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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10021990 - IO.5 IOC.5 1 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Internal Operations Committee Costa ;-- ';• County DATE: September 20, 1990 STq„ SUBJECT: Proposed Response to the Report of the 1989-90 Grand Jury: "Juvenile In-Custody Programs" SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Adopt this report of our Committee as the Board of Supervisors' response to the Report of the 1989-90 Grand Jury: "Juvenile In-Custody Programs." 2. Remove this item as a referral to our Committee. BACKGROUND On June 12, 1990 the 1.989-90 ,Grand Jury submitted the report entitled "Contra Costa County Adult Detention Facilities" which was subsequently referred to the Internal Operations Committee. On September 20, 1990 our Committee met to discuss the recommendations and review proposed responses. At the conclusion of these discussions we prepared the attached response utilizing a format suggested by a previous Grand Jury which requested that responses clearly specify: A. Whether the recommendation is accepted or adopted; B. If the recommendation is accepted, a statement as to who will be responsible for implementation and a definite target date; C. A delineation of constraints if a recommendation is accepted but cannot be implemented within the calendar year; and D. The reason for not adopting a recommendation. Responses to Grand Jury recommendations coming from our Committee will follow this format as closely as possible. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ✓RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE HER SIGNATURE(S): Sll erVisor S. W. McPeak _ Su ervisor T. Powers ACTION OF BOARD ON nc'-tohPr 2, 19% A PROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT IIx ) 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 ��' `� +�� /990 Grand .Jury Foreman PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Probation Officer SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY "'� DEPUTY M382 (10/88) JUVENILE IN-CUSTODY PROGRAMS REPORT Recommendation No. 1 The Probation Department institute a program of concentrated pre-release counseling and post-release follow-up with youths returning to their communities. Response A. This recommendation is accepted. B. Pre-release and follow-up programming for boys at the Ranch have received much attention in recent years. A grant project from 1985-1988 demonstrated the value of pre-release planning and follow-up. The recidivism rate for boys in the project was significantly lower than those released to regular Probation. When the grant ended the Probation Department continued to serve a limited group in the same manner by assigning them to the Juvenile Intensive Supervision Program in West County. The department is developing follow-up services in drug/alcohol counseling though Alcohol Information and Referral Services (AIRS) and investigating the possibility of a transitional group home to be run by a private provider. Recommendation No. 2 The Probation Department develop effective juvenile crime prevention and control policies through informed debate by politicians, juvenile justice officials, public interest groups, and most importantly, the public. Response A. This recommendation was adopted. B. The Board of Supervisors, Juvenile Court and the Juvenile Justice Commission formed a Special Task Force which resulted in an update of the Juvenile Corrections Master Plan to be released later this summer. The Juvenile Justice Commission created a Speakers Bureau which has been making presentations. to City Councils throughout the County. It is their intent to visit each city with a presentation using statistics tailored to reflect their residents' impact on the juvenile justice system. The Expanded Youth Services Board meets monthly and is comprised of department heads who provide services to youth and children, their staff, representatives of youth-serving organizations and advisory boards and members of the public. Recommendation No. 3 The Probation Department should ensure that the school program is in compliance with requirements of the Education Code that pertains to minors. Denial of school privileges should not be applied as a punishment. Response A. We concur with this recommendation. B. School attendance is required in all Probation Department facilities. Education is not considered a privilege nor are residents excluded for disciplinary reasons. Wards restricted to their living units for security reasons or due to being disruptive in the classroom are provided with school work and a tutorial specialist in their living area. Recommendation No. 4 The Contra Costa County Office of Education continue the Special Education Program at Juvenile Hall. Response A. This recommendation is not under the purview of the Board of Supervisors. Recommendation No. 5 The Board of Supervisors authorize a position responsible for developing and coordinating volunteer programs. Response A. This recommendation is accepted. B. The Board of Supervisors has long recognized that the use of volunteers in performing specific services is a valuable resource and provides an avenue for citizen participation which is seen as being of public benefit. It is the Boards policy to encourage and promote volunteer programs determined to be in the public interest. The Board also recognizes the importance of appropriate support and management of volunteers. However, under current fiscal constraints an additional position of volunteer coordinator cannot be authorized at this time. A Probation Department request for such. a position will be considered when funding is available. Passage of Measure D on the November 6, 1990 ballot would provide funding for this position. Recommendation No. 6 The Board of Supervisors issue a formal policy statement recognizing the higher priority of rehabilitative programs for juveniles detained in the juvenile justice system. Response A. This recommendation was adopted. B. The Board of Supervisors strongly supports the goal of rehabilitation for juveniles detained in the juvenile justice system. That goal is being implemented within juvenile institutions such as the Boys' Ranch and Juvenile Hall through the variety of programs available within those institutions. Request Probation Officer to insure that there is not a pattern of routinely placing children at Byron Boys Ranch when a placement in, a group home in the County would be more appropriate. The Board of Supervisors would also note that four (4) additional placement staff were authorized in the 1990-91 County Budget for the Probation Department to facilitate the placement of children in the most appropriate setting. Recommendation No. 7 The County Administrator provide funding so that a qualified outside independent organization may be retained to conduct a management audit of the Probation Department under the supervision of the grand jury. Response A. This recommendation is adopted. B. This recommendation was also in the Grand Jury Report "Juvenile Detention Facilities." Peat Marwick, Main and Company was retained to conduct for the Grand Jury a management review of the Probation Department focusing on the juvenile and institutions aspects of the department. The Grand Jury is awaiting receipt of the final report.