Prisons: security assessments.

Existing law establishes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and charges them with jurisdiction over the prisons and correctional institutions of the state, as specified. This bill would require the CDCR to conduct a security inspection and audit, as specified, of each facility that houses inmates at regular intervals to be determined by the CDCR. The bill would require the CDCR to develop a plan and take reasonable steps to remediate those deficiencies to the extent that resources are available. The bill would also require the CDCR to annually prepare a confidential report on deficiencies identified during the inspection and audit procedure and the remediation or planned remediation of those deficiencies. The report would be available for the inspection to Members of the Legislature, as specified. The bill would make information about the location, nature, and details of identified security deficiencies confidential and exempt from public disclosure requirements. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.