5-08/060.00 Visual Inspection During Bath Process



When it has been determined that a prisoner will be permanently housed in the jail facility, the inmate shall be showered and issued jail clothing. An inmate may only be assigned to a permanent housing location in the general jail population if:

  • The prisoner is not eligible for cite, own recognizance release (O.R.) or other type of release
  • The prisoner is unable to post bail within a reasonable time. Subject to space limitations, this time frame may be expanded but shall in all cases be at least three hours

Prisoners may be housed in the general jail population at any time if there is a documented emergency and no reasonable alternative to such placement.

Deputy personnel shall observe inmates during the bath process to identify inmates who may require medical attention and to prevent inmate violence upon others, by inmates who may possess weapons, drugs or other contraband. Inmates having symptoms of infection or disease shall be immediately removed from the bathing process and transported for evaluation by Correctional Health Services (CHS) personnel.

Inmates who are suspected of concealing weapons, drugs or other contraband may be subjected to a strip search during the bathing process. There must exist a reasonable suspicion based upon articulable facts that the person to be searched is concealing a weapon or contraband and such search will result in the discovery of the contraband. Deputies may base reasonable suspicion on the inmate's conduct during the bathing process. All strip searches and visual body cavity searches authorized by this policy shall have the prior approval of the watch commander, who shall evaluate the need for the search as outlined by section 5-08/010.00.

Inmates suspected of impersonating a member of the opposite sex shall be immediately removed from the bath area and transported for evaluation by CHS personnel. Inmates found to be impersonating a member of the opposite sex shall be immediately removed from the bath area and transported to a gender appropriate facility.