Financing programs called into question by purchases made by prisoners in the canteen

Second of two parts. Read the first part here.

Inmates in Sonoma County fund their social and educational programs themselves through purchases in the prison cafeteria. But even as prices have risen for everything from deodorant and toothpaste to stamped envelopes and ramen, less and less of the revenue is spent on their welfare.

The fund currently has $1.35 million in assets and has been above the million-dollar mark for years. Sonoma County sheriff's officials argue that the balance is key to the long-term sustainability of the “volatile” fund. But critics say the concept of relying on inmates and their families to finance the jail's core programs is ethically questionable.

As in many prisons, the profits from prison shops go into a so-called Inmate Welfare Trust Fund. The Criminal Code of the State of California sets limits but also provides scope for spending.

In Sonoma County, spending from the fund, which is intended for educational, professional, legal and recreational services and needs, fell from $589,000 in the 2020-2021 fiscal year to $408,000 in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, according to annual audits.

Expenses went toward educational programs, staff salaries and benefits, books and media subscriptions, cable TV costs ($5,481 last year), staff training and conferences ($1,269 in 2022), and free phone cards during the Covid-19 lockdown. ($25,740 in 2021), office supplies, equipment, and sometimes unspecified maintenance.

In the last full fiscal year, which ends in 2023, the prison spent just $87,951 on inmate education, a quarter of which went to law library services, a constitutional right, not a privilege. The 2023 total is about 10% less than the $96,659 spent on education the previous year and nearly 40% less than the $142,866 spent from July 2020 to June 2021, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In contrast, last year $237,240 of the fund was spent on two positions in the district to coordinate programs for inmates.

Staffing shortages at jails since the pandemic have limited the ability to offer programs or even get inmates out of their cells. But the sheriff's office has made progress recently in hiring staff and said the improvements have extended to class offerings.

“Spending from the fund should not be interpreted as a measure of services provided,” the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office stated in a written response to a question from The Press Democrat. “The scope of programs has increased, but at a lower cost to the (Inmate Welfare Trust Fund). The Sheriff's Office has been able to accomplish this by leveraging other funding opportunities when possible, building partnerships with local, community-based organizations, and utilizing programs that have secured their own funding.”

Examples of programs that are free to the district or inmates include courses offered by Santa Rosa Junior College and Five Keys, a charter high school and vocational training provider, as well as some substance abuse disorder treatment services and planned puppy training and bicycle repair classes. Recently there was a music composition course, also in partnership with the Juilliard School and the jail's first job fair in July. An expanded tablet program with legal research resources and self-study courses on drug rehab, trauma healing and reintegration strategies has also reportedly led to cost savings. The sheriff's office said 236 people took one or more courses in July – about a third of the current jail population – and the courses are not all full.

Still, the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund had an ending balance of just over $1.35 million in 2023 and had a balance of over $1 million for eight consecutive years, and prison officials said there were “no plans to increase spending in a targeted manner.”

The reason, they say, is a matter of “capacity and management.” Operational factors such as the amount of suitable space for classes and staff and the availability of schedules limit the range of programs available. In addition, the sheriff’s office says, “foundation revenues are volatile and decline over time while costs increase.” For example, state regulatory changes in 2021 prevented jails from adding phone call surcharges to fund welfare foundations. In Sonoma County, phone calls, now costing seven cents per minute, previously cost more than 200% in additional fees.

“Because there is currently no demonstrable need for spending increases and there is no consistent or reliable revenue to offset the increased spending, a more conservative spending approach will keep the fund alive for a longer period of time,” the sheriff's office said.