Policy Text
Correctional Services P age 1 of 5 6/19 (REV 06/18)
MJ/RCCC
OPERATIONS ORDER
Inmate Workers
The purpose of this Order is to provide a systematic process fo r selecting prisoners as
sentenced inmate workers or hou sing unit (housemen or pod) work ers at the Main Jail
and the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center (RCCC).
I. Selection Process for Sentenced Inmate Workers
A. Although subject to change, the housing units currently used for housing
sentenced inmate workers are 3 West at the Main Jail , the honor facility
barracks, and Kenya and Golden Poppy dorms at RCCC . Custody staff
assigned to inmate worker housing units will have the same gene ral
responsibilities at both custody facilities.
B. Classification staff is respons ible for initially determinin g which sentenced
inmates are eligible to be assi gned as sentenced inmate workers . T h e
following factors should be ta ken into consideration:
1. No 187 charges. . 2. No inmates who are bei ng monitored by Intel.
3. No core 1 guilty write- ups. 4. No 3 or more guilty write-ups within 60 days.
5. No inmates who are classified as HIGH. 6. No inmates who have a history of assault on officers, staff or other
prisoners.
7. Those inmates who are sent enced but have a pending out of co unty
3056 PC or 2620 PC holds which wil l be addressed when they have
served their completed s entence will be considered.
8. Medical problems or mental deficiencies which would interfer e with
job performance.
9. History and/or current exhib ition of anti-social behavior.
10. History of, or current, major disciplinary actions.
11. Gang membership or associate may be a declining factor.
Correctional Services P age 2 of 5 6/19 (REV 06/18)
MJ/RCCC 12. Booking workers; sentenced inmates only.
13. Fiscal workers; sentenced inmates only. 14. Laundry workers; pre-trial i nmates considered and sentenced
inmates.
15. Cleaning crew; sentenced inmates only. 16. 8West workers; pre-trial inma tes considered and sentenced i nmates.
17. Shoe shine worker; sen tenced worker only.
18. Medical worker; sent enced worker only.
19. Kitchen/Server worker; pre-t rial inmates considered and sen tenced
workers.
20. Waiter worker; sentenced inmate only. 21. Federal inmate workers; low c lassification, kitchen/server, laundry.
C. Once an inmate has been assigned to an inmate worker housing unit, the
custody staff assigned to the housing unit will determine what assignment
best suits the needs of the facility and inmate. Further evalu ation of past
history may aid in determining suitability for a certain positi on.
D. Custody staff assigned to wor k crews (kitchen, laundry, etc. ) will generally
be permitted to make the final decision to accept or release a particular
worker for the specified work crew.
II. Inmate Workers
A. Sentenced inmate workers are s ometimes referred to as minimu m security
inmates due to their supervised access to tools, off site facil ity work, contact
with custody staff and access to places within a facility not n ormally
accessed by other prisoners.
B. Inmate workers are subject to pat down, metal detector, and strip searches
at any time by custody staff. Strip searches should be conduct ed before
allowing an inmate worker to return to his/her assigned housing unit.
Performance of strip searches must be in accordance with Operat ions
Order 2/06, Prisoner Searches.
C. Housing unit staff may escort workers to and from their hous ing unit. Off
site work crews will be closely supervised by assigned staff.
D. Inmate workers are not compensated and are not considered employees
of Sacramento County. However, inmate workers injured due to a j o b
related activity shall have t he incident and injury documented in a Casualty
Correctional Services P age 3 of 5 6/19 (REV 06/18)
MJ/RCCC Report and workers compensation package. An Inter-departmental
Correspondence (IDC) may also be required.
1. Custody staff assigned to supervise an injured inmate shall be
responsible for the documentatio n and supervisor notification.
E. Inmates may be excused from their assignment without loss of credit upon
verification from a medical source.
F. Custody staff that are most closely associated with directly supervising the
job task assigned to an inmate is responsible for presenting th at inmate with
the training needed to safely and properly perform that task.
1. Inmates should not perform a job or task prior to receiving safety
instruction.
2. The individual who presents any safety instruction is respon sible for
preparing and submitting doc umentation of the training.
G. Inmate workers will not talk to other inmates, custody staff , civilian staff, or
any other people unless told to d o so by supervising custody st aff.
H. Inmate workers will remain in their assigned work area unles s assigned a
specific task or are authorized to leave by supervising staff.
I. Inmate workers assigned to either facility SHALL NOT be allowed to handle
another inmate’s property.
1. Inmate workers cleaning the property areas shall be under th e
DIRECT SUPERVISON of custody staff.
J. At RCCC , inmate worker “