With The Zero Bail Order Expiring, What's Being Done To Protect Jails From Coronavirus?
AUBURN(CBS13) — In the small town of Auburn, people like Juliette Dubose are relieved the zero bail order will soon expire.
"People who got released, they went and did it again," Juliette said.
She says re-offenders caused some big headaches.
"There's real crimes that are being committed and people definitely took advantage of that especially during this time, especially in town there was a ton of robberies, ton of break-ins, ton of vandalism and nothing happened," she said.
Now, there's new concern surrounding the Auburn jail after 12 inmates and one correctional officer tested positive.
"We also have been conducting regular swabs and sending them to the lab," said Lieutenant Nelson Resendes with the Placer County Sheriff's Office.
At the Auburn jail, there are daily health screenings with staff and inmates, masks are worn, disinfecting is done every four hours and there are rotations for inmates to allow for social distancing.
"We only let half of the cells out at a time or even if it's in a unit where there are known infected inmates we only let them out one at a time," Lt. Resendes said.
At the San Joaquin County jail, orders have been made for disinfecting mist machines capable of instantly disinfecting large areas.
Transportation to court is being done in smaller groups instead of a bus. Sanitation is also at an all-time high and health screenings are a must among a laundry list of other health and safety enhancements.
"If you commit a crime you deserve to go to prison and you shouldn't be able to get out because of a virus," Juliette said.
Even when this order expires on June 20, the judicial council can bring it back if health conditions worsen or change.
