Section 2602.130  Supervision

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.