PURPOSE OF ORDER:
The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for the issuance of laundry and clothing exchange at the Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF).
SCOPE OF ORDER:
This order shall apply to all personnel assigned to and/or working in any capacity at the CRDF.
ORDER:
The west tower sergeant, or their designee, shall oversee the laundry unit, which is responsible for the supply, issuance, and exchange of inmate clothing, bedding, and linen. The laundry unit shall be responsible for maintaining a quantity of clean clothing, bedding, and linen for the issuance and replacement needs of the facility as required by California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 15.
A calendar for linen and clothing exchange shall be issued a month in advance and maintained in the laundry and logistics offices. A written plan for scheduled exchange of inmate clothing, bedding, and linen shall be established and maintained by personnel assigned to laundry. The plan shall be incorporated into the CRDF master calendar maintained by personnel assigned to the Inmate Services Bureau. The master calendar shall establish the weekly procedures for clothing and linen exchange for each module. Module personnel shall distribute clothing and linen according to this schedule.
Clothing Issue and Exchange
All issued and exchanged clothing shall be clean and free of holes or tears, reasonably fitted, durable, easily laundered, and repaired. Undergarments shall be clean, free of holes or tears, and substantially free of stains. Inmates shall be able to select the garment type more compatible with their gender identity and gender expression.
Laundry personnel shall deliver inmate clothing and linen to the housing areas prior to the scheduled linen exchange. The laundry custody assistant shall ensure the inmates working in the laundry area wash their hands with soap and warm water prior to, and after handling the laundry. The inmate workers shall wear protective gloves when handling the soiled laundry.
Module personnel shall monitor, direct, and provide guidance during linen exchange. Inmates at court during their scheduled clothing exchange, shall receive their clothing upon their return. The laundry CA shall be responsible for ensuring sufficient amounts of clean laundry are delivered to the housing areas for court returnees.
Weekly clothing exchange shall be conducted by personnel of the same sex as the inmates receiving the clothing. Male personnel shall not be in a position where they observe inmates removing their clothing for linen exchange. Supervisors shall be responsible for the temporary adjustment of assigned personnel to ensure compliance with this order.
Collected soiled items shall be sorted and placed into separate cloth bags for transportation to the Pitchess Detention Center (PDC) laundry unit. Inmate uniforms shall be sorted by individual color. If sufficient bags are not available, like items shall be placed into blankets and tied into bundles. Plastic bags shall not be used to transport soiled laundry. Each bag or bundle shall be tagged showing the facility name and type of item. A transmittal memorandum addressed to the laundry administrator shall be given to the driver picking up the soiled laundry. The memorandum shall describe the number of bags or bundles and their contents.
Worn or unserviceable items shall be bagged and tagged as rags. CRDF laundry personnel shall determine whether the items are repairable and either repair or dispose of them.
Mattress and Blankets
Inmates shall be provided one (1) blanket, one (1) mattress, and one (1) mattress cover or sheet upon assignment to their housing location. Two (2) blankets may be issued in place of one (1) blanket and one (1) cover or sheet at the inmate’s request. If a mattress cover or sheet is issued, the time between blanket exchanges shall not exceed three months. If a mattress cover or bed sheet is not issued, blankets shall be exchanged at least once per month.
Inmates temporarily housed in module [REDACTED TEXT] shall be given one (1) risk precaution blankets in lieu of a white blanket, pending final classification and evaluation by Correctional Health Services (CHS) mental health personnel.
Inmates housed in High Observation Housing (HOH) shall be issued two (2) risk precaution blankets and one (1) mattress. White blankets shall not be utilized. It shall be the responsibility of module personnel to ensure all inmate mattresses are properly cleaned, disinfected, and stored prior to redistribution. Mattresses shall be free of holes and tears. Mattresses with holes, tears, or that lack sufficient padding shall be replaced when observed by personnel (e.g., housing newly arrived inmates, Title 15 inmate safety checks, upon notification by the inmate, etc.) Inmate mattresses shall not be stored on the floor.
Pregnant inmates shall receive one (1) thick green mattress or two (2) tan mattresses if a green mattress is not available.
NOTE: All damaged foam mattresses and tickling (plastic) material shall be returned to PDC Main Laundry, including small pieces of foam. Mattress contaminated with blood, urine, etc., shall be wiped down with routine environmental cleaner (Citra-Cide).
Thermals
Inmates assigned to general population and Medium Observation Housing (MOH) shall be issued one (1) set of thermals. Thermals shall be exchanged once a week during linen exchange on a one for one basis. The issuance of thermals shall be documented weekly in the electronic Uniform Daily Activity Log (e-UDAL).
NOTE: Laundry personnel may distribute thermal clothing bi-weekly so long as two sets of thermal clothing are provided with each laundry exchange.
Inmates housed in High Observation Housing (HOH) areas shall not be issued thermals, unless deemed appropriate by CHS, mental health personnel, in consultation with custody. The issuance of thermals to HOH inmates shall be documented on the allowable inmate property door sign by the inmate’s clinician.
All Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) inmates with mobility and/or sensory impairments shall be issued two sets of thermals semimonthly, which will occur on the first and third Tuesday of every month. This will be in addition to the weekly thermal exchange currently conducted for all CRDF inmates.
NOTE: CRDF does not have a separate ADA housing location. The ADA inmate population accounts for less than one percent of CRDF’s inmate population.
CRDF Access to Care Bureau (ACB) staff will provide the CRDF laundry staff with a Mobility Impaired List of all known mobility and/or sensory impaired inmates. CRDF laundry will continue to review the Mobility Impaired List and have the inmates sign for receiving their two sets of thermals on a semimonthly basis. In addition, module personnel shall document the issuance of thermals to all ADA inmates under the additional information section of the e-UDAL and include the inmate’s name and booking number.
NOTE: Laundry personnel shall be responsible for delivering thermals to all modules that house ADA inmates.
Laundry Garments/Contaminated Articles
Heavily Saturated Garments
Laundry garments heavily saturated in blood or bodily fluids (urine, fecal matter, etc.,) shall be placed in a red biohazard bag. The biohazard bag shall be placed in the biohazard cage located on the dock area.
Contaminated, but not Heavily Saturated Garments
Laundry garments contaminated with blood, bodily fluids, lice, scabies, etc., but are NOT heavily saturated, shall be placed in canvas bags and placed inside a laundry cart with a “contaminated” label which also lists the collection date. The laundry carts can be covered with shrink wrap by CRDF laundry personnel if necessary and returned to PDC for laundering.
Dirty Linen from the Kitchen
Kitchen personnel shall ensure dirty towels, aprons, and other dirty/soiled linen from the kitchen are placed in a laundry bin identified for dirty laundry. Sworn personnel shall ensure these items are separated, placed in cloth bags, and moved to the dock area.
Releases
All County issued clothing shall be recovered prior to releasing an inmate. In the event an inmate in the process is without clothing of their own (soiled, misplaced, etc.), County issued clothing shall be made available according to need.
NOTE: Custody Personnel shall conduct frequent inspections to ensure inmates are not hoarding or destroying items, and that appropriate disciplinary measures are taken for violations of this order.
Revised 01/08/24
Revised 02/13/23
Revised 06/02/22
Revised 05/29/18