Policy Text
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/ 7/29, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Santa Clara County
Sheriff's Office Space and Environmental Requirements - 1 Policy
1100 Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office
Custody Manual
Space and Environmental Requirements
1100.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy describes the desired space and environmental requirements for the physical plant.
1100.2 POLICY
It is the policy of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office to comply with federal and state
laws, codes, and correctional standards in matters relating to the jail space and environmental
requirements. Any designs for renovations, modifications, additions, or new construction within
the facility should be in compliance with federal and stat e laws, codes, and jail standards.
1100.3 FACILITY SECURITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
Planned designs for renovations, modifications, additions, or new construction within the facility
should facilitate personal communication with incarcerated persons and direct visual observation
of all cells, dayrooms, and out of cell time areas. Electronic surveillance may be used to augment
the observation of incarcerated persons but shall not be used as a substitute for personal
communication.
All locks, detention hardware, fixtures, furnishings, and equipment should have the proper security
value for the areas in which they are used. The use of padlocks in place of security locks on
cell or incarcerated person housing unit doors is generally prohibited, as unauthorized locking
mechanisms may pose a significant threat to the safety and security of the facility in the event
of an emergency.
All parts of the facility that are accessible to the public should be accessible to and usable by
disabled persons.
1100.4 ALTERNATE APPROVED CAPACITY
If needed, the Assistant Sheriff of Custody Operations or the authorized designee may base the
approved capacity on an alternate method of calculation as provided in the jail standards. This
alternate method allows capacity to be based on overall living sp ace available to incarcerated
persons, adjusted for the time incarcerated persons have access to any specific areas. If this
method is selected, the Assistant Sheriff of Custody Operations or the authorized designee,
together with County of Santa Clara off icials, should develop a plan to bring the facility into
agreement with the space -related standards within a five -year period.
1100.5 ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
All occupied areas of the physical plant shall conform to the building and design requirements
contained in federal and state law, codes, and jail standards with respect to light, air and noise
level.
Docusign Envelope ID: 64ABF21C-6D17-40B9-B144-F453F753F1D2
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/ 7/29, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Santa Clara County
Sheriff's Office Space and Environmental Requirements - 2 Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office
Custody Manual
Space and Environmental Requirements
1100.5.1 LIGHTING LEVELS
Lighting levels shall be adequate for staff and incarcerated persons to perform daily activities.
Night lighting levels should permit adequate illumination for supervision but should not
unnecessarily interfere with the ability of incarcerated persons to s leep.
1100.5.2 NATURAL LIGHT
All incarcerated persons living areas should provide incarcerated person with exposure to natural
light, unless prohibited by security concerns.
1100.5.3 NOISE LEVEL
Noise levels at night should be sufficiently low to allow incarcerated persons to sleep. Nothing in
this policy is intended to limit or impair in any way staff's ability to monitor the jail in a manner that
is consistent with safety and security and good correctional practices.
1100.5.4 VENTILATION
Ventilation systems, including those in toilet rooms and cells with toilets, should be sized and
calibrated to supply fresh or circulated air in accordance with federal and state laws, codes, and
jail standards.
Other than an emergency situation, incarcerated persons or jail staff shall not adjust or restrict the
ventilation systems without the express permission of the supervisor. Any adjustments made to
the ventilation system shall only be allowed for the duration of the emergency or until qualified
maintenance personnel can adjust or repair the vent ilation system.
1100.5.5 TEMPERATURE LEVELS
Temperature and humidity levels should be maintained at a level established by facility
maintenance personnel and deemed comfortable and cost -efficient.
Staff shall immediately contact facility maintenance if temperatures or humidity levels become
uncomfortable.
1100.5.6 CELL FURNISHINGS
Each incarcerated person housed in this facility shall be provided with the following items:
• A sleeping surface and mattress in accordance with federal and state laws, codes,
and jail standards
• A writing surface and seat
• A storage area for clothing and personal belongings
1100.6 DAYROOMS
Dayrooms shall be equipped with at least one shower for every 20 incarcerated persons or fraction
thereof (24 CCR 1231.3.4), and tables and sufficient seating for all incarcerated persons at
capacity. Where incarcerated persons do not have continuous access to their cells, dayrooms
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