Mendota Municipal Code Ch. 1.24 Prisoners

This chapter shall apply to all prisoners described in Section 1.24.020, whether confined by virtue of a judgement, a condition of a probationary order or otherwise, and whether such confinement results from a separate, consecutive or concurrent sentence or other orders of imprisonment. Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to inhibit or prevent an appropriate court from imposing such other and further conditions of imprisonment as may be necessary and proper, nor from exempting any person from all or any of the provisions of this chapter as it may deem proper in any order of probation or suspended sentence which it may make from time to time.

(Prior code § 18.01.002)

All persons imprisoned in the county jail of the county of Fresno or in any city jail of the city upon a conviction resulting from a violation of any provisions of this code shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter and shall be required to work on public works of the city within or without the corporate limits thereof, including work on public streets, parks, sewer, farms, airports and other public works of the city.

(Prior code § 18.01.001)

The work provided for in this chapter shall be a part of the regular governmental discipline of prisoners confined for violations of this code.

(Prior code § 18.01.003)

The work provided for in this chapter shall be under the direction and control of the city manager of the city, providing that the administration of this chapter and the guarding and supervision of prisoners working on public works may be by him delegated to other members of the police department of the city, constables of the county of Fresno, the sheriff of the county of Fresno and his deputies and any other peace officer of the state of California, whether such local, township, county or state officers be regular or special officers. (Amended during 1995 codification; prior code § 18.01.004)

At all times during the performance of such work, such prisoners shall be in the custody of one or more of the officers enumerated in Section 1.24.040.

(Prior code § 18.01.005)

The chief of police or such other person to whom he may delegate the duties referred to in Section 1.24.040 is authorized to and shall daily from among the prisoners so confined, select such number thereof as he may deem expedient for the labor to be performed upon such day and require them to so engage in said work.

(Prior code § 18.01.006)

No prisoner shall be required to work when it manifestly appears that he or she is physically unfit to do so, nor shall any prisoner work longer than eight hours in any one day, nor shall any prisoner labor on Saturday afternoons or Sundays, except in case of urgent necessity.

(Prior code § 18.01.007)

No female prisoner shall be required to work, nor shall she work, unless she be in the custody and under the supervision at all times during such work and labor of a female officer or deputized matron otherwise meeting the requirements of Section 1.24.040.

(Prior code § 18.01.008)

The chief of police shall procure and use such means as he shall deem necessary for the security of all prisoners engaged in such work under his charge and may prescribe and administer such rules and regulations as shall be deemed necessary to keep good order among the prisoners, to compel them to do their work and to encourage their application to such work, including a system of credits for good time served, which credits may consist of a reduction of the time of sentence not to exceed the rate of five days for each thirty (30) days of time ordered by the court to be served.

(Prior code § 18.01.009)

No person without the permission of the chief of police or the officer in charge of the city jail shall communicate with any prisoner or person detained within the city jail or carry any letter, writing, literature or reading matter to or from any prisoner or person detained therein.

(Prior code § 18.02.001)

No person shall communicate with any prisoner or person detained by the city police while outside the city jail on a work detail or lawful errand or take to or from any such prisoner or person any letter, writing, literature or reading material without the permission of the chief of police or the officer in charge of the prisoner on such lawful errand or work detail.

(Prior code § 18.02.002)