some” aspect of the source’s statement.

• A confidential source’s reliability may be established by any one of the following:

  • The source has previously given information which proved to be true. The type of information provided and, if possible, the date the information was provided, (e.g., the CDC Form 128-B dated 3-2-01 in which the inmate informed staff on the location of weapons which were subsequently found).

  • Multiple sources independently provide the same information. If two or more reliable informants give conflicting information, staff must provide a statement explaining why information provided by one source is more reliable than that provided by another. If two or more sources give conflicting information and all sources have not been determined to be reliable, then further efforts must be undertaken to determine the reliability of at least one source.

  • The source implicates him/herself in criminal activity when providing the information. For example, a drug trafficker who identifies others and in doing so implicates him/herself.

  • Part of the information provided is corroborated through investigation or by information provided by non-confidential sources. For example, a source provides information on the location of a weapon and the person responsible, and the location of the weapon proves true.

  • The confidential source is the victim.

• Note: Extreme care shall be taken to ensure that the evaluation of reliability does not reveal the identity of the confidential source.