Oversight_Panel
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 JUSTICE AND COURAGE OVERSIGHT PANEL
Thursday, October 2, 2003
City Hall, Room 416 9:00am – 12:00noon
MINUTES
Oversight Panel Members in Attendance
Co-Chair Dorka Keehn, Commission on the Status of Women (COSW)
Co-Chair Susan Leal, City of San Francisco Treasurer
Belle Taylor-McGhee, Department on the Status of Women (DOSW)
Ken Theisen, Bay Area Legal Aid
Beverly Upton, San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium
Manuel Vasquez, Department of Public Health
Beverly Green Simmons, Greenbook Initiative
Barbara Brooten Job
Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order by co-chair Dorka Keehn at 9:15.
Adoption of Agenda
The October 2, 2003, agenda was adopted.
Areas of Expertise and Support
Barbara Brooten Job discussed the need for Oversight Panel members to follow-up with the Justice and Courage report to be sure that the key issues are being addressed. She stated that there is a need for participation on every committee by an Oversight Panel member. Ms. Taylor-McGhee agreed, stating that she would like to see each Oversight Panel member participate on a committee and/or facilitate one of the topics on the Justice and Courage Strategic Plan. Ms. Taylor-McGhee recommended that one of the chairs of the Oversight Panel should attend the JUSTIS meetings. Co-chair Keehn agreed to attend future JUSTIS meetings. There was discussion also about Jay Banfield working with the Resource Committee. Manuel Vasquez stated he will assist with the Justice and Courage evaluation process. Co-chair Keehn and Ms. Rosario Navarrette have a list of foundations to approach for funding.
Review and Assess Justice and Courage Project – One Year Later
Mr. Vasquez asked for clarification on the Oversight Panel’s role in supporting the committees in identifying funding. Mr. Vasquez stated he would like to collaborate with the committees so that issues such as decreased funding can be addressed.
Ms. Taylor-McGhee suggested that the Resource Committee decide what the funding priorities are. She also stated that department heads are responsible for evaluating funding problems. Beverly Upton stated at the August meeting, that the Resource Committee began to investigate funding losses. Mr. Vasquez asked what the departments’ commitment is towards pursuing funding. There was a discussion on the value of the departments collaborating on areas that overlap such as training needs.
There was a discussion on the Resource Committee and its role in accessing potential resources for departments. Belle Taylor-McGhee recommended the Resource Committee identify one training area as a pilot project in which resources could be shared.
Caroline Donnola commented that there is a lack of clarity regarding the Resource Committee’s role in finding funding. She stated that the members on the Resource Committee do not have a background in fundraising. Ken Theisen agreed that finding resources should not be the charge of the Resource Committee. He stated that fundraising is difficult and time consuming. Ms. Taylor-McGhee stated that the Oversight Panel needs good data to help identify the impact of funding cuts. The Oversight Panel does not have the expertise for replacing lost funding, but the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) can apply for grants and services and can also manage grants. The Oversight Panel would like to how they can collaborate with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. Dorka Keehn stated she would contact Gregg Lowder’s Office to discuss the possibility of someone from MOCJ joining the Resource Committee.
Barbara Brooten Job stated that the mission statement for the Resource Committee in the Justice and Courage Report does not include finding resources or raising funds.
Susan Leal joined the meeting at 10:00a.m.
There was a discussion on individual City departments having grant writers on staff. The Oversight Panel raised the question on whether the departments’ grant writers have investigated domestic violence grants. Beverly Upton stated that an analysis must be done to look at what the City’s development capacity is and priorities must be established.
Co-chair Keehn inquired if the Resource Committee could create a new mission statement or create a recommendation on how money should be raised for any committee’s recommendations. Mr. Theisen stated that the City should not expect the committees to solve every issue. He suggested that committees identify the impact of the funding problems. He stated that without adequate training, lawsuits may result.
Co-chair Keehn inquired how much time DOSW could allocate for writing grants. Ms. Taylor-McGhee stated that they might be able to work with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice to get funding, but DOSW doesn’t have grant writers or the resources on staff. She stated that finding domestic violence resources for all city departments cannot be left to DOSW. Ms. Taylor-McGhee stated that other City departments have greater resources, and perhaps a committee to focus on this problem could be created. The Oversight Panel would like the Resource Committee to discuss and report on the role of its Committee in terms of finding funding. The Oversight Panel would like to see the committee’s new mission statement and vote on this issue at a future meeting.
Ms. Taylor-McGhee stated there is an issue under discussion in the Data Collection Committee that she would like to discuss. Ms. Taylor-McGhee stated that domestic violence is not identified as an ongoing offense in the Penal Code. Because of this, the Police Department does not currently book all misdemeanor domestic violence cases. She would like to see domestic violence discussed as an ongoing offense. Beverly Upton stated that this is a controversial issue. There has been hesitancy from the domestic violence community because of the possibility that victims could be arrested.
She stated that if the victim is arrested, it plays into the hands of the batterer and there is a chance victims could lose custody of their child(ren). Beverly Upton stated that the domestic violence community is hesitant to change the Penal Code because of these unintended consequences. Belle Taylor-McGhee inquired whether there is something they can do to raise the notch on domestic violence. Ken Theisen discussed the issue of domestic violence sentencing and stated that this area might be one they could focus on. He stated that through trainings to departments such as the Police Department he has been able to change perceptions. The Oversight Panel discussed whether this issue falls under Data Collection. The Oversight Panel stated that without an evaluation mechanism, some protocols are going unused and existing one should probably be evaluated.
October 22, 2003, Meeting
Co-chair Keehn brought up the Oversight Panel meeting on October 22, 2003, on the anniversary of the murder of Claire Joyce Tempongko. Ken Theisen expressed concern about the content and coverage of a possible press conference. Beverly Upton stated that she would like to see department heads talk about their departments’ progress in the public. She stated there will be a memorial for Claire Joyce Tempongko at 850 Bryant. The Oversight Panel discussed strategies and approaches for a press conference. There was discussion around possibly including a report card on the progress of the Justice and Courage Project. Belle Taylor-McGhee agreed to work on the press conference and will contact Ken Theisen and Manuel Vasquez for any needed assistance. They would like to hold the press conference at the Mayor’s press room and have the Mayor present.
Outstanding Issues
Barbara Brooten Job brought up the issue of follow-up letters to departments on their initial responses to the Mayor. The Oversight Panel discussed selecting two issues per department and addressing them in letters asking for a status report. Co-chair Keehn stated that she had met with the District Attorney, Sheriff’s Office and Police Chief but not with the Adult Probation Department. Barbara Brooten Job said that in terms of looking at the first letter, there is a lot of non-specific information and it would be good for the departments to point out the improvement they have or intend to make. Ms. Brooten Job stated that they should talk with department heads. Mr. Theisen stated that department heads are sending different people to committee meetings and he wants this changed so that the departments will tell the Oversight Panel who is responsible. The Oversight Panel selected two or three issues that are on the top of the list they want to address. Belle Taylor-McGhee stated that this could be done in the Interdepartmental Communications and Coordination Committee. The group stated they would like to do this by the October 22, 2003, meeting if possible. Training, data collection, and evaluation questions were discussed as issues to be revisited in the letters.
Domestic Violence Cases in the News
There was a discussion about the recent Flowers case. Ms. Taylor-McGhee stated that Terence Hallinan had addressed the Flowers case at the last Commission on the Status of Women’s meeting. Ms. Taylor-McGhee stated that she was pleased with how the Police Department had handled this case. Mr. Theisen mentioned that he would like to discuss the need for more investigators in the District Attorney’s Office. He stated that one person dedicated to domestic violence and sexual assault is not adequate to meet the need.
Update on the Police Department’s Domestic Violence Restraining Unit
Ms. Taylor-McGhee stated that the new lieutenant of the Domestic Violence Response Unit has discussed sending inspectors to individual district precincts. There was a discussion that the domestic violence unit should be staffed at twenty. Currently it is only staffed at thirteen.
Other Issues
Ken Theisen discussed the fact that in other cities there is one day dedicated to doing a sweep of outstanding warrants. Mr. Theisen would like to see the Sheriff’s Department dedicate at least one day of each year and do a similar sweep. He would like to have this issue discussed with the Sheriff’s Department.
Next Meeting
The Strategic Plan will be discussed at the meeting on October 22, 2003.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00noon.
