The Conservation Work Program will award sentenced inmates additional time credits for participating in an in-custody work or job training program pursuant to Penal Code section 4019.1(a), in lieu of the traditional time credits as outlined in Penal Code section 4019.
Population Management Bureau (PMB), Prisoner Personnel Office (PPO), and facilities' PPO will identify current job and vocational programs available at each facility which qualify for the Conservation Work Program. Inmates will be made aware of the program through inmate orientation and town hall meetings. Inmates requesting admittance into the program will be classified through PPO at each facility. Inmates who meet the qualifying criteria will be placed on an approved list for available job or vocational programs.
A list of the current job and vocational programs available to the inmates in each facility shall be maintained by PMB. Eligibility criteria for the Conservation Work Program shall be maintained by each facility's PPO.
Inmates will not be allowed to transfer to any other job or vocational program for a period of thirty (30) days after being assigned to a work group. Inmates who are not eligible for the Conservation Work Program may be referred to the education programs for possible eligibility and enrollment.
Inmates who fail to conform to established jail rules may be subject to disciplinary action, in accordance with Custody Division Manual (CDM) sections 5-09/010.00, "Inmate Discipline," and 5-09/060.00, "Disciplinary Review Process."
Each concerned facility shall be responsible for managing their Disciplinary Review Board (DRB) process. Additionally, any inmates removed from the Conservation Work Program for disciplinary reasons will be advised at their DRB hearing of the potential for the loss of earned work time/good time credits. Should an inmate be subjected to disciplinary action which results in their removal from the program, time credits will only be awarded for the time the inmate participated in the program. The DRB sergeant conducting the hearing will make a recommendation regarding the loss of credits on the DRB screen of the Inmate Discipline Report in the Inmate Reports Tracking System (IRTS).
Final approval for the removal of credits earned will be at the discretion of the PMB unit commander, area commander, and the Credit Revocation Panel.
The Credit Revocation Panel shall be comprised of at least two of the following personnel: the Inmate Reception Center (IRC) unit commander or a designated lieutenant, the Fire Camp/PMB unit commander or a designated lieutenant, and/or the IRC Classification/Records lieutenant.
Revocation of any good-time or work-time credits from an inmate in the Conservation Work Program shall be in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the California Code of Regulations, Title 15, section 3323, "Disciplinary Credit Forfeiture Schedule." Once the review panel makes a determination to remove earned credits from an inmate, the Conservation Work Program sergeant or designee shall personally inform the inmate of the panel's findings and serve the inmate with the "Notice of Credit Removal." The Conservation Work Program sergeant or designee shall ensure the inmate is advised of his/her right to appeal the revocation. If the inmate desires to appeal, the Credit Revocation Panel shall convene a "Serious Sanction Hearing" within seven (7) days of receiving the appeal. If the inmate requests aid in preparing his/her case, the IRC Classification and Records lieutenant shall represent him/her before the panel.
PMB, IRC Classification and Records, and each facility's PPO, shall maintain statistical data and prepare detailed reports to be reviewed regularly by both Conservation Work Program Operations and the Data Analysis Unit. The reports shall be categorized by facility and include the number of participants currently in the program and which inmates are currently earning credits.
The calculation of earned credits shall be the responsibility of IRC, under the direction of the Classification and Records lieutenant.