Auburn Journal: Riot locks down prison for weeks Several investigations under way into cause of Friday riot at Folsom State Prison By Laura Newell Telegraph Staff Writer Area residents said the recent Folsom Prison riot is part of living in the shadow of the famous penitentiary, but they are worried that brawls put others in danger. The prison remains in lockdown mode and will probably stay that way for weeks, according to officials… Locals say while they aren’t fearful for their own safety, they are worried about those inside. “What a shame,” said Lea Ann Lamb, 58, of El Dorado Hills. “This kind of stuff happens and it upsets me, but it doesn’t bring me…continue reading

Raytheon weapon gets heat ACLU sees beam device as ‘torture’ By Frank Quaratiello | Boston Herald An “invisible heat-beam weapon” developed by Raytheon Co. for the military is being called “tantamount to torture” by the ACLU as the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department prepares to install a scaled-down version in a jail dormitory next month to curb inmate assaults. In a letter to Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy D. Baca, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California called the Assault Intervention Device – which focuses a softball-sized beam that makes inmates feel “intolerable heat” – a violation of the Eighth Amendment’s protection against “cruel and unusual punishment.” But Commander Bob Osborne of the Los…continue reading

“Criminals will do terrible things“ CDCR: Phillip Garrido’s parole oversight aftermath still under review SACRAMENTO, CA – Exactly 365 days after Jaycee Lee Dugard was rescued from 18 years in captivity, no one from the agency responsible for overseeing her accused captor and rapist has been held accountable. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was ultimately in charge of overseeing Philip Garrido, but failed to do so many times, according to a report from the State Inspector General. “This department has enormous empathy for the victim,” said Terri McDonald, the chief deputy secretary for adult operations at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, who oversees prisons and parole. … McDonald said she didn’t agree…continue reading

Grief counseling requests rise in wake of state worker suicides Jon Ortiz | Sacramento Bee State employee suicides triggered more than twice the number of calls for workplace grief counseling last year compared with 2008… California government departments in 2009 made 33 requests for “critical incident stress debriefings,” in which counselors meet with employees traumatized by the suicide of a colleague. In 2008, the state made 14 such calls. In 2007, when the Department of Personnel Administration began tracking the incidents, government departments made 18 requests for such grief counseling. The data are drawn from such a relatively small population and over such a brief period that it’s impossible to determine any trends, said mental…continue reading

Note: Our good friends Jeff and Gary Malkasian (aka the CPO’s CPA’s) are once again publishing their annual Tax Tips.  As the only firm specializing in tax and accounting services for public safety employees, the Bros. Malkasian know the business.  They also know you don’t want other folks in your business–The IRS, for example. As the calendar progresses toward the dreaded 4/15, following the Malkasian’s tips can save you in the long run. In that regard, the weekly tax tips will be republished here.  Tax Tips will regularly appear as the Spotlight item each Thursday, subject to the relevant news cycle.  Tax Tips will also appear in the main menu bar through Tax Day. For the record, Malkasian…continue reading

Following is a copy of a text mesage received last night from Loraine McGowan… Okay, made some calls, Mac’s in Kentucky…looks like that’s his destination. “JusticeMUSTPrevail” -Rain The Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Lexington, Kentucky is an administrative facility for male inmates.   The facility also has an adjacent minimum security satellite camp for female inmates. FMC Lexington is located 7 miles north of Lexington on U.S. Highway 421.  (BOP.GOV)

Schwarzenegger shoots from hip in talk with business leaders Capitol Alert | Sacramento Bee …Speaking today at the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Republican governor had no qualms about attacking public employee unions, whom he blamed for high costs everywhere in government. In a perfect Schwarzenegger world, courtroom cameras would replace court reporters, courthouses would use private security guards and schools would hire local gardeners rather than union employees to mow the lawn. “…We don’t need a court reporter anymore that is typing away. We have now the cameras, we have the recording devices, we have everything. But because labor insists on keeping them even though we don’t need them, it costs us hundreds…continue reading

…The state’s prison guards are also likely to play a key role. Two years ago, when reform advocates in California placed an initiative on the ballot that would have relaxed penalties for nonviolent drug offenders, the measure seemed very likely to pass…Then the California Correctional Peace Officers Association — one of the most powerful unions in the state — spent $1 million on an ad campaign featuring Dianne Feinstein denouncing the initiative as a “drug dealer’s bill of rights.” In the end, the measure wound up losing by 19 points on Election Day… For now, though, the prison guards are staying out of the fight. The union appears to have less of a stake in…continue reading

Paco is pleased to reincarnate “Paco’s Rumor Mill”* with the following item from a most trusted source… “CSP Solano has been chosen to be one of three pilot institutions which will go through an ACA audit to determine how compliant we are…for the low, low price of $3,000 per day + $1500 per day per auditor + additional expenses.. Is this something our institution/agency should be doing when they are having difficulty finding money for security equipment like O/C leg holsters…” For the uninitiated, here’s what the DOM says about the American Correctional Association… CHAPTER 1 – ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ARTICLE 26—AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION STANDARDS Revised 6/19/08 14090.1 Policy The Department utilizes the American Correctional Association…continue reading

McGowan Update Bad news.  Mike McGowan, Rob’s father,  reports he has been moved to FTC Oklahoma City. As you can imagine, the family is devastated.  The sentencing judge had recommended placement in California, providing hope the McGowan’s could remain in close contact throughout the ordeal.  Thanks to this move, contact means letters and collect phone calls. Beyond the additional hardship the move places on Rob and his loved ones, his ability to confer with counsel…continue reading

By way of a follow-up to the popular topic of Jessica Lunderby, the Nude Jailer, it turns out the Sheriff decided to terminate the overexposed young woman. Beyond providing an update to a titillating topic, the excerpted CorrectionsOne article is important for active CPO’s to digest–Attorney Terrence P. Dwyer thoroughly documents the do’s and don’ts of online conduct for peace officers.  Take it from one with some experience in this arena: CDCR will come after…continue reading

Agency’s Integrated Housing Program may face Rube Goldberg copyright infringement suit Integrated State Prison Cells Still Distant California system’s go-slow approach falls short, critics say By: Robert Rogers, Richmond Confidential California’s sprawling prison system, the nation’s largest, retains deep racial divisions five years after a court-mediated settlement set in motion a plan to limit race-based cell assigning practices. In 2005, the United States Supreme Court decreed that racial classification alone may not dictate cell assignments for new or newly transferred inmates in California’s prisons, but today inmates are still housed mostly along racial lines… In interviews, more than a dozen inmates said integrated housing, which began here in February, amounted to plenty of hype, but…continue reading