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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12082015 - PR.1RECOMMENDATION(S): ACCEPT the 2014-2015 Annual Report from the Contra Costa County Juvenile Justice-Delinquency Prevention Commission. FISCAL IMPACT: No fiscal impact. Informational only BACKGROUND: Section 229 of the welfare and Institutions Code mandates that each county have a Juvenile Justice Commission to inquire into the administration of juvenile court law. The code also allows each county to have a Delinquency Prevention Commission at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors. Contra Costa County has such a Commission with the latter established in 1966. The Commission has access to all publicly administered institutions authorized by the County. It annually inspects jails, lock-ups, institutions and bi-annually county group home facilities. The purpose of the Juvenile Justice-Delinquency Prevention Commission is to be a public conscience in the best interest of justice for children and youth. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: The Board of Supervisors will not receive the Juvenile Justice-Delinquency Prevention Commissions annual report for fiscal year 2014-2015. APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 12/08/2015 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Harvey Samuels 925-313-4188 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: December 8, 2015 David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: Stephanie L. Mello, Deputy cc: PR.1 To:Board of Supervisors From:Philip F. Kader, County Probation Officer Date:December 8, 2015 Contra Costa County Subject:2014-2015 Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission Annual Report CLERK'S ADDENDUM The Commission is seeking applicants to fill open positions, both adult and youth. Please visit http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/2335/Juvenile-Justice-Commission for more information. ACCEPTED the report; and REFERRED the matter of greater investment and operation of latchkey programs to cover the critical hours of 3:00 to 6:00 p.m to the Public Protection Committee. ATTACHMENTS FY 2014/15 JJDPC Annual Report CONTRA COSTA COUNTY JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMISSION AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION COMMISSION 50 Douglas Drive, Suite 201 Martinez, California 94553-8500 (925) 313-4188 Date: November, 17, 2015 To: Honorable Barry Goode, Presiding Superior Court Judge Honorable Lois M. Haight, Presiding Juvenile Court Judge Karen Mitchoff, Chairperson, and Members of the CCC Board of Supervisors Philip Kader, Contra Costa County Chief Probation Officer Kathy Gallagher, Director of Employment and Human Services Department David Twa, County Administrator of Contra Costa County Dr. William B. Walker, Director, Contra Costa County Health Services Department Nat Reed, BSCC Field Representative for Contra Costa County Probation Department From: Karl Livengood and Harvey Samuels, Co-Chairpersons Subject: Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014-2015 _____________________________________________________________________________________ Section 229 of the Welfare and Institutions Code mandates that each county have a Juvenile Justice Commission to inquire into the administration of juvenile court law. The code also allows each county to have a Delinquency Prevention Commission at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors. Contra Costa County has such a Commission with the latter established in 1966. The Commission has access to all publicly administered institutions authorized by the county. It annually inspects jails, lockups, institutions and bi-annually county group home facilities. Following each inspection, reported findings and recommendations are submitted to the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge and others for review. The Commission also visits Juvenile Court and may hold hearings on matters concerning juvenile custody care or facilities. Members frequently visit Juvenile Hall and the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility (“OAYRF”). The Juvenile Court Judge may issue subpoenas requiring attendance and testimony of witnesses and production of documents at the hearings. The Commission is concerned with policy matters, advises the Juvenile Court, and is responsible for policy-making recommendations. It makes recommendations for administrative body changes it determines beneficial to juvenile justice, and it ensures that the changes are appropriate, safe and include adequate services. The Commission may conduct studies including: review of essential services and budgets to ensure relevant and effective probation services; exploration of matters initiated by commissioners or referred by the Juvenile Court Judge, the Probation Department, the Board of Supervisors, or citizen inquiry. The purpose of the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission is to be a public conscience in the best interest of justice for children and youth. Membership There are 15 member positions on the commission, all appointed by the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court. Each commissioner serves a four-year term unless filling the unexpired term of a resigned commissioner. At least two commissioners must be youth members. The Commission attempts to reflect the racial, ethnic diversity and geographic representations of the county. During FY 2013-14 we had 13 commissioners, however during FY 2014/15 we lost several of our younger members due to attendance at colleges here and abroad. We also had one member move out of state. We were able to recruit at least one more prior to the end of the FY bringing our total to 9 members in the following geographic areas: Lafayette - 1 Richmond - 3 San Ramon - 2 Walnut Creek - 3 As stated above, the Commission continues to experience problems in recruiting and retaining youth commissioner vacancies that are able to serve more than one year. We are actively pursuing eligible youth and adult persons with a focus on east and west county. During FY 2014/15, the Commission developed two standing committees (internal and external) that includes several subcommittees. Commissioners are required to participate in at least two standing sub-committees as well as perform inspections and other duties as required. Meetings The Commission meets regularly on the third Monday of every month at 5:30 pm. There is no monthly meeting scheduled in August. The January and February meetings are held on the fourth Monday, due to federal holidays. Meetings are normally held in the Second floor conference room of the Probation Department at 50 Douglas Drive, Martinez and are open to the public. To conduct official business at these monthly meetings, a quorum of members is required. At the monthly meetings, reports are received from representatives of the Juvenile Court and Juvenile Probation. Employment and Human Services Department and Children's Mental Health reports are presented bi-monthly (representation of these two Departments has been infrequent). Reports from other agencies may be requested by the Commission as required. On June 28, 2014, during our annual retreat, the by-laws and committees structure and types were revised and goals and objectives for FY 2014-15 were developed to streamline processes and become more effective. This includes creating liaisons between the Commission and county departments and/or community based organizations and law enforcement offices throughout the county. Special Programs Once a year, the Commission endeavors to recognize individuals, groups and organizations that have contributed to juvenile justice or delinquency prevention in a significant way. The Commission hosts an awards ceremony in May to recognize those individuals and call attention to their outstanding work in helping the County’s juvenile population. On May 16, 2015, the JJ/DPC held their 27th annual awards ceremony at IBEW Local 32 Hall in Martinez. Funds for lunch were made available by the Juvenile Hall Auxiliary. FY 2014-15, recipients of the awards were: Outstanding Service/Contribution by a Juvenile Probation Officer: Award Winner: R J Dutra, Deputy Probation Officer Certificate: La Sha Hill, Deputy Probation Officer Outstanding Service/Contribution by a County Mental Health Worker: Award Winner: Amanda Kuzio, Mental Health Worker, Contra Costa County Outstanding Service/Contribution by a Law Enforcement Officer: Award Winner: Tamra Roberts, Detective, Concord Police Department Certificate: Delon Jackson, Detective, Richmond Police Department Certificate: Ray Hernandez, Officer, Richmond Police Department Outstanding Service/Contribution by a Community Adult Volunteer: Award Winner: Brian Clark, Principal, Prospects High School, Antioch Outstanding Service/Contribution by a Community Youth Volunteer: Award Winner: Sabrina Santander, Student, St. Ignatius School Outstanding Service/Contribution by a Non-Profit Organization: Award Winner: Rotary Club of Moraga Outstanding Service/Contribution by a Community-Based Organization: Award Winner: The RYSE Center, Richmond, CA Certificate: The City of San Pablo Youth Services Division Juvenile Offender Success Story: Award Winners: Mark Dizon and Kris Pham Inspections Part of the Commission's mandated purpose is to conduct annual inspections of the juvenile facilities within the County. These include lock up facilities as well as group homes and treatment programs. Following each inspection a report is written by the inspection team and submitted to the presiding judge of the juvenile court and others for review. During the first six months of this reporting period, we developed clear protocols for inspecting facilities as well as our core list of those facilities requiring inspection. During FY 2014-15 11 facilities (combination of facilities) were due to be inspected. Of those, 8 inspections were completed. The number of inspections varies considerably from year to year since group homes are inspected every other year. Guests The Commission always welcomes guests to their meetings. In FY 2014-15, on October 20, 2015, Michael Bush from Board of State and Community Corrections, provided training on how to conduct thorough and effective inspections and the operations of their department. Areas of Interest As stated in past reports, the Commission has been concerned with the lack of in-custody disposition options for juveniles with mental health illness. Orin Allen Ranch administrators, nursing staff and the juvenile hall administration met with County Behavioral Health to develop a plan for implementing dispensing of medications at the ranch. The commissioners were pleased that the County Behavioral Health and the Probation Department developed a pilot program for youth receiving medications who have not previously been able to be placed at Orin Allen. The pilot program officially started on May 12, 2015 with low side effect medications. Juveniles who were on beta blockers or non-psychotropic medications and more serious medications were not included in this pilot program but would be included over time as systems when are successfully put into place. The commission will continue to monitor the implimentation of this program since much effort has gone into its planning. By making perscribed medications available to youth placed at the ranch. now opens the ranch’s rehabilitation program to them. Before, they were excluded. Events of Interest During FY 2014-15, the following events involving the Commission are worthy of mentioning. In order for the public to become more familiar with the Commission, we created a Public Relations role. Our goals are to keep the public informed of what the Commissions are charged with and recruit for membership. In an effort to meet this goal, on April 2, 2015, Commissioner Ron Shaw interviewed with KPFA on the Andres Sota show. We have been bringing our website up to date. This will be another avenue for the public to learn more about the Commission. On April 30, 2015, the Commission mailed a letter to Senator Leno regarding his proposed legislation SB 124. The Commission supported the position of decreasing solitary confinement for juveniles to a maximum of four hours but expressed concern for modifying membership qualifications; the requirement of two members must have current or past child/ren in the justice system and one member must be licensed therapist. It is challenging for the Commission to retain a diverse membership and we feel that this would limit our ability to meet this goal. Conclusions The Commission’s mission is to reduce the delinquent population and keep youth out of the juvenile justice system by: 1. Sponsoring and participating in diversion and prevention activities that steer youth away from entering the juvenile justice system. 2. Supporting programs and systems that can assist youth with mental health and substance abuse issues that may eventually lead to involvement or re-involvement in the juvenile justice system. 3. Promoting education and training for the youth who are involved in the Juvenile Justice System so that they might become responsible citizens, leaving their delinquency behind and becoming successful in completion of their probation as they return and live in their communities. The Commission continues to work closely with the Probation staff, other youth serving agencies and County organizations to advance and promote innovative delinquency prevention programs. The Commission is fortunate to have a positive relationship with the Juvenile Court Judges and the dedicated staff of the Juvenile Probation Department. During these past years, the Commission has worked diligently to create an opportunity for its’ commissioners (new and tenured) to be an asset in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. Juvenile Justice/Delinquency Prevention Commission Meetings 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Third Monday of every month Probation Department Members Applications are currently being accepted from Contra Costa County residents to fill youth (between the ages of 14 and 21) and adult (age 22+) vacancies on the Contra Costa County Juvenile Justice / Delinquency Prevention Commission (CCCJJ / DPC). The purpose of the CCCJJ / DPC is "to be a public conscience in the best interest of justice for children and youth." This 15-member commission meets the third Monday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Probation Department located in Martinez. An additional 8 hours of commitment per month may also be required. The commission serves in an advisory capacity to the Juvenile Court and County Probation Department by inspecting public and private placement facilities and/or programs and law enforcement agencies. The CCCJJ / DPC also coordinates delinquency prevention activities within Contra Costa. County residents interested in Juvenile Justice are encouraged to request further information and/or an application by sending an email including name, address, e-mail address and telephone number to Cindy Nieman. Interviews for new candidates will be conducted before the end of the calendar year. Following interviews, candidates will be appointed by the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge and the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court. General Information By-Laws Commissioner Biographies 1 of 1 Contra Costa County Juvenile Justice/ Delinquency Prevention Commission 50 Douglas Drive, Suite 201 Martinez, CA. 94553-8500 (925) 313-4188 Meetings: Meetings of both Commissions are held on the third Monday of every month beginning at 5:30 pm. The location for these meetings is at 50 Douglas Drive, the Second floor conference room, Martinez. The public is always welcome to attend these meetings and speak about issues relevant to the Commissions activities. Meetings in January and February change Mondays due to holidays on the third Mondays Commissioners: Are selected from applicants interviewed by the current Commission Members. Those selected applicants are then approved and sworn in by the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court and serve a term of four years. Applications are always accepted for Commissioner vacancies and can be obtained by going to JuvenileJusticeCommission@prob.cccounty.us Juvenile Justice Commission Purpose: “To be a public conscience in the best interest of justice for children and youth”. Section 229 of the Welfare and Institutions Code mandates County Juvenile Justice Commissions are to inquire into the administration of the juvenile court law in the county in which the Commission serves. The Commission is empowered to hold hearings, perform juvenile facility inspections and have access to all public administered juvenile institutions in the County. The Commission is concerned with policy matters and makes recommendations to the Probation Department and juvenile court that it determines are appropriate, safe and beneficial to juvenile justice. The Commission may conduct studies, including: review of essential services and budgets to ensure relevant and effective Probation Services; exploration or investigation of matters initiated by Commissioners or referred by the Juvenile Court Judge, the Probation Department, the Board of Supervisors, or citizen inquiry. Delinquency Prevention Commission Purpose: Works closely with the Probation staff and oth er youth serving agencies and organizations in the county to advance and promote delinquency prevention programs. Section 233 of the Welfare and Institutions Code enables each County to have a Delinquency Prevention Commission at the option of the Board of Supervisors. The ordinance states that the Commission shall coordinate, on a countywide basis, governmental and non-governmental activities to prevent juvenile delinquency with special emphasis on the need for family and community awareness and involvement. Accomplishments: The primary objective of the Delinquency Prevention Commission is to stimulate and assist our communities to develop resources for more effective youth delinquency prevention. Those objectives are furthered through the annual Juvenile Justice Awards Program to recognize those individuals, groups and organizations that are making a difference. The Commission also is constantly trying to expand the scope of our watch to include dependant and homeless youth. Goals: The Commission’s mission is to reduce the delinquent population and keep youth out of the juvenile justice system by: Sponsoring and participation in diversion and prevention activities that steer youth away from entering the juvenile justice system. Supporting programs and systems that can assist youth when they need help with mental health and substance abuse issues that might lead to involvement in the juvenile justice system. Promoting education and training for the youth who are involved in the Juvenile Justice System that they might become responsible citizens. Leaving their delinquency behind and become successful in completion of their probation as they return and live in their communities.