SPEAKOUT TUESDAY MORNING – JULY 7TH, 8:30AM AT THE LA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ SECOND VIRTUAL BUDGET HEARING:
Below are the Youth Justice Budget section of the Care First Budget including demands, budget analysis and endorsers.
THE HEARING STARTS AT 9:30AM, BUT CALL EARLY TO GET IN LINE TO SPEAK, BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY AN HOUR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
Sign up to make a public comment by calling (844) 721-7239 at 9AM and entering the participant code 783360.
Additional instructions will be given once you are on the call.
MAKE SURE TO ENTER THE NUMBER 10 TO GET OFFICIALLY ADDED TO THE SPEAKERS’ LINE-UP.
Written public comments can also be submitted online at https://publiccomment.bos.lacounty.gov
and will become part of the official record.
To listen to the hearing without speaking out, got to: http://bos.lacounty.gov/Board-Meeting/Live-Broadcast
PLEASE WORK A VERSION OF THESE STATEMENTS INTO YOUR COMMENTS:
(1) I am urging the LA County Supervisors to pass motions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10,11, 12, 13, 17 and 20 that support the demands outlined in the JUSTICELA CARE FIRST budget, including the YOUTH JUSTICE BUDGET. (LOOK AT THE MOTIONS BELOW, AND SPEAK TO THE MOTIONS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU. For example, #3 creates a plan to close Men’s Central Jail, #5 expands youth employment, and #11 funds the Probation Oversight Commission.)
(2) In addition, LA County should transfer at least $600 MILLION from LA County Probation, $300 MILLION from the LA County Sheriff’s Department, and $75 MILLION from the Office of the LA County District Attorney to the Office of Diversion and Re-entry and Youth Diversion and Development.
(3) Prioritize youth centers, youth jobs, peacebuilders in schools and streets to replace all law enforcement in schools, and a free Metro pass for all youth, kindergarten through college.
BELOW ARE THE MOTIONS WE ARE URGING THE BOARD TO PASS AT TOMORROW’S MEETING. FURTHER BELOW IS DATA ON THE HIGH COSTS OF ARREST, DETENTION AND INCARCERATION FOR LA’S YOUTH, ALONG WITH THE FULL YOUTH JUSTICE BUDGET, INCLUDING: (1) ENDORSERS; (2) DEMANDS; AND (3) ANALYSIS OF THE 2020-2021 COUNTY BUDGET EXPENSES SUBMITTED TO THE BOS BY THE COUNTY’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
Here are the agenda items on tomorrow’s LA County BOS meeting that we should support during public comment. Below that is the YOUTH JUSTICE BUDGET component of the CARE FIRST BUDGET including the funds in the budget for renovations to jails, juvenile halls and camps.
MOTIONS TO SUPPORT:
#2. Direct the County’s Legislative Advocates in Sacramento to support Assembly Bill 1185 (McCarty), legislation which would authorize counties in California to establish a sheriff oversight body, authorize said body to issue subpoenas and establish an inspector general to assist the oversight body. Motion by Supervisors Solis and Kuehl.
#3. Developing a Plan for Closing Men’s Central Jail as Los Angeles County Reduces its Reliance on Incarceration. Recommendation as submitted by Supervisors Solis and Kuehl: Direct the workgroup convened by Board Order No. 2 of June 9, 2020, “Maintaining a Reduced Jail Population Post-COVID-19,” convened by the Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Health Services’ Office of Diversion and Re-Entry, to include consultation with the Correctional Health Services Division (CHS), community-based stakeholders and service providers, and any other relevant partners, to report back to the Board bi-monthly (every 60 days) on the issues and considerations that must be addressed in order for the County to close Men’s Central Jail (MCJ) within one year, while continuing to ensure public safety and providing appropriate services for individuals released early or diverted from incarceration, with the first report, and each report thereafter, to include analysis of the considerations that would need to be taken into account in order to close MCJ within one year, along with recommended actions to meet that goal, including: Plans for redistributing the existing population among the remaining jail facilities such that the capacity in remaining facilities does not exceed the California Board of State and Community Corrections-rated maximum capacity; The potential impact such redistribution would have on the remaining six County jail facilities, including intake and release procedures, as well as transportation processes; Plans for re-deploying community-based service providers and other programs from MCJ to other County or community facilities; and County of Los Angeles Page 5 Board of Supervisors Agenda TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020 The status of renovations of Pitchess Detention Center East, its expected capacity and timeline for it being suitable for habitation, as well as the status of renovations and maintenance of the other five remaining jail facilities; Authorize the Director of Health Services to hire an external consultant with relevant expertise to advise and assist the workgroup with fulfilling the objectives and directives outlined above, if the workgroup determines that such support is necessary; Also, direct the Chief Executive Officer to report back to the Board as follows: In collaboration with the Sheriff, the Director of Health Services, the Auditor-Controller, and other relevant Departments, with an assessment of cost savings related to closing MCJ, including eliminating the need for renovations and maintenance, reducing the cost associated with court-monitored settlement agreements and any other legal or regulatory compliance obligations, reduced food, laundry, transportation and care costs, reduced staffing costs for Sheriff, CHS, and any other County Departments and any other resource needs; and An update on Legislative or local policy changes, including those previously proposed by the Office of Diversion and Re-Entry, that the County could pursue to secure necessary funding, with the update to include consideration of Assembly Bill 900 funds, as well as any other funding that could be allocated to scale community-based alternatives to incarceration, further reduce the jail population, and otherwise ensure the successful closure of MCJ.
#4. No Place Like Home Funding for Permanent Supportive Housing at County Health Campuses Recommendation as submitted by Supervisors Solis and Barger. Instruct the Acting Executive Director of the Los Angles County Development Authority, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, to take the following actions: Fasttrack feasibility studies, evaluations, estimates and preparation of Request for Proposals for Permanent Supportive Housing units and all related Restorative Care Village funding needs at County Health Campuses; Per the aforementioned assessment, set-aside and designate currently available No Place Like Home Funding for restorative care village investments at County health campuses, where the set-aside funding should not be part of any future affordable housing Notice of Available Funding solicitation until Fiscal Year 2022-23; Report back to the Board in 14 days with recommendations and assessment on future No Place Like Home funding allocations to similarly preserve funds to expedite restorative care villages at County Health Campuses; and Evaluate recommendations from the County’s Economic Resiliency Taskforce Infrastructure, Labor, Health and other related sectors and stakeholders on ways to expedite sequencing and phasing of restorative care village concepts at County Health Campuses.
#5. Youth@Work 2020-21: Reinvesting in Our Youth Recommendation. As submitted by Supervisors Solis and Barger: Direct the Chief Executive Officer, working with the Acting Director of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services, to identify up to $20,700,000 in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21 Supplemental Budget, including the consideration of any Youth@Work funding that was unspent in FY 2019-20 due to the disruption of COVID-19, to continue the current level of existing Youth@Work Program funds for FY 2020-21, without disruption, in particular for those who are experiencing homelessness, are justice involved, youth of color, foster, LGBTQI, low income, and otherwise disconnected youth, and report back to the Board in the FY 2020-21 Supplemental Budget with a funding plan to sustain the Youth@Work program to the extent possible; and instruct the Acting Director of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services, the Directors of Public Social Services and Personnel, and the Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board, to identify work learning opportunities within County Departments for participating youth to assist in COVID-19 related projects while adhering to physical distancing and other public health guidelines, work with training resources available in County Departments, America’s Job Centers of California (AJCCs), and community-based organizations who provide youth employment or prepare participating youth in these assignments, and given that many County Departments are not yet available to provide in-person training opportunities, consider how our AJCCs can help to connect youth with appropriate in-person training opportunities, and report back to the Board in 30 days with a plan to implement this County Youth COVID-19 response effort.
#6. Preservation and Timely Release of Evidence on Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Involved Shootings. Recommendation as submitted by Supervisor Solis: Request the Sheriff, in consultation with County Counsel, to report back to the Board in 30 days with a plan to comply with Penal Code Section 832.7 (PC 832.7) – transparency requirements in police shooting investigations, including the following: The posting of all available video online at the earliest possible time; The posting of the specific need to delay the release of video, in cases where the Sheriff’s Department elects to do so, updated regularly, as required by PC 832.7; Ensuring that no “holds” are placed on autopsy results without specific written justification, as required by PC 832.7; The timely posting of all other investigative information in order to comply with PC 832.7 or the specific written explanation for why such information being made public would actually interfere with an investigation; and Repurposing the Sheriff’s Information Bureau to comply with legal transparency requirements; and Also, request that the Sheriff give full immediate access to the Inspector General in all shooting investigations, including providing all reports immediately, allowing immediate review of all video and allowing active monitoring of the investigation, in order to provide third-party oversight to enhance public confidence in the final outcome of the investigation.
#10. Expanding the Office of Diversion and Re-Entry’s Work to Reduce Incarceration and Invest in the Health and Well-Being of Communities Recommendation. As submitted by Supervisors Ridley-Thomas and Kuehl: Direct the Chief Executive Officer, in consultation with the Directors of Health Services and the Office of Diversion and Re-Entry, to identify a minimum of $30,000,000 in one-time funds in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21 Supplemental Budget, and consider reallocating funds set aside to support new justice plan studies and deferred maintenance for the Men’s Central Jail, leasing or selling closed probation camps, reprioritizing Assembly Bill 109 funds and Senate Bill 678 funds, utilizing cost savings from reduced incarceration levels, and/or other funding strategies, so that the Office of Diversion and Re-Entry (ODR) can divert a minimum of 500 more individuals from the jails in the next year and expand community-based diversion and reentry services, interim housing and permanent supportive housing for individuals across the County; and take the following actions: Direct the Chief Executive Officer, in consultation with the Directors of Health Services and Office of Diversion and Re-Entry, to report back to the Board during the FY 2020-21 Supplemental Budget and future budget phases, as needed, with a long-term funding plan that both (a) provides ongoing funding to secure the long-term sustainability of ODR’s work for existing clients and addresses the “fiscal cliff” ODR faces when current funds are fully expended, and (b) allows ODR to further expand in future years to achieve the diversion rates shown to be possible within the next three years in order to further realize reductions in incarceration and continue to provide the reentry services needed to reduce recidivism; and County of Los Angeles Page 11 Board of Supervisors Agenda TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020 Instruct the Director of the Office of Diversion and Re-Entry to work in close consultation with the future Director of the Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative to ensure synergy and alignment between investments being made in both programs.
#11. Funding Probation Oversight in Los Angeles County Recommendation as submitted by Supervisors Ridley-Thomas and Hahn. Direct the Chief Executive Officer to identify ongoing funding in the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Supplemental Budget to restore the allocations included in the Recommended Budget, including staffing and supplies for the initial implementation phase of the Probation Oversight Commission, as well as the dedicated Probation Department’s oversight unit within the Office of Inspector General, by curtailing additional vacant budgeted positions in the Probation Department; and instruct the Executive Officer of the Board to immediately resume the recruitment and hiring of the Executive Director for the Probation Oversight Commission.
#12. Investing in the Public Defender Law Enforcement Accountability Unit Recommendation. As submitted by Supervisor Ridley-Thomas: Direct the Chief Executive Officer, in collaboration with the Public Defender, to report back to the Board in writing in 30 days with recommendations on scaling the Law Enforcement Accountability Unit within the Public Defender’s office to improve the tracking, utilization and transparency of law enforcement uses of force, including fatal uses of force and other forms of misconduct to improve accountability and prevent such incidents from occurring; and report back to the Board during the Supplemental Budget on ongoing funds that could be made available in Fiscal Year 2020-21 to achieve this.
#13. Creation of a Reserve Fund to Support the Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative Recommendation. As submitted by Supervisors Kuehl and Ridley-Thomas: Direct the Chief Executive Officer to report back to the Board in 45 days, in alignment with Board Order No. 40-G of June 23, 2020, with a proposal to establish a funding reserve dedicated to the Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Initiative for the programs and services outlined in the ATI Workgroup’s recommendations, with this programs and services reserve to complement the existing capital funding reserve established by the Board in June 2019 and the initial investment, in an amount to be determined by the Chief Executive Officer, to be funded in the Supplemental Budget, further, the Chief Executive Officer’s proposal should include a plan for growing the fund and, in doing so, the Chief Executive Officer is encouraged to consider a broad range of potential funding sources, including Assembly Bill 109, Senate Bill 678, mental health realignment reserve funds, funds derived from cost savings associated with lower jail populations, the Men’s Central Jail deferred maintenance funds, and any other potential funding sources; and instruct the Chief Executive Officer to take the following actions: In collaboration with the ATI Workgroup and relevant County Departments, identify any legislative or local policy changes that the County could pursue to achieve greater flexibility and/or access to potential funding sources; and Undertake the above directives in collaboration with the ATI Director, once that person is hired, further, instruct the future ATI Director to work in close consultation with the Director of the Office of Diversion and Re-Entry to ensure coordination and alignment of their respective initiatives.
#17. Restore Funding for Alternative Public Defender. Recommendation as submitted by Supervisors Hahn and Solis: Direct the Chief Executive Officer to report back to the Board during the Supplemental Budget phase on restoring the proposed 8% funding reduction to the Alternate Public Defender with ongoing funding.
#20. Restoring Mental Evaluation Teams (MET) – Office of Diversion and Re-Entry (ODR) Resources. Recommendation as submitted by Supervisors Barger and Solis: Identify at least $1,547,000 in the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Supplemental Budget to preserve the current 33 Mental Evaluation Teams and direct the Chief Executive Officer to report back to the Board within 45 days.
TO SIGN ON TO THE YOUTH JUSTICE BUDGET, SEND YOUR LOGO TO
https://action@youth4justice.org.