CH 07 Laundry

Washington County Sheriff's Office

CORRECTIONS DIVISION

Policy Manual

Volume: CH

Services and Programs

Chapter: 07

Laundry

Replaces and/or Supersedes:

CH 07 08/24/2009, CH 07 Review 2013-03-20

Published:

05/15/2019

Date Reviewed:

04/06/2021

Sheriff Cory C. Pulsipher

Chief Deputy Jake Schultz

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CH 07_101  Definitions

CH 07_102  References

CH 07_103  General

CH 07_104  Personal Clothing

CH 07_105  Laundry Issue

CH 07_106  Laundering

CH 07_107  Laundry Return

CH 07_108  Restitution

CH 07_109  Maintenance

CH 07_110  Hazardous Materials

CH 07_101  DEFINITIONS

1. WCSO:  Washington County Sheriff's Office
2. PCF:  Purgatory Correctional Facility
3. Inmate Uniform:  PCF-issued shirt and pant set.
4. Laundry Bag:  A nylon mesh bag with a draw string closure. The sole intended use is for laundering inmate laundry.
5. Property Bag:  A large duffel bag used by inmates for storage of property items.

CH 07_102  REFERENCES

1. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Standards:
   1. 2000-10
2. Utah Sheriff's Association Jail Standards:
   1. C03.01.01:  Policies and Procedures Required Governing the Ancillary Admission Functions
   2. C03.04.01:  General
   3. C03.04.03:  Laundering Inmate Clothing
   4. C03.04.06:  Jail-Issue Items
   5. G04.01.01:  Written Laundry Policies and Procedures Required
   6. G04.01.02:  Content
   7. G04.02.01:  General Requirements
   8. G04.02.02:  Laundering Newly Admitted Prisoners' Clothing
   9. G04.02.03:  Laundering Jail-Issued Items
   10. I01.03.03:  Laundry and Clothing Issue

CH 07_103  GENERAL

1. Policy:
   1. Inmates shall be provided clean clothing, bed sheets, blankets, and towels.
   2. Inmate clothing, bed sheets, blankets, and towels shall be laundered and/or exchanged on a regular basis.
   3. The supply of inmate clothing, bed sheets, blankets, and towels shall exceed the minimums required for the inmate population.
2. Rationale:
   1. It is in the best interest of PCF and the health and well being of inmates housed at PCF to ensure that inmates are provided with adequate and clean laundry.
   2. Minimum laundry needs cannot be met if there is not a sufficient supply.

CH 07_104  PERSONAL CLOTHING

1. Policy:
   1. Before storing inmates' personal clothing, the clothing:
      1. May be laundered if it is soiled;
      2. Shall be laundered if it is vermin-infested, foul smelling, or heavily soiled.
2. Rationale:
   1. Laundering of clothing helps the jail maintain a sanitary environment, reduces the likelihood of vermin infestation, and controls odors in the storage area. The need for laundering is more acute if the clothing is dirty, infested with vermin, or smells.

CH 07_105  LAUNDRY ISSUE

1. Policy:
   1. Inmates shall be required to exchange personal clothing for PCF clothing.
   2. Inmates shall be issued laundry items according to their classification status (reference policy: CG 05 Inmate Classification) and the current Property Matrix (reference policy: CG 04 Orientation and Rules).
   3. Inmates shall be provided temperature-appropriate clothing (e.g., warm coats for exterior inmate workers during cold weather).
2. Rationale:
   1. Clothing exchanges are important procedures to aid in the process of maintaining sanitation and cleanliness in the jail. Inmates are not legally entitled to wear their own personal clothing. Requiring inmates to wear jail clothing provides security benefits by:
      1. Preventing inmates from smuggling contraband into the general housing area hidden in their clothing;
      2. Making it more difficult for inmates to escape custody since they won't be able to blend in with non-inmates; and
      3. Making it more difficult for inmates who have fled custody to avoid recapture due to the distinctive and easily identifiable attire.

CH 07_106  LAUNDERING

1. Policy:
   1. Laundry items shall be laundered prior to re-issue.
   2. Clothing, bed sheets, blankets, and towels should be exchanged and/or laundered according to the current schedule set by the Laundry Unit. At a minimum:
      1. Inmates should be provided a supply and/or exchange for daily clean underwear and socks;
      2. Clothing other than underwear and socks should be laundered or exchanged at least twice per week;
      3. Bed sheets and towels should be laundered or exchanged at least once per week; and
      4. Blankets should be laundered at least once per month.
   3. Inmates on lockdown status or housed in Booking and A-Block, shall have clothing, bed sheets, and towels exchanged at least 3 times weekly.
   4. Inmates not on lockdown status and not housed in Booking, or A-Block shall have clothing, bed sheets, and towels laundered via inmate laundry bags.
   5. Blankets shall be laundered by laundry exchange for all inmates.
2. Rationale:
   1. The laundering schedule should be determined based on what it takes to maintain inmate and facility cleanliness and hygiene. The specific schedule is less important to the courts than the result. If the jail laundry procedures produce an environment which is unhealthy and results in sanitation problems or has a direct detrimental impact on the health and well being of the inmates, the jail will be more vulnerable to litigation. Courts have upheld laundering:
      1. Sheets and clothing once per week;
      2. Blankets before reissue or every few months if inmate is incarcerated for a long period.

CH 07_107  LAUNDRY RETURN

1. Policy:
   1. At time of release, each inmate shall return all PCF-issued laundry items.
   2. The inmate's property issue records should be reviewed for verification.
2. Rationale:
   1. Allowing inmates to keep jail laundry items after release would be too costly for PCF.

CH 07_108  RESTITUTION

1. Policy:
   1. In the event that a laundry item is missing, damaged, or destroyed, the inmate should be charged for restitution.
2. Rationale:
   1. Not holding inmates accountable for lost, damaged, or destroyed laundry items would encourage further abuse of laundry items.

CH 07_109  MAINTENANCE

1. Policy:
   1. The laundry drying machines, washing machines, and soap/bleach systems should be checked and maintained by professional technicians on a regular basis:
      1. Maintenance checks on washers and dryers should be scheduled at least two times per year; and
      2. Maintenance checks on soap/bleach systems should be scheduled at least one time every three months.
2. Rationale:
   1. Regular maintenance may help prevent costly repairs and/or replacement.

CH 07_110  HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

1. Policy:
   1. Any laundry item known to be contaminated or infected shall be handled as a hazardous material.
2. Rationale:
   1. Suspected hazardous material should be handled as hazardous material in order to avoid unnecessary risk.