2.

(ACTION) Review and approval of February 24, 2005 meeting minutes

Upon motion by Comm Fetiçō, seconded by Comm Rodriguez, the minutes were approved as written.
  (public comments)
There were none.

3.

Public comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Juvenile Probation Commission
There were none.

4.

(DISCUSSION) Chief Probation Officer’s Report

a.       Juvenile Hall project update (Winship reporting)

There was no report. No AV support in the room.

b.       Status of Log Cabin Ranch operations (Sanders reporting)

D. Sanders reported that the population is now at 18, and next week 3 others are being assigned. The BOC is doing a pre inspection right now.  Two issues he is concerned with is the grievance process, and the 15 min. count in the dorm.  They need to put it on a certain document that BOC wants.  The BOC will issue their report Mar. 30. 

The SFUSD has reduced the teaching staff at LCRS to 2 teachers. Additionally, those youth at LCRS who have graduated from high school cannot be co mingled in the same classrooms with those youth who have not yet graduated.

He said he was looking around to see if there were online college correspondence courses that he could use for those HS grads. He will be meeting with someone at College of San Mateo to talk about this.

3 students at LCRS have completed HS program.  Asked if Sanders had contacted CCSF about online coursework, he said he had not.

Comm Hale asked Sanders to talk to Dr. Frank Tom at the SFUSD.  Comm Queen mentioned Lois Brooks of the SFUSD and a Micky Dentine. Ask them to facilitate a solution.

LCRS has 8 counselors there, 4 stationed at JH.    The increase in population has brought on a change in ages also.  There are more older, “sophisticated” youth (up to 18 yrs) there, and they are repeated placement failures.  They have witnessed more than 200 violent acts.  They have observed an avg of 5.4 deaths. There seems to be more exhibition of “gang” related language and behavior. Sanders said he talked to some Pos in Juvenile Hall and they will come out to LCRS to give some training to the counselors. 

This change is a return to the types of youth LCRS used to get: older, multiple placement failure, repeat offenders.  So now there are two pretty distinct populations with different needs.

Ques: have CBOs been called upon to help in training regarding gangs and anger management?

No.    Brothers Against Guns could be utilized.\

Comm Hale said this sounded like a “set up” ..  that the courts are now going to send down the most troubled youth, and “invite” their escaping (LCRS is not secured placement).  The Ranch can serve those youth, but it needs to be planned.  The recent talks have not been along those lines, but more about serving younger youth, with less problems.

Hale said he suspects this is just to “show” that LCRS needs to be contracted out, and he totally opposed that.

The older youth have been assigned within the last month.

Comm Hale wanted to see the admission dates.

Comm Fetiçō asked for a list showing the residents’ profiles (including offenses), and any assessments done on them.

B. Johnston mentioned that there is a relationship between older youth who fail OHP, and are not going to CYA, to be put at LCRS.  Past a certain age, there is no financial support for them in group homes.  They are repeated failures in that, leaving only one option –other than release back into the community—and that is LCRS. 

Comm Queen asked Bill and D. Sanders to come to the program comm. To explain their thoughts on what adjustments they will make to accommodate these developments.

c.       Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative update (Bieringer reporting)

G. Bieringer was not available, but the JDAI newsletter was given as the update.

d.       Budget update

M Lui repeated that at the last Commission meeting it was announced that budget planning would be held off until the new Chief came aboard. He said that in talking to Sifferman, he learned that the Dept budget submission deadline is May 1.  The baseline budget that went to the Mayor’s Budget office was off balance by about $500K.  This will have to be immediately attended to when Sifferman starts.  He has asked the staff to come up with some potential solutions.  Ques: would this be available for review on April 4?  Lui:  don’t know.

Comm Queen reminded Lui that when they prepare their plan and document, to be as clear as possible on what they are proposing and why they are proposing it vs. other options they considered.

e.       Worker’s Comp status (Klinghorne reporting)

Sam Kinghorne was introduced as the Manager of Personnel, and he self identified as the Human Resource Manager.  He said he was hired as the Workers Comp Manager.

Currently there are 11 WC cases, vs. 17 last yr.  (he stated something about 3 cases drawing 40-50…  ambiguous statement). At the current pace he estimated a savings of $300K.  They project Juvenile Hall OT to be reduced by $500K.

(He said his focus on WC is to have an efficient program, do right by the employees, but have a program that serves our purpose and reduce our costs.) He said they’re on track.

He handed out a document prepared by the City’s Workers Comp task force.

Ques. How much of the savings mentioned will be factored into the Dept’s budget deficit?  Lui answered that those figures were stated for the current year.  They are working with the Mayor’s Budget Office to try and carry them forward into the new budget.  He said if we lower the WC budget line, and end up overspending, it would be marked as a deficit forcing another mid year reduction plan.

Ques: what are the costs we’re talking about? Lui: the costs only relate to the medical costs and salary replacement costs.  If under labor code 4850  peace officers receive full salary for a year, but now after one year, they receive their salaries under SDI.  The amount is about $1.5 mil. This year.  DHR workers comp task force is estimating $1.6 mil next year.

Comm Fetiçō asked if they could give him an idea of the types of injuries that are being charged and how they occur.  He was concerned about the preventive training, or the physical condition of staff, which may allow for more injury. Kinghorne said that they need to do a study of the classification to consider physical fitness requirements.

What they’re doing now: they have clear policy and procedures for filing WC cases. They are initiating an early return to work program. Kinghorne said it was difficult to estimate how long people will be out on WC. There’s a pattern of doctors they go to, and attorneys that represent them.  The new WC laws will help in this situation.

Comm Queen asked him to prepare a brief report explaining more clearly what some of the interventions were that they applied to the situation to bring it to the current status.

(public comments) 
there were none.                                                      
                                                     

5.

(DISCUSSION/ACTION) Policy for the Dept to place a moratorium on CYA commitments for any offense other than 707.

Comm Hale asked for a recommendation from the Dept for a moratorium on commitments of any youth for less than 707 cases, and even then on non violent 707 cases (on a case by case basis). He said that there was a recent referral of a youth who did not have any significant cause for being sent to CYA, but was ordered by the court anyhow.

Comm Fetiçō asked if there were things that could be done earlier in the process, before youth end up at the doors of YGC.  He sees so many CBOs getting money to serve, but how has that helped our youth.  Comm Hale said that YA is rarely a viable alternative for young people. It is a last resort.  There are certain offenses and certain young people who need such significant resources that often times, YA for that type of youngster is the only option.  Barring that, there is no justification for commitment to YA.

Comm Queen suggested moving this discussion to when the new Chief comes on.  He agreed with Comm Feticō’s concerns about CBOs and their effectiveness, which is why he has promoted the whole principle of community based planning, so that those most effective resources can be enlisted in the service plans.

Comm Hale said that we need to help train CBOs to do the work.

Comm Fetiçō mentioned that every city department has funds for training, but it needs to be coordinated to effect some

It was agreed to put the item on the next agenda for discussion with the new Chief.  Comm Rodriguez asked if a profile of CYA commitments could be put together for Commissioners to see.

Bill Johnston briefly gave a thumbnail picture of those who have been committed. The vast majority were for violent felony charges.  2 that were not for violent offenses, had repeated offenses.  The most recent referral of a young, non-violent offender, that was committed to CYA was due to the court over ruling the Dept’s recommendations to refer to LCRS, and instead ordered him to CYA.

Bill Johnston commended Liz Jackson-Simpson, Mark Lui, Sam Kinghorne, Donald Sanders, Jose Perla, Dennis Doyle, Tim Diestal, Nancy Yalon, the Deputy City Attorney for all their effort during this transition period.

Comm Queen commended Bill for his work during this “in between” period also.

(public comments)

Carol Chodraff of the Public Defender’s office, represents youth in the CYA.  She talked about one individual who has suffered violent attacks at CYA (a photo was passed around showing how he had been slashed by another youth) and whose pleas and complaints have been ignored. She urged the Commission to take action to stop commitments to YA.  Ques: what is the DA’s opinion about this?  They fight hard to get them sent to CYA and fight as hard against bringing them back.

Rich Perino, DPOA, spoke against taking the option away from the Dept.  He said that without the Youth Authority, there wouldn’t be much chance at turning LCRS around.  When you start sending youth who are more appropriate for CYA, to LCRS, that’s when things will go bad at LCRS.

He said that compared to other counties in Ca, the ratio of felony referrals vs. CYA commitments, for SF, is the lowest.

Comm Fetiçō asked if Perino could write up his recommendations for what to do, if we don’t have CYA, and give it to the commission.

6.

(DISCUSSION) Committee Reports

Program Committee

Comm Queen summarized the meeting topics, centering on the decision to hold meetings in various communities, with district based consortiums, and the new Chief, and suggested possibly to do the first one in district 10.

He asked Liz Jackson-Simpson to give a summary of the work being done on CBO contracts (via the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council process and the Dept’s own funding cycles). She also mentioned the work continuing with PrIDE, where they are cutting it down to 2 forms from the 6 developed initially. The Dept will be using the same contract management system that DCYF is using, and modifying it for our needs.

Comm Hale stated that he heard rumors the DCYF was looking to take over the Dept’s community programs division. L. Jackson-Simpson said she heard the same thing. 

Comm Queen commended Comm Fetiçō and Comm Rodriguez for their energy and attention in getting familiar with the Dept (visiting with JH and speaking with staff) and said that he was particularly pleased that Comm Rodriguez suggested having meetings between the Commission and staff.

Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council

    Comm Stiglich was excused from the meeting so there was no update.

Discussion of protocols and procedures for the Commission

Comm Lingad Ricci was excused from the meeting due to illness.  This will be discussed at another meeting, but Comm Queen stated that it related to an incident regarding the JJCC, where an action he had gotten passed in the working group was overturned in the steering committee.  There also were outstanding questions about how the MOCJ works in relation to the Commission and generally how the Commission should be proceeding internally and in its external relationships with govt. bodies.  With all the changes on the landscape, getting clear protocols will only help resolve potential problems.

(public comments)
There were none.
                     

7.

Public comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Juvenile Probation Commission
There were none.

8.

(DISCUSSION) Announcements, requests for future agenda items

Comm Hale said that Comm Lingad Ricci had asked for special meetings to deal with the budget and the election of officers for the Commission.  After a discussion it was decided to have the meetings on April 11, and 18, at 5:30pm.

Comm Hale commented that 3 of the youth he works with succeeded qualifying for the state championships for young bowlers.  Comm Fetiçō said that 7 of the young people in the 7 Teepees program made it into college, and the program was helping pay for their first year.  Comm Chuck mentioned a young man, Armond Hervey, who was associated with Brothers Against Guns, who was murdered recently, and asked that the meeting be adjourned in his memory.
(public comments)

9.

(ACTION)  Adjournment

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:35pm in memory of

  Armond Hervey

And all young men lost to street violence.