"The strip searches, which are at the sheriff's discretion, are part of an effort to "stem the flow of contraband into our jails," said Tara Moriarty, the sheriff's spokesperson. "We are enforcing our longstanding policy on a more regular, frequent basis for any incarcerated person who has a contact visit," said Moriarty. The sheriff's policy has not changed, Moriarty said, adding that sworn staff were notified of this change in enforcement."
"The San Francisco Sheriff's Department Custody and Court Operations Policy Manual states that incarcerated people may be strip searched before and after "contact visits" - essentially, any in-person meeting. It does not specify guidelines for legal visits. While a visit from a lawyer is technically a contact visit and the manual doesn't have a separate category for legal visits, local attorneys said they had never before heard of inmates being strip-searched after speaking to attorneys."
"Attorneys worry the new practice will have a "chilling" effect on incarcerated people exercising their constitutional right to meet with counsel. Already, attorneys said, some were opting not to meet with lawyers to avoid the strip searches. Angela Chan, the city's assistant chief public defender, said a number of her office's clients have already turned down legal visits. The practice, she said, would likely have a "disproportionate impact" on women, transgender people and people who have experienced sexual assault."
San Francisco sheriff's deputies have begun routinely strip-searching incarcerated people after contact visits, including meetings with attorneys. The sheriff's office frames the practice as enforcement of a longstanding policy to stem the flow of contraband, and staff received notice of increased enforcement. The department manual permits strip searches before and after contact visits but does not set separate guidelines for legal visits. Local defense attorneys reported that they had not previously encountered post-attorney-visit strip searches and said the practice is deterring some clients from accepting in-person legal visits. Advocates warned of disproportionate effects on women, transgender people, and sexual assault survivors. Phone consultations remain an alternative.
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