A RECENT monitor’s status report on the Department of Corrections’ ability to comply with a 1991 consent decree has revealed that DOC is still not up to standard.
The report was based on a recent site visit to DOC’s main facility in Mangilao and its facilities in Hagåtña.
The report focused on two areas: the installation of electronic locking/unlocking systems in the Adult Correction Facility; and the installation of a generator at the Hagåtña Detention Facility/Federal Detention Facility.
While touring the buildings in Hagåtña, the monitor noted that some of the remote locking and unlocking cells do not work and that a key is used manually to open and lock the cells.
With regards to the generator, the monitor reported that while the generator for the Hagåtña Detention Facility was operating normally, the generator for the Federal Detention Facility was not.
According to Joseph Mesa, DOC property and supply management officer, the locking/unlocking system project was still with the Department of Public Works “for the scope of work to be developed as required by the grant’s terms and conditions.”
A request was made by DPW to DOC to conduct an inventory of all existing locking mechanisms in housing units and areas that are frequented by prisoners as well as entrances and exits. The target completion date for the inventory was last Sunday.
Back in November of last year, DPW requested for maps and plans which they only received in March. Because of this, the target date of completion for the project was moved back because of the slow response in getting the maps and plans completed.
As for the generator, Mesa said this was also still with DPW as of April 27 and that a preparation for bid was to be put together. Once the document is completed, it will go through an administrative review process with other government agencies. This is expected to take up to 45 to 60 days to finish. The construction phase would take between 150 and 180 days to complete.
Mesa said the assessment of two surplus procured generator units was done in March. However, a certified power generation technician noted in his findings that one of the units was “inoperable and the other produced power below U.S. standards.”
