JUSTICE & COURAGE PROJECT
OVERSIGHT PANEL MEETING
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
MINUTES
Members Present:
Commissioner Dorka Keehn (Chair)
Kathy Black- La Casa de las Madres
Juana Flores – Mujeres Unidas y Activas
Allyson Hauck
Marily Mondehar – Filipina Women’s Network
Dr. Emily Murase – Department on the Status of Women
Antonio Ramirez – POCOVI
Ken Theisen – Bay Area Legal Aid
Beverly Upton – San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium
Staff Present: Jill Tregor – Department on the Status of Women
The meeting was called to order by Chair Dorka Keehn at 9:04 am. Agenda approved (Murase/Black/Unanimous).
Minutes from the meeting of December 14, 2007 approved. (Thiesen Moved, Mondejar Second, Black Abstained, All others Approved)
Administrative Analyst Laura Marshall reported that the 1st session of this cycle had to be cancelled due to low enrollment, but there has been good turnout for the other sessions thus far. Judge Mary Morgan will be attending an upcoming training, as will Presiding Judge David Ballati. Campus Police from local colleges, and emergency medical personnel have been invited to attend. All sessions will be completed by June 13, 2008. Members of the Oversight Panel are encouraged to attend a session, please contact Laura Marshall to make arrangements. Ms. Upton asked if all Assistant District Attorneys from the Domestic Violence Unit were prioritized for attendance, and Ms. Marshall confirmed that was the case.
The next meeting of the Governance Committee is rescheduled from April 2, 2008 to April 22, 2008 at 2pm. The committee is in the long-term process of identifying future new members. Please let the committee know if you have suggestions, as there will be one or more openings on the Oversight Panel in 2009.
Dr. Murase has requested a meeting with John Diaz of the Chronicle several times, with no response. A discussion was had regarding who else might be contacted. Mr. Theisen suggested that a letter be written to the new Executive Editor. Ms. Upton reported that Vic Lee of Channel 7 has been very responsive to domestic violence stories recently. It was agreed that the Media Committee would discuss these suggestions at its next meeting on April 23, 2:30pm, at 50 Fell Street.
Mr. Theisen reported that the District Attorney made a presentation about their progress at an earlier meeting. However, the District Attorney was unable to attend the last meeting of the Audit Implementation Committee, and will not be able to attend the next meeting either. Therefore the next meeting has been postponed until May.
The Adult Probation Department raised questions about certain recommendations contained in the Safety Audit that require implementation across more than one criminal justice agency. The committee will work to identify leadership on implementation of those recommendations.
Commissioner Keehn reported that the orientation was held “without terrifying new members.” Ms. Black is interested in participation in the Governance and Audit Implementation Committees, and Ms. Hauck is interested in the Media and Audit Implementation Committees.
The former Deputy Director of the Division of Emergency Services, Vicky Hennessey, has been named the Acting Director of DEM. She is a former Chief Deputy at the Sheriff’s Department. There will not be an active search for a permanent director. It has been difficult for DEM to send staff to the Cross-Training as they can only be released by granting them overtime pay, which is currently difficult to do. Members of the Oversight Panel will meet with Acting Director Hennessey on April 22, 2008.
Mr. Theisen expressed his concern about when and whether JUS.T.I.S. would be implemented. He suggested that perhaps the Oversight Panel could draft a letter to the Mayor regarding our concerns with the City skimping on money at this late date, and about the lack of leadership from MOCJ.
Dr. Murase reported that she and Ms. Tregor had met with Al Corker regarding DOSW’s Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the various criminal justice agencies regarding having access to data. The MOU’s are getting drafted now. Dr. Murase will try to meet with Kevin Ryan, the Director of MOCJ prior to any letter getting sent out on behalf of Justice & Courage. It was suggested that Maya Dillard Smith, of the Mayor’s Office, be contacted to see if she could provide some assistance in making contact with Mr. Ryan.
Ms. Upton inquired about whether the Adult Probation Department was keeping up with their part in implementing JUS.T.I.S., and Ms. Tregor replied that it was her impression that they were. Ms. Upton also inquired about how DOSW would get statistics generated by JUS.T.I.S. Dr. Murase explained that DOSW will have access through its own computers. Ms. Upton pledged to work on getting a representative of the Domestic Violence Consortium to attend the JUS.T.I.S. meetings.
Ms. Upton reported that she is impressed with the people working on the issue of family violence intervention and prevention in San Francisco. She expects that issues of cultural competency and batterer accountability will be discussed at the next meeting. There are 3 new members of the Council-the Public Defender, Animal Care and Control, and the School District. All seats on the Council are now filled, but all are encouraged to attend. The co-chairs of the Council met with Maya Dillard Smith of the Mayor’s Office and hope to work with her to get the issue of family violence higher on the City’s violence prevention priority list.
C. Update on the trial of Tari Ramirez Beverly Upton
The current trial date for Ramirez is August 17, 2008. It is likely that the trial will actually begin in September. Ms. Upton is working to make sure that the Chronicle keeps up steady coverage of the process.
D. Stalking Task Force Marily Mondejar
Ms. Mondejar attended the second meeting of the Task Force. The Task Force was restarted due to an increase in the number of stalking cases identified by the District Attorney. The Task Force is staffed by Marc Guillory, an Assistant District Attorney. Dr. Steven White made a presentation at the last meeting about the psychology and causes of stalking. The Task Force plans to discuss the findings on stalking from the Safety and Accountability Audit at its next meeting, which is not yet scheduled.
Ms. Flores asked how the Task Force helps those who are being stalked. Ms. Mondejar explained that at the meeting she attended they discussed how to build a legal case against stalkers, and that the meetings seem to help advocates learn what their clients need to do and to record in order to build a case. Mr. Theisen asked about how the needs of stalking victims who don’t want to go through the criminal justice system are met. He stated that many women are afraid to go to law enforcement.
Capt. Ashe stated that stalking requires a statutory change—a significant criminal enhancement is required. Perpetrators continue stalking even while they are in jail. She reported that the first Police Department bulletin on stalking is in development. She would like to submit it to the Stalking Task Force for review before it is finalized.
Ms. Mondejar stated that the public needs education about what to do, and what makes a prosecutable case.
Ms. Upton stated that community domestic violence advocates need to discuss the issue of stalking. She committed to having the Domestic Violence Consortium take up the issue as a monthly topic.
Commissioner Keehn reported on Dr. Cavanaugh’s presentation on batterers at the last Commission on the Status of Women meeting. Dr. Cavanaugh seems to believe that batterer intervention programs don’t work. Commissioner Keehn pointed out that the majority of San Francisco domestic violence murders were perpetrated by successful batterer intervention program completers. Dr. Cavanaugh recommended more specialized programs, using better intake on individuals so that they are directed to appropriate programs.
Ms. Tregor will make Dr. Cavanaugh’s materials, along with Joanne McAllister’s research on San Francisco programs, available to the Oversight Panel. The Adult Probation Department will be revitalizing the BIP-CAC, which was a community-probation effort to improve batterer intervention program effectiveness.
The Oversight Panel agreed that there is strong interest in starting a batterer accountability committee to look at these issues in more depth. Ms. Mondejar expressed concern that cultural issues regarding battering be addressed—language, culture, and related issues must be addressed. Women who batter should also be considered.
Mondejar, Ramirez, Upton, Theisen, Cavanaugh, and Flores all expressed interest in participating in such a committee. Ms. Tregor will work to set a meeting. At the first meeting goals will be set, and the group will discuss how it might interact with other current batterer intervention efforts.
The Oversight Panel discussed the possibility of reestablishing the Resources Committee. In the past it was co-chaired by Capt. Ashe and Ms. Upton—they found funding for both the cross-training and for the Safety Audit. If the Committee is reestablished we will need to consider what its goals are. What do we want to sustain?
Capt. Ashe expressed her willingness to participate in any newly configured group. The Oversight Panel agreed to table the issue now and discuss it further at the Strategic Planning Retreat.
All Oversight Panel members are expected to attend the Strategic Planning Retreat on July 16, 2008, from 10am-4pm. We will discuss the agenda at the next Oversight Panel meeting.
There was no public comment.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:26 a.m.
