Transcript Detention Bureau Offender Programs Unit

Detention Bureau
Offender Programs Unit
Programs and Services provided to
Inmates housed in the
Fresno County Detention Facilities
Programs and Services
 Religious Services – All recognized religions are represented by
volunteers and Clergy members within the Fresno County
Community.
– 97 Different Religious Services are offered each week throughout the
Detention Facilities to all classification levels, males and females in
English and Spanish.
 Life Changing Classes – These classes utilize a faith based
Christian Protestant curriculum to provide adult offenders with
tools to make positive changes in their life.
– Offered to minimum security males and females in English and Spanish.
– Current participation levels are 79 males and 22 females.
AA/NA Meetings – These are 12-Step
programs focused on seeking recovery
from alcohol and drug dependency.
– 12 meetings offered each week in English
and Spanish to minimum and medium
security inmates.
– 50 males and 52 females currently attending
each week.
Celebrate Recovery – Utilizes a faith
based AA/NA curriculum focused on
seeking recovery from alcohol and drug
dependency.
– Offered to minimum and medium security
males and females in English.
– Current participation levels are 13 males
and 57 females.
 General Education Development (GED) –
Program focuses on completing the State
Equivalency Exam of High School Education.
– Classes are offered to minimum security males
and females.
– 15 males and 16 females currently attending each
week.
– 27 inmates have taken the GED exam this year
with a 44% passing rate. (12 inmates have
successfully passed the exam)
 English as a Second Language (ESL) – This
course is offered to Spanish speaking offenders
who wish to learn English.
– Offered to minimum security males and females.
– Current participation levels are 20 males and 1
female.
 Classes are provided through a contract with the
Fresno County Office of Education. Current
annual cost is $65,500.00
 Life Skills –Topics covered include budgeting, credit cards,
DMV forms and requirements, insurance, mortgages, etc.
– Classes are offered to minimum females.
– 23 females currently attending each week.
 Healthy Relationships – Focuses on making positive choices
in relationships.
Topics include domestic violence, gender roles and
stereotypes, communication and anger management.
– Offered to minimum security females.
– 19 females currently attending each week..
Health and Wellness – Focuses on
different components of well being such
as sexually transmitted diseases, birth
control, nutrition, self esteem and
domestic violence.
– Classes are offered to minimum females.
– 18 females currently attending each week.
Drug and Alcohol Education – Focuses
on the understanding of substance abuse
and the effects of different types of
drugs on the brain and body.
– Classes are offered to minimum security
males and females.
– 18 males and 17 females currently attending
each week.
Love Shouldn’t Hurt – Focuses on relationship
building. Topics will include communication
skills, handling emotions, problem solving,
destructive behaviors and being true to oneself.
– Classes are offered to minimum females.
– 39 females currently attending each week.
Family Ties – Focuses on building relationships
with partners, children and family.
– Classes are offered to minimum security males.
– 8 males currently attending each week.
Parenting Education – Covers various parenting topics
including; nurturing, discipline basics, improving a
child’s feelings of self worth, etc.
– Classes are offered to males and females who are minimum
and/or medium security.
– 34 females and 2 males currently attending each week.
Serve Safe – Educates inmates in basic food handling
and preparation. Certification offered for use upon
release to gain employment.
– Classes are offered to sentenced minimum security males and
females.
– 33 inmates have been enrolled with 25 completing the
certification. (75% success rate)
Social Workers assigned to the Offender
Programs Unit also conduct “One-Day”
Workshops for medium security males that
focus on a myriad of information. Some of
the topics covered include:
Employment
Domestic Violence
Finances
Parenting
Law Library Services
One full time Senior Library Assistant contracted through the Fresno
County Library to oversee the inmates acting in Propria Persona on the
criminal charges holding them in custody.
– Currently 13 inmates have access to the Law Library with space to
accommodate 16 inmates.
– Inmates receive 8 hours of Law Library time each week to conduct
their research.
– $76,000.00 spent on legal books and publications.
– Currently operating a “pilot program” providing pro-per inmates
with access to legal research software from LexisNexis through a
touch screen kiosk.
– Pursuing the possibility through the Fresno County Superior Court
to provide the LexisNexis system throughout the Detention
Facilities as an alternative to maintaining a physical Law Library.
Programs in Development
Partnership with Probation and Superior Court
of Fresno County to complete Addiction
Severity Index assessments with inmates who
may qualify for release to treatment programs.
Installation of seven (7) additional LexisNexis
Kiosk systems in the North Annex and Main Jail
housing floors to provide legal research
opportunities.
Other Duties Performed by Offender
Programs Unit Staff Members
• Inmate Marriages
(2-4 per week)
• Recreation Scheduling
• Fulfillment of inmate request slips
(180 per day on average)
• Distribution of Reading Glasses for indigent inmates
(20 pair per month on average)
• Distribution of Hygiene/Welfare packs for inmates
housed in discipline
(30 per week on average)
• Individual Needs Assessment and Follow Up
(98 per month on average)
All of these program opportunities
are afforded to the more than 42,000 individuals
who are booked into the Fresno County
Detention Facilities each year. Every inmate
housed in the Detention Facilities can request
program materials, classes, and assessment from
members of the Offender Programs Unit which
is funded by the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund.