May 27, 1997



Honorable William L. Gordon, Presiding Judge
Santa Barbara County Superior Court
1100 Anacapa Street
P.O. Box 21107
Santa Barbara, California 93121-1107

Board of Supervisors' Response to the 1996-97 Grand Jury Interim Final Report on Detention Facilities

Dear Judge Gordon:

At its regular meeting of May 27, 1997, the Board of Supervisors adopted the collective responses of the County department heads, as modified by the additional comments provided below, as the Board's response to the 1996-97 Grand Jury's interim final report on Detention Facilities. A copy of each departmental response is attached to this letter.

The additional Board comments are:

· Regarding Grand Jury recommendations #2b and 4 in Section C, Juvenile Facilities, the Board of Supervisors' funding of additional Probation staff will be considered during 1997-98 budget hearings. Such funding will depend upon the importance of competing needs in other priority areas and on the County's financial condition.

· Regarding Grand Jury recommendation #5 in Section D, Jails, AIDS/HIV testing is being provided to inmates who request the test but for whom the test is not clinically indicated. However, the Sheriff and Health Care Services (HCS) have decided that HCS, not Prison Health Services, should provide the test because HCS has persons on its staff who are certified to conduct AIDS counseling and education for persons in lower risk categories.
The Board greatly appreciates the work the Grand Jury did on this topic.

Sincerely,



TOM URBANSKE
Chair, Board of Supervisors

Attachments

cc: Patricia Fillippini, Grand Jury Foreperson