Chapter 1.24 — PRISONER LABOR

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and terms shall be defined as follows:

"Labor" means any physical or mental activity or work directed toward the production of services or goods.

"Prisoner" means any person confined in the County Jail, industrial farm, road camp, or similar restrictive county facility under a final judgment of imprisonment rendered in a criminal action or proceeding or as a condition of probation after suspension of execution of a sentence.

"Public works or ways" means any project or improvement constructed or maintained by the county and including, but not limited to, parks, buildings, paths, roads, streets, expressways, reservoirs, canals, and sewers.

(Ord. 195 § 1, 1971)

Any or all prisoners may be compelled to labor upon the public works or ways of the county subject to the conditions provided in this chapter. (Ord. 195 § 2, 1971)

• A. Direction of Labor. The board of supervisors, through the sheriff, shall direct the projects, locations and times for performance of the labor provided for by this chapter.

• B. Good Physical Condition. No prisoner who is physically or mentally unable to labor to the extent that it would pose a damage to his or her well-being may be compelled to labor. Any question of the exemption from labor of a prisoner shall be determined by the sheriff after consultation with available medical personnel.

• C. Prisoners Under Guard. The labor provided for by this chapter shall be performed under security and guard regulations as shall be enacted by the sheriff. The regulations shall include provision for the keeping of time books which will show daily the names of the prisoners required to work under this chapter and the exact hours of their labor.

• (Ord. 195 § 3, 1971)

The sheriff may, in his or her discretion, compensate or permit the compensation of such prisoners for labor in an amount not to exceed one dollar and fifty cents per day and to pay said sum in accordance with the provisions of Section 273 H of the Penal Code of the state. (Ord. 75 § 2, 1959)