JUSTICE & COURAGE PROJECT
OVERSIGHT PANEL MEETING
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
APPROVED MINUTES
Members Present: Commissioner Dorka Keehn (Chair), Ken Theisen – Bay Area Legal Aid, Dr. Emily Murase – Department on the Status of Women, Marily Mondehar – Filipina Women’s Network, Beverly Upton – San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium, Juana Flores – Mujeres Unidas y Activas, and Antonio Ramirez – POCOVI.
Staff Present: Jill Tregor – Department on the Status of Women
I. CALL TO ORDER/AGENDA CHANGES ACTION
The meeting was called to order by Chair Dorka Keehn at 9:07 am. Agenda approved (Theisen/Upton/Unanimous).
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Minutes from the meeting of December 14, 2007 approved. (Murase/Upton/Unanimous)
III. BUSINESS
Member Beverly Upton provided an update on an issue discussed at the last meeting, regarding body attachments to force victims to testify in domestic violence cases. She reported that there may be legislation introduced at the state level to address the problem and protect women from being forced to testify.
A. Domestic Violence Response Cross-Training Institute
The first training is scheduled for March 11, 2008. The training team is Emberly Cross, Cooperative Restraining Order Clinic; Nic Baran, Volunteer Legal Services Program; Doreen Der McCloud, Cameron House; and Mary Twomey, Institute on Aging.
The training team has updated the curriculum from last year, based on feedback from participants, the evaluators, Blue Shield, and the trainers themselves.
The outside evaluation firm submitted a summary of the feedback collected from training participants at a three-month follow-up, along with their analysis. The information is included in Oversight Panelist’s packets.
B. Governance Committee
The Governance Committee members, Upton and Mondejar, reported that the process of recruitment and screening of potential new Panel members had been great. They reported that there were three candidates screened, and that all were being recommended for membership on the Panel. In order to accommodate three new members, the committee is going to recommend that Dr. Murase, the Executive Director of the Department on the Status of Women, be an alternative member of the panel, who will only vote in the absence of a regular member.
The new candidates introduced themselves:
Kathy Black, Executive Director, La Casa de las Madres: Ms. Black stated that she would be thrilled to be a member of the panel, and that she felt very connected to the issues the Panel works on. Mr. Theisen asked is La Casa de las Madres has a contract with the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) with State funding, and what the status of that was. Ms. Black stated that the cooperative relationship between La Casa and SFPD would continue regardless of funding. Mr. Theisen expressed his concern that La Casa might be compromised by their relationship with SFPD when it comes to the role that the Oversight Panel plays in relation to criminal justice agencies. Ms. Black assured the Panel that she was not concerned with any possible conflict.
Allyson Hauck: Ms. Hauck stated that she was looking forward to working with the Panel. She is new toSan Francisco after a time away. This seems to be exactly the kind of work she wants to do.
Dr. Mary Cavanaugh: Dr. Cavanaugh stated that she is new to California, having recently moved here from Pennsylvania. She is a professor at UC Berkeley in the School of Social Welfare. Her research focuses primarily on batterers. She believes that it is important to be connected to the community where she conducts her research. Mr. Ramirez asked if Dr. Cavanaugh conducted research on women who batter, but Dr. Cavanaugh stated that her research focused on men who batter, and stated that research on female offenders is scant.
Motion to accept the recommendation of the Governance Committee and designate Dr. Murase as an alternate member of the Justice & Courage Oversight Panel Approved (Mondejar/Theisen/Unanimous)
Motion to accept the recommendation of the Governance Committee and accept three new members: Mary Cavanaugh, Allyson Hauck, and Kathy Black Approved (Murase/Theisen/Unanimous)
C. Governance Committee
Commissioner Dorka Keehn reported on the work of the Governance Committee. She informed the Panel that there are 3 candidates for the two open seats on the Oversight Panel. Commissioner Keehn and Jill Tregor met with panel member Juana Flores and confirmed her interest in continuing with the Oversight Panel. Panel Members Beverly Upton and Marily Mondejar, members of the Governance Committee, reported that have interviewed two of the candidates so far. Once they complete their interviews they will make recommendations to the Governance Committee, who will then make recommendations to the Oversight Panel as a whole. The Panel will then recommend candidates to the Commission on the Status of Women for appointment.
A discussion was held to explore the possibility of appointing more than two new people to the Oversight panel. One possibility would be to identify one person as an “alternate”, which would help insure quorum in the absence of a regular member. The Governance Committee will explore this possibility further. The next meeting of the Governance Committee is January 16, 2:30 pm, at the Department on the Status of Women. Staff will keep the candidates informed as to the overall timelines.
Members of the Oversight Panel requested that there be a discussion of Batterer Intervention Issues at the next meeting of the Panel.
F. Media Committee Ken Theisen/Marily Mondejar
Dr. Murase is working on setting up a meeting with John Diaz and the new Executive Editor of the SF Chronicle. Dr. Murase also reported that research into purchasing the New California Media list revealed that it is a subscription service, and based on the price it was determined that the Department on the Status of Women would not purchase it. The current media list will be updated instead.
The Media committee will try to meet before the next meeting of the Oversight Panel.
G. Audit Implementation Committee
The Audit Implementation Committee was rescheduled, and the next meeting is February 8, 2008. There will be a presentation by the Office of the District Attorney.
A member of the Oversight Panel requested that the Head of the Department of Emergency Services be invited to the next meeting of the Oversight Panel to make a presentation about 9-1-1 services and their language access efforts.
IV. REPORTS
A. Telephone Language Interpretation Services Jill Tregor
An update from the Office of Language Services was distributed.
B. JUS.T.I.S. Jill Tregor
Lt. Molly Pengel reported that each police detective in the Domestic Violence Response Unit (DVRU) now has a computer, though it is not yet hooked up to the cable network. In total, they received 20 computers and printers. The DVRU will be “Level 2” by the end of the month; all queries will be able to run by then. The detectives are not yet connected to the district stations, however. SFPD has a new head of Information Technology.
The DVRU currently has 14 Inspectors and 1 light duty Officer. The Oversight Panel requested that a meeting be scheduled with Chief Fong, and with the new head of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, Kevin Ryan.
C. Family Violence Council Beverly Upton
Ms. Upton reported that the meetings of the Council are very exciting, as people who don’t usually have a chance to speak with each other are all present. At the meeting on January 17, 2008, a card with information about mandated reporting of child, domestic violence, and elder abuse was distributed, as well as an updated resource card that includes all forms of family violence.
At the meeting, people broke into small groups to identify priority issues for the Council. Topics included: cultural competency, access to services for limited English proficient speakers, a call for review of department protocols on family violence.
Three new voting members were designated: Animal Control, Public Defender, and Police Department.
The Council is making connections with the City’s Violence Prevention Plan and will be meeting with Ms. Maya Dillard Smith of MOCJ.
In a discussion of current family violence trends, the following issues were identified:
The Human Services Agency reported that the number of families in the system has decreased.
Victims of domestic violence who are limited English proficient or monolingual are getting arrested as perpetrators in increasing numbers.
It was noted that Animal Care and Control, Judges and Commissioners from the Unified Family Court, and the Mayor’s new Deputy Chief of Staff for Human Services, Catherine Dodd were present at the meeting.
The Oversight Panel raised questions about the planned distribution of the family violence resource cards and called on the Family Violence Council to ensure broad distribution and regular updating.
D. Citywide Violence Prevention Planning Initiative Dr. Emily Murase
Maya Dillard Smith attended the last meeting of the Family Violence Council. The Department is working to arrange a meeting with Mr. Kevin Ryan, the new head of MOCJ.
E. Update on the trial of Tari Ramirez Beverly Upton
On February 26, 2008 there will be a Motion to Set a Trial Date, and the D.A. will be requesting a September 2008 date.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. Legislation Staff
Ms. Tregor reported that she attended a training put on by the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV) and received a thorough update on California legislation.
Ms. Upton informed the group that Assemblywoman Fiona Ma has introduced legislation to create a database of all domestic violence perpetrators. There are concerns about the implications for immigrants who might appear on the list. The Domestic Violence Consortium is working with Assemblywoman Ma on the issue. Chairperson Keehn requested that the issue be brought to the full Commission on the Status of Women
Senator Leland Yee is planning to introduce legislation regarding body attachments.
Ms. Flores offered that members of Mujeres Unidas y Activas would be available to testify regarding the problem of getting entangled in immigration issues when reporting domestic violence.
B. City Managerial Award
Dr. Murase reported that she had nominated the Safety and Accountability Audit Team for special City recognition. A reception honoring all nominees, as well as the winners, will be honored on February 25, 2008 at City Hall.
C. Request for Presentation
The Oversight Panel requested that Mujeres Unidas y Activas give a presentation about their domestic violence campaign at the next meeting of the Oversight Panel. There was also a request that the Oversight Panel revisit issues regarding office space and the number of investigators for the SFPD Domestic Violence Response Unit.
VI. PUBLIC COMMENT
Captain Marsha Ashe thanked the Oversight Panel for the Nomination for the City Managerial Award and noted that she had her picture taken with the Mayor.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m.
