DATE: September 22, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Margaret Mims, Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator
SUBJECT: Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Annual Report
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Accept annual report of expenditures from the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund for FY 2019-20.
REPORT
The Sheriff Office has responsibility for the maintenance of the Inmate Welfare Fund (IWF). Revenue for the fund is derived from the sale of commissary items to the inmates, commissions from pay telephones used by the inmates and interest earned on the fund balance. Penal Code section 4025 requires that an itemized report of IWF expenditures be submitted annually to the Board of Supervisors. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. During FY 2019-20, the IWF generated revenue in the amount of $4,269,691 and expenditures equaled $3,271,243. Available fund balance as of June 30, 2020 was $11,016,386 as shown in Attachment A.
DISCUSSION:
The IWF money earned through commissions on inmate telephone calls, inmate purchase of commissary items and interest earned by the IWF balance is expended by the Sheriff primarily for the benefit, education, and welfare of the inmates and may be expended for the maintenance of County jail facilities. Maintenance of County jail facilities may include, but is not limited to, the salary and benefits of personnel used in the programs to benefit the inmates. This includes, but is not limited to, education, drug and alcohol treatment, library services, accounting, and other programs deemed appropriate by the Sheriff. The inmate welfare funds cannot be used to pay required County expenses of confining inmates in a local detention system, such as meals, clothing, housing, or medical services or expenses. However, inmate welfare funds may be used to augment those required County expenses as determined by the Sheriff...
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