Strip Searches

[Metro174]

Where I am we have a centralized booking facility called Central Booking (I know redundant). It is a state run facility not run by any police department. All arrestees go there to be processed and see a court commissioner.

All the time that this facilty has been open ALL prisoners were strip searched regardless of the crime. While there to book an arrestee I have seen where they have recovered some unique items from some unusual places on prisoners.

The state of Maryland was sued by two people over this policy and now (as of last week)they no longer do strip searches. While the prisoner is still searched it is done clothed. After the search they now must walk thorugh metal detectors. Several of the C/O's seem there feel this is a safety issue for them and I am inclined to agree. Some of these prisoners wind up staying for extended periods of time awaiting trial or due to having no bail. What are your thoughts?

[Darkwulfe]

My thoughts... are different then what most policy's state. I beleive everyone, I mean everyone should be strip searched before being housed wether they are pre-trial detainees or convicted felons. That way you cannot be accused of singling anyone out. It also promotes the safety and security of the facility. But... in most facilities this is not allowed. In ours, you could only strip search if you had a reason to beleive that had contraband on their person. The only other time we did them was during cell searches.

[wonderwoman]

I agree... everyone in custody to be stripsearched upon admission and whenever suspicion warrants !!! The first time someone commits suicide they will change that rule I would bet!!!

[Metro174]

That's what I'm thinking too WW. Or when a C/O gets attacked God forbid.

[Tackleberry]

In PA., and at my facility people are strip searched dependant on their charges. For example if you've never been to jail before and it is just parking tickets, you get no strip search just a pat. However any person who in our facility is "orange carded" meaning given an orange id for "no strip" and or a blue id "strip" and acts suspicious or gives us probable cause we can then strip search. Also it is very, very rare that we do not strip a person upon entering the facility as I said it is rare. Even if that person is in for tickets and if he answers say "yes" to ever trying drugs or "yes" to ever harming himself that person then gave us PC to make him a strip. These pre-booking, Pre-strip questions are always asked. I would say 99% of the time we just look at the person's charges and can tell immediately if that person is a strip or not. I've even said to inmates who's charges are otherwise non-strips..."Cummon you've never tried pot ever?? Even in High School? I know I've experimented???" This usually always ends with..."maybe just once". Now this person has just given us the PC we need to make him a strip! Our SGT. always says to us "EVERYONE GETS STRIPPED IN OUR JAIL!", "WE WILL FIND THE PC SOMEWHERE TO DO IT!". Like I said it is very rare not to.


Tac
1*

[Metro174]

That brings me to another question Tackleberry. How in the world do you get arrested for parking tickets? Here you just get your registration flagged and can't renew until they are paid along with penalties.

[gazza]

in victoria we strip search all prisoners in our custody as soon as the police drop them of ,before and after contact visits,and any other time we deem necessary ie- suspicion of drugs,weapons etc.we are also given a list in the morn to strip search a number of crims, this is computer generated every day the officers in prisoner units are expected to strip search identified drug users every day as well at any time there could be up to 3-6 idu in a unit on box visits the prisoner is only given a pat down unless he is targeted all strips are allways done by 2 male officers unless staff limitations cause a problem we then use a f/male officer with a male officer.We also have the right to strip search prisoners visitors if they are suspect, they are given access to the prison proper this is done on visits days they are then approached by an officer in company of another officer and asked if they would consent to a strip search,this is allways done by officers of the same gender as the visitor,the suprising thing is most agree to the search,if they decline they are banned from entering a prison for up to 12 months and then they must apply for re-entry still like in most prisons as much as you try things still get in hope this gives you a bit of an insight metro stay safe people http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by gazza (edited 07-13-2001).]

[Tackleberry]

At first when issued a parking ticket it is just a summary offense, really it's not even that but if you pay the $5.00 fee no prob! You see people out there get a ton of parking tickets and fail to respond. It goes from 5,15,50,75 then it becomes a criminal citation and a warrant is issued for your arrest. They then become close to $100.00 each without constable's fees and court costs. A guy I booked last week had over $3000.00 in unpaid parking tickets and was ordered to pay in full or spend 60days in jail. He didn't have any money so jail is where he went. The funny thing is in our county we charge $10 a day for incarceration. The county collections dept. will bill him when he gets out, failure to pay can lead again to arrest and incarceration! I deal with good people all the time who their only crime is a parking ticket, when they cry their eyes out to me there is nothing I can do. I tell everyone I know who gets a parking ticket not to take them lightly and just pay it immediately. We have meter maids in our city who get paid just to issue parking tickets. Heck they even ticketed the marked county corrections vehicle for parking in an unauthorized area, of course they get taken care of, we now have special credit cards to disable the meters for transports because of it. I once got harrassed by a meter maid while on duty in the corrections van for expired inspection. She said "Can I see you ID??" I said "Nope!" She said "your failing to identify?" I said my ID is on the side of the van if she needs it and I gave her my dept. telephone number. She said since I was the operator I would get the ticket for expired inspection, I said that may be but I'm on offical duty and your not the police. I'm leaving and you can call them if you like. I then left. She contacted the police. They pretty much laughed at her. I spoke with the officer later who told her, he's on offical duty and your issuing a county ticket to a county employee who's boss is just going to not pay it anyway because their the one's getting the money, do you see what I'm talking about? He told her this is why the meter people get no respect from us or breaks when they mess up. Geez!!! Talk about badge heavy!!!


Peace!

Tac
1*

[SemperFi]

The general shower/strip search should be the routine for any incarceration that involves transfer into a housing unit.

The simple arrests can get out as soon as the bond is posted, so they never go back to the showers.

Not fully searching is how contraband gets to the inside population. Bad policy that leads to all kinds of problems. It is hard enough to catch it all when all inmates get really checked.

[Z28CBR]

Not to change the subject started here, but Tack what happens if I borrowed your car and got a parking ticket....and never told you about it? The warrant is issued for you when it gets that far?
Here in my area the registered owners car can be towed by the Sheriff, and it can be any car the Registered owner may own, it doesn't have to be the one that got the ticket. To get the car back you pay all the tickets and now the towing fee and storage fee, etc.

Wear your vest, wear your seatbelt.

[Tackleberry]

The registered owner is responsible for the tickets plain and simple. The owner of the car's registration is the address where the warrants are sent or any other paperwork. There is no excuse once it reaches the point of an arrest warrant not to contact the DJ's office and take care of any mistake if there was one. Once you are arrested and brought before the DJ any excuse you have is futile at this point, they don't want to hear it! Unless you moved and did not notify or receive, you have no excuse. We've had plenty of people committed because a friend or family member got the ticket by using that person's car. In the end the person owning the car is responsible to take care of the tickets or let the DJ know of the mistake.


Tac
1*

[JKT]

OK, back on topic :cool:

We used to strip-search EVERYONE. Then, one day, a female was brought in on a traffic warrant and strip-searched, according to policy.

Weeeell, she sued (since she got out shortly after her arrival) that she was degraded, humiliated and treated like an animal and a criminal.

She took us to federal court over this. And won. The judge listened to all the evidence, including how she acted upon her arrival at our facility (like an idiot), decided in her favor and awarded her a cash award (she was suing for a million dollars-of course), are you ready for this? A cash award in the amount of............ $1.00 :eek:

Yep, that's right, a buck!! Seemslike the judge felt that although her suit was justified, her behavior was only worth a buck. :cool:

Now, we strip-search only on suspicion of contraband (on incoming arrestees). Also, everyone that is brought in is "dressed out" in jail clothing as a matter of policy. Their outer garments are removed an replaced with issued clothing. ;) Anyone staying with us for more than a day or two gets strip-searched as part of the classification process, when the rest of their clothes are taken away (underwear). They can purchase underwear and socks through the inmate commissary. (That's a whole 'nother thread for another day)

Also, strip-searches are conducted as part of cell searches (shakedowns), and as a matter of routine for ANY working inmates returning to their cells (housing), no matter where they were working (kitchen, laundry, outside, etc)

I think that about covers it.


BTW, the lamest thing I have ever booked someone on is "fishing without a license". He got the ticket when he was 16 and got arrested on te warrant when he was 18. :rolleyes: (And traffic tickets, including parking tickets are in there, too.)

[ 07-18-2001: Message edited by: JKT ]