(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon determination by the correctional administrator that conditions in a jail facility warrant the necessity of releasing sentenced misdemeanor inmates prior to them serving the full amount of a given sentence due to lack of jail space, the board of supervisors of any county may authorize the correctional administrator to offer a program under which inmates committed to a county jail or other county correctional facility or granted probation, or inmates participating in a work furlough program, may be required to participate in an involuntary home detention program, which shall include electronic monitoring, during their sentence in lieu of confinement in the county jail or other county correctional facility or program under the auspices of the probation officer. Under this program, one day of participation shall be in lieu of one day of incarceration. Participants in the program shall receive any sentence reduction credits that they would have received had they served their sentences in a county correctional facility.

(b) The board of supervisors may prescribe reasonable rules and regulations under which an involuntary home detention program may operate. The inmate shall be informed in writing that they shall comply with the rules and regulations of the program, including, but not limited to, the following rules:

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(1) The participant shall remain within the interior premises of their residence during the hours designated by the correctional administrator.

(2) The participant shall admit any probation officer or other peace officer designated by the correctional administrator into their residence at any time for purposes of verifying the participant’s compliance with the conditions of their detention.

(3) The use of electronic monitoring may include global positioning system devices or other supervising devices for the purpose of helping to verify their compliance with the rules and regulations of the home detention program. The devices shall not be used to eavesdrop or record any conversation, except a conversation between the participant and the person supervising the participant which is to be used solely for the purposes of voice identification.

(4) The correctional administrator in charge of the county correctional facility from which the participant was released may, without further order of the court, immediately retake the person into custody to serve the balance of their sentence if the electronic monitoring or supervising devices are unable for any reason to properly perform their function at the designated place of home detention, if the person fails to remain within the place of home detention as stipulated in the agreement, or if the person for any other reason no longer meets the established criteria under this section.

(c) Whenever the peace officer supervising a participant has reasonable cause to believe that the participant is not complying with the rules or conditions of the program, or that the electronic monitoring devices are unable to function properly in the designated place of confinement, the peace officer may, under general or specific authorization of the correctional administrator, and without a warrant of arrest, retake the person into custody to complete the remainder of the original sentence.

(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the correctional administrator to allow a person to participate in this program if it appears from the record that the person has not satisfactorily complied with reasonable rules and regulations while in custody. A person shall be eligible for participation in a home detention program only if the correctional administrator concludes that the person meets the criteria for release established under this section and that the person’s participation is consistent with any reasonable rules and regulations prescribed by the board of supervisors or the administrative policy of the correctional administrator.

(1) The rules and regulations and administrative policy of the program shall be written and reviewed on an annual basis by the county board of supervisors and the correctional administrator. The rules and regulations shall be given to or made available to any participant upon request.

(2) The correctional administrator, or their designee, shall have the sole discretionary authority to permit program participation as an alternative to physical custody. All persons referred or recommended by the court to participate in the home detention program pursuant to subdivision (e) who are denied participation or all persons removed from program participation shall be notified in writing of the specific reasons for the denial or removal. The notice of denial or removal shall include the participant’s appeal rights, as established by program administrative policy.

(e) The court may recommend or refer a person to the correctional administrator for consideration for placement in the home detention program. The recommendation or referral of the court shall be given great weight in the determination of acceptance or denial. At the time of sentencing or at any time that the court deems it necessary, the court may restrict or deny the defendant‘s participation in a home detention program.

(f) The correctional administrator may permit home detention program participants to seek and retain employment in the community, attend psychological counseling sessions or educational or vocational training classes, or seek medical and dental assistance. Willful failure of the program participant to return to the place of home detention not later than the expiration of any period of time during which they are authorized to be away from the place of home detention pursuant to this section and unauthorized departures from the place of home detention are punishable as provided in Section 4532.

(g) As used in this section, “correctional administrator” means the sheriff, probation officer, or director of the county department of corrections.

(h) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the correctional administrator shall provide the information specified in paragraph (2) regarding persons on involuntary home detention to the Corrections Standards Authority, and upon request, shall provide that information to the law enforcement agency of a city or unincorporated area where an office is located to which persons on involuntary home detention report.

(2) The information required by paragraph (1) shall consist of the following:

(A) The participant’s name, address, and date of birth.

(B) The offense committed by the participant.

(C) The period of time the participant will be placed on home detention.

(D) Whether the participant successfully completed the prescribed period of home detention or was returned to a county correctional facility, and if the person was returned to a county correctional facility, the reason for that return.

(E) The gender and ethnicity of the participant.

(3) Any information received by a police department pursuant to this subdivision shall be used only for the purpose of monitoring the impact of home detention programs on the community.

(i) It is the intent of the Legislature that home detention programs established under this section maintain the highest public confidence, credibility, and public safety. In the furtherance of these standards, the following shall apply:

(1) The correctional administrator, with the approval of the board of supervisors, may administer a home detention program pursuant to written contracts with appropriate public or private agencies or entities to provide specified program services. No public or private agency or entity may operate a home detention program in any county without a written contract with that county’s correctional administrator. However, this does not apply to the use of electronic monitoring by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation as established in Section 3004. No public or private agency or entity entering into a contract may itself employ any person who is in the home detention program.

(2) Program acceptance shall not circumvent the normal booking process for sentenced offenders. All home detention program participants shall be supervised.

(3) (A) All privately operated home detention programs shall be under the jurisdiction of, and subject to the terms and conditions of the contract entered into with, the correctional administrator.

(B) Each contract shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(i) A provision whereby the private agency or entity agrees to operate in compliance with any available standards promulgated by state correctional agencies and bodies, including the Corrections Standards Authority, and all statutory provisions and mandates, state and county, as appropriate and applicable to the operation of home detention programs and the supervision of sentenced offenders in a home detention program.

(ii) A provision that clearly defines areas of respective responsibility and liability of the county and the private agency or entity.

(iii) A provision that requires the private agency or entity to demonstrate evidence of financial responsibility, submitted and approved by the board of supervisors, in amounts and under conditions sufficient to fully indemnify the county for reasonably foreseeable public liability, including legal defense costs, that may arise from, or be proximately caused by, acts or omissions of the contractor. The contract shall provide for annual review by the correctional administrator to ensure compliance with requirements set by the board of supervisors and for adjustment of the financial responsibility requirements if warranted by caseload changes or other factors.

(iv) A provision that requires the private agency or entity to provide evidence of financial responsibility, such as certificates of insurance or copies of insurance policies, prior to commencing any operations pursuant to the contract or at any time requested by the board of supervisors or correctional administrator.

(v) A provision that permits the correctional administrator to immediately terminate the contract with a private agency or entity at any time that the contractor fails to demonstrate evidence of financial responsibility.

(C) All privately operated home detention programs shall comply with all appropriate, applicable ordinances and regulations specified in subdivision (a) of Section 1208.

(D) The board of supervisors, the correctional administrator, and the designee of the correctional administrator shall comply with § 1090 of the Government Code in the consideration, making, and execution of contracts pursuant to this section.

(E) The failure of the private agency or entity to comply with statutory provisions and requirements or with the standards established by the contract and with the correctional administrator may be sufficient cause to terminate the contract.

(F) Upon the discovery that a private agency or entity with whom there is a contract is not in compliance pursuant to this paragraph, the correctional administrator shall give 60 days’ notice to the director of the private agency or entity that the contract may be canceled if the specified deficiencies are not corrected.

(G) Shorter notice may be given or the contract may be canceled without notice whenever a serious threat to public safety is present because the private agency or entity has failed to comply with this section.

(j) Inmates participating in this program shall not be charged fees or costs for the program.

(k) For purposes of this section, “evidence of financial responsibility” may include, but is not limited to, certified copies of any of the following:

(1) A current liability insurance policy.

(2) A current errors and omissions insurance policy.

(3) A surety bond.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 218, Sec. 6. (SB 852) Effective January 1, 2024.)