a) Shift Coverage
There must be sufficient staff members to ensure a ratio of 1:8
staff per youth during waking hours and 1:16 during sleeping hours present in
the detention area, awake and alert at all times, to provide supervision while
youth are in custody.
1) No detention
facility shall have fewer than three persons on duty, except two staff persons
may be on duty and one on call when only male or female youth are detained
(e.g., when there are no female youth in detention, a female staff member must
be on immediate call and when there are no male youth in detention a male staff
member must be on immediate call.). On the midnight shift, two persons may be
on duty and one on call.
2) Staff
members shall maintain a record of visual contact with each youth no less than
once every 30 minutes; however, visual contact for youth on crisis status shall
be made at least once every 10 minutes. Crisis status is a determination made
by a mental health professional or other designated staff member to provide for
the safety of a youth experiencing crisis, including the designation of a
crisis level and implementation of an individualized Crisis Care Plan. Entries
shall show the time of checks by the staff member, signature and any relevant
remarks.
3) Supervision of youth
shall be constant. Responsibility for supervision of youth remains with staff
members. Non-staff persons, such as volunteers, should provide only that
supervision necessary to direct or to perform the specific activity for which
they are present.
4) Under the
following conditions, except in extreme circumstances, supervision shall be
provided by a person of the same gender:
A)
When procedures require physical contact or examination, such as strip
searches; and
B) During periods of
personal hygiene activities and care such as showers, toileting and related
activities.
5) The
standard in subsection (a)(4) does not prohibit the use of necessary force by a
staff member of a sex other than that of a youth.
b) Log Record
A shift log shall be maintained as a record of incidents and
activities, including supervisory checks, occurring on the shift.
c) Peer Supervision
No youth shall be allowed to have authority or disciplinary
control over another youth.
d) Night Hours
Designated lights-out time shall be determined by
administrative policy but shall not be set earlier than 10 p.m.
e) Public View
To the extent possible, detained youth shall be protected from
observation that reveals their individual identity.
f) Detention Room Observation Windows
Each detention room door shall be provided with an observation
window of at least 60 square inches, with the smaller dimension no less than 5
inches wide, to provide visual supervision of the room. All glass shall be wire
reinforced, heavy safety-type or high tempered, measuring at least one-fourth
inch thick.
