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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01101989 - IO.4 1 'vu BOARD OF SUPERVISORS I . 0. 4 FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE COrltra January 9, 1989 Costa DATE*. C0^ 0 1/tiF�/ SUBJECT: STATUS REPORT ON HATE VIOLENCE PROJECT VV�.11 �l� SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND Alm JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1 . Approve the attached concept paper for purposes of submitting an application to the San Francisco Foundation in the amount of $70,000 to design and put in place a mechanism for providing a coordinated response to instances of hate violence, and authorize the Chairman to execute the application. 2 . Refer this concept paper to the 1989 Finance Committee for purposes of identifying the source of the remaining $27, 500 in matching funds which will be required from the County during the 1989-90 fiscal year with the understanding that this is a one-time funding request which will not be required after June 30 , 1990, and that if such matching funds cannot be made available, the Board of Supervisors will have to refuse to accept the grant award, if approved . by the San Francisco Foundation. 3 . Remove this item as a referral to our Committee. BACKGROUND: On October 18, 1988 , the Board of Supervisors approved a status report from our Committee on the Hate Violence Project and asked the Executive Director of the Human Relations Commission to provide our Committee with a further status report on January 9 , 1989 . On January 9, 1989, our Committee reviewed the attached paper with Mr. Persily and George Fujioka, a member of the Human Relations Commission. It is the recommendation of the Human Relations Commission that the Board of Supervisors approve this paper as the basis for an application to the San Francisco Foundation for a $70, 000 grant. It is proposed that the grant be matched with $35,000 in County funds for the period January 1, 1989--June 30, 1990 . However, because it is now so late in the 1988-89 fiscal year, the Human Relations Commission has agreed to make available $7500 in their current funding to cover the match cost through the end of this fiscal year, with the County to CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE X APPROV OTHER -------:1 Z� o� lone SIGNATUREISI: Sunne 1.4. McPeak Tom Torlakson ACTION OF BOARD ON January 10, 1989 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: County Administrator ATTESTED Sondra Rothwell , CAO' s Office Exec. Director, HRC P IL BATCHELO , CLERK OF THE BOARD OF San Francisco Foundation (via Fred Persily, HRC) SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY �� ,DEPUTY M382/7-83 Page 2 provide $27, 500 in funding as a part of the 1989-90 County Budget. While we believe that the establishment of a coordinated method for the community to investigate and deal with reports of hate violence is an essential component of our human relations activities in this County, we also recognize that coming up with the necessary County matching funds may be very difficult given the prospects for funding in the 1989-90 County Budget. We are, therefore, recommending that the Board of Supervisors approve the concept in principle, authorize the submission of an application to the San Francisco Foundation in order that their review process can be undertaken at the earliest possible moment, and that the 1989 Finance Committee consider ways to fund the $27, 500 in County matching funds which will be required during the 1989-90 fiscal year, with the clear understanding that if the Board of Supervisors eventually decides that it cannot afford the matching funds and no other source of funds can be identified that the Board of Supervisors will have to refuse to accept the funds from the San Francisco Foundation. In addition, we have noted in our recommendations that this is clearly understood to be one-time funding which will not require any further financial commitment from the County after June 30, 1990. ��: :;_ �. Joan J.Pace Contra : -J :.. - Human Relations Commission Executive Secretary Costa (415)646-2013 f Administration Building County J ' 651 Pine Street,Room 103 Martinez,California 94553 IIATE VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROJECT NEED Hate Violence (violence, harassment, intimidation or threats of violence motivated by prejudice) in the United States dates back to the conflicts between the settlers and the American Indians. However, despite the abundance or rhetoric deploring acts of bigotry no community has coordinated the efforts of the schools, law enforcement and community organizations to systematically prevent and respond to it on an ongoing basis. Many exemplary programs can be found that are effective in. dealing with a particular aspect of bigotry in a specific setting, but there is no model for weaving efforts to prevent and respond to hate violence into the fabric of the community. The project is designed to demonstrate how a county can incorporate a system for controlling bigotry. The premise of this effort is that hate violence should be treated with the same concern as crime, sexual abuse, and other abhorrent activities that schools, law enforcement and other public and private organizations join forces to attack as a routine societal function. Community awareness of hate violence is growing-rapidly. California, Maryland and New York have commissioned special task forces to recommend ways to control it within the last few years and new legislation has been passed in a number of states. The timing for developing a model community approach to reduce hate violence is excellent. A model county hate violence system would have, at a minimum, the following characteristics: PREVENTION 1. Tailored educational curricula and programs designed to promote appreciation for differences among people reaching all students within the county; 2. School conflict resolution, and other programs, designed to defuse conflicts that have the potential to promote prejudice and bigotry operating within every school; 3. Community programs designed to promote understanding and prevent conflicts among the diverse population of the county; 4. Ongoing staff training for personnel in relevant private and public organizations. -2- RESPONSE 1. A sustained effort to encourage victims of bigotry to report incidents and a simple well publicized process for making reports; 2. Uniform reporting by public and private agencies designated to receive complaints of bigotry, and a protocol for funneling reports into a county repository for analysis; 3. A procedure for ensuring immediate victim support and protection; i 4. A response plan that goes beyond apprehension of the perpetrators to include strategies to prevent recurrence; 5. Contingency plans to prevent the escalation of incidents into broader community conflict; 6. A monitoring and assessment process designed to identify precursors of hate violence and provide recommendations to prevent potential flare-ups. While no definitive data exists on the incidence of hate violence because of the absence of a national or statewide official reporting process, increases are being reported by organizations that routinely track incidents. Relatively few incidents of hate violence perpetrated in California are traceable to organized groups but the number of organizations promoting acts of bigotry are proliferating (Skinheads, The Order, White Aryan Resistance and the Aryan Brotherhood) and few areas are free of their influence. -4- Once the design phase is completed the effort will turn to gaining countywide acceptance of the project and the support necessary to integrate the model into the routine operation of governmental agencies and community based organizations. This proposal is to continue support for planning and development of the project. -5- GOAL AND OBJECTIVES GOAL: TO CREATE A COUNTY MODEL FOR PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO HATE VIOLENCE OBJECTIVES: 1. To secure approval for implementation of uniform policies, protocols and training for reporting and responding to hate violence by the Contra Costa County Police Chiefs Association and the District Attorney by June 30, 1989 and actual implementation by December 31, 1989. 2. To gain approval for programs, and uniform policies and protocols for receiving and responding to hate violence on school campuses by the Contra Costa County School Superintendents' Association by June 30, 1989, and to complete preparations for implementation by June 30, 1990. 3. By June 30, 1989, to secure commitments to uniform protocols for receiving and responding to reports of hate violence by community based organizations contingent on the procurement of necessary support. The activities of community based organizations will include, but not be limited to: a. maintaining a network of trained volunteers who can provide emergency counseling to victims; b. maintaining a network of trained volunteers who can act to calm community tensions, resolve conflicts, and control rumors; C. responding to incidents of harassment and intimidation motivated by bigotry that are referred by law enforcement because of the absence of the necessary elements of a "crime". 4. To create a "business plan" for the operation of the community section of the hate violence reduction system and design a strategy for the ongoing procurement of the necessary resources from multiple public and private funding sources by September 30, 1989 and to begin implementation of the programs by June 30, 1990. 5. To gain public support for the development of a system for reducing hate violence in Contra Costa County by involving 3,000 residents in meetings to discuss issues of intolerance and bigotry and the proposed system for reducing hate violence by October 31, 1989. 6. To draft and gain approval of memoranda of understanding delineating policies and protocols for cooperative working relationships among the local, state and federal public and private organizations that will participate in an integrated countywide system for preventing and responding to hate violence by June 30, 1990. -6- METHODOLOGY CRIMINAL JUSTICE OBJECTIVE: To secure approval for implementation of policies, protocols and training for reporting and responding to hate violence by the Contra Costa County Police Chiefs Association and the District Attorney by June 30, 1989 and actual implementation by December 31, 1989. STEPS: 1. Complete process of developing recommendations for policies, protocols and training from the Criminal Justice Committee of the Hate Violence Reduction Task Force by March 31, 1989. 2. Review recommendations for policies, protocols and training for reporting and .responding to hate violence from the Criminal Justice Committee of the Hate Violence Reduction Task Force with representatives from Education and Community Committees and integrate them into a composite system by March 31, 1989. 3. Gain support for the recommendations for reporting hate violence by _ the California Department of Justice and draft a protocol for the Department's collection, maintenance and analysis of reports of hate violence from Contra Costa County by April 30, 1989. 4. Prepare recommendations for adoption by the Contra Costa County Police Chiefs' Association at its June, 1989 meeting. 5. Provide technical assistance and consultation to the California Department of Justice, District Attorney, police and sheriff departments and law enforcement academy at Los Medanos College from the time of the plan's adoption to December 31, 1989 to ensure . uniform implementation of the recommendations. r -7- SCHOOLS OBJECTIVE: To secure approval of programs and uniform policies and procedures for preventing and responding hate violence on school campuses by the Contra Costa County School Superintendents' Association by June 30, 1989 and complete preparations for implementation by June 30, 1990. STEPS 1. Complete the process for drafting recommendations for programs, policies, procedures and training to prevent and respond to hate violence in schools in Contra Costa County by March 31, 1989. 2. Gain recognition and support of the Contra, Costa County School Superintendents for the process being used to design a system to prevent and respond to incidents of hate violence on the school campus by the Hate Violence Reduction Task Force by November 30, 1988. 3. Review recommendations for programs, policies, procedures and training for preventing and responding to hate violence from the Education Committee with representatives from the Criminal Justice and Community Committees of the Hate Violence Reduction Task Force and integrate them into a composite system by March 31, 1989. 4. Present the final draft of the recommendations of the Education Committee to the Contra Costa County Association of School Superintendents' for adoption at its June, 1989 meeting. 5. Convene meetings of representatives from the school boards and representatives of teacher, student and parent groups within each school district beginning June, 1989 to coordinate efforts to begin implementation of the program and develop strategies to ensure -the efforts are ongoing. -8- PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS OBJECTIVES A. PLANNING By June 30, 1989 secure commitments to uniform protocols for receiving and responding to reports of hate violence by community based organizations contingent on the procurement of necessary support. The activities of community based organizations will include, but not be limited to: 1. maintaining a network of trained volunteers who can provide emergency counseling to victims; 2. maintaining a network of trained volunteers who can act to calm community tensions, resolve conflicts, and control rumors; 3. responding to incidents of harassment and intimidation motivated by bigotry that are referred by law enforcement because of the absence of the necessary elements of a "crime" STEPS: a. Draft recommendations for community activities and projects to prevent hate violence by March 31, 1989. b. Designate private and public organizations to receive and report incidents of hate violence and draft uniform procedures for their use in Contra Costa County by March 31, 1989. C. Designate selected community based organizations to provide support for victims of hate violence and identify training needs for their staff and volunteers by March 31, 1989. d. Designate private and public organizations to respond to conflicts ,resulting from hate violence and ease tension by March 31, 1989. e. Designate private and public organizations to respond to incidents of hate violence referred by law enforcement, draft uniform procedures for their use and identify training needs for their staff and volunteers by March 31, 1989. f. Review recommendations for programs, policies, and procedures for preventing and responding to hate violence from the Community Committee and with representatives from the Criminal Justice and Education Committees of the Hate Violence Reduction Task Force and integrate them into a composite system with the proposals form the other committees by March 31, 1989. g. Review final recommendations for a hate violence reduction system with appropriate public and private organizations in Contra Costa County and gain their support by June 30, 1989. -9- B. DEVELOPMENT To create a "business plan" for the operation of the community section of the hate violence reduction system and design a strategy for the ongoing procurement of the necessary resources from multiple public and private funding sources by September 30, 1989 and to begin implementation of the programs by June 30, 1990. STEPS a. Draft a "business plan" for the operation of the hate violence system in Contra Costa County by September 30, 1989 identifying: 1) the products needed to be offered by public and private community agencies as part of the integrated system for preventing and responding to hate violence within the county; 2) start up costs required to begin the provision of the services; 3) the potential sources of revenue in the public and private sector. b. Involve the public and private sector in designing and following a strategy to secure the resources needed to enable the community to implement its components of the countywide system for preventing and responding to hate violence. The strategy will be drafted in a series of meetings between June 30, 1989 and September 30, 1989 and actively pursued between October 1, 1989 to June 30, 1990. Identified sources of support include, but are not limited to: 1) The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and local governments and agencies within the county; 2) The California Office of Criminal Justice Planning Special Victims Program; 3) The United States Department of Justice program for research into hate violence; 4) The California Legislature; 5) Appropriate private funding sources -10- PUBLIC SUPPORT OBJECTIVE: To gain public support for implementing a hate violence reduction system in Contra Costa County by involving 3,000 residents in gatherings to discuss issues of intolerance and bigotry and the proposed system for reducing hate violence by October 31, 1989. STEPS a. Identify and train members of the Hate Violence Reduction Task Force and the human relations commissions within Contra Costa County to facilitate small community meetings on the need to promote tolerance for diversity and eliminate bigotry. b. Request the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and city councils within the county to designate October, 1989 as Eliminate Bigotry Month and publicize the plan to hold small meetings throughout the County to explore issues of diversity and discuss the hate violence reduction program. C. Use references from public officials, schools and community organizations to identify 300 sites throughout the county where meetings of ten people (a total of 3,000 people will be involved) could be held to discuss the need to promote tolerance for diversity and the plan proposed by the Hate Violence Reduction Task Force. d. Publicize schedules of meetings in the media, in the schools, in religious institutions and through public and community based organizations. e. Conduct small meetings throughout the county during the month of October on appreciating diversity and highlight the design for preventing and responding to hate violence in Contra Costa. -11- OBJECTIVE FOR INSTITUTIONALIZING THE SYSTEM To draft and gain approval of memoranda of understanding delineating policies and protocols for cooperative working relationships among the local, state and federal public and private organizations participating in the hate violence reduction system by June 30, 1990. STEPS a. Draft and submit tentative memoranda of understanding for clarifying policies and procedures to the public and private agencies working together. as part of the county system for preventing and responding to hate violence by December 31, 1989. b. Beet with agencies as necessary to clarify and adapt working agreements to meet their individual needs. Negotiate final agreements to further the goal of developing an integrated system for preventing and responding to hate violence by June 30, 1990. J -12- .BUDGET January 1, 1989 - June 30, 1990 (18 months) PROFESSIONAL FEES PROJECT DIRECTOR-50% time @ $25,000/yr 37,500 (Human Relations Commission Director) PROJECT Coordinator-50% time @ $20,000/yr 30,000 Project 'Secretary-100% time @ $25,000/yr 37,500 TOTAL PERSONNEL COSTS $70,000/yr 105,000 NON-PERSONNEL EXPENSES OFFICE SPACE & UTILITIES $10,000 CONTRIBUTED OFFICE FURNITURE & EQUIPMENT 5,000 CONTRIBUTED TELEPHONE 4,000 CONTRIBUTED POSTAGE 2,000 CONTRIBUTED COPYING 2,000 CONTRIBUTED TRAVEL EXPENSES 2,000 CONTRIBUTED TOTAL NON-PERSONNEL COSTS $25,000 CONTRIBUTED REQUEST TWO TO ONE MATCH FOR PROFESSIONAL FEES ONLY. San Francisco Foundation Request $70,000 for 18 months Contra Costa County Contribution and other solicited contributions: $35,000 for professional fees $25,000 non-personnel costs