Full_Commission
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MINUTES OF JUNE 23, 1999 REGULAR MEETING
1. Roll
Call
The
meeting was called to order at 5:35 pm by Comm. Julian. Comms. Hale, Shimko, Dupre were present at
the gavel. Comm. Aramburo arrived at
5:50 pm.
2. Review
of May 26, 1999 meeting
minutes
Comm.
Julian made some editorial amendments. On p1 there was a typo. On p2
he added "always" to "....nice to receive" and in regards to his attendance at the DPOA mtg he placed a
"period" after ‘continues'.
3. Chief
Probation Officer's Report:
Chief Williams began by introducing the
President of the Volunteer Auxiliary, Kathleen Kelly, who he presented a copy
of the check from the estate of Florene Friedlander, which will be used for
further educational support of youth from this Dept. Both he and Pres. Julian thanked her and the Auxiliary for all
their fine work.
a. Budget
Information (Operations and Capital Improvement)
b. Progress report
The
Department's annual report is done, as a compilation of years 97 and 98. The forthcoming annual reports will return
to the single year format. The Chief
asked if the Commission had any other information it wanted included, please
mention it. Comm. Shimko asked that this report be put on the
Commission's next agenda for discussion.
Comm. Hale asked the Chief
to break out figures for regular felonies, serious felonies, and misdemeanors.
The Chief said that the Department's action
plan is ready and available for discussion, and he would accede to whatever
format the Commission wishes to review it.
Parallel discussions along with the action
plan, will be the placement system.
c. Highlights of the month
Christmas
in April came back to do work on the main floor.
d. Review of May monthly statistical data;
e. Emerging Issues/upcoming events
A
date has been chosen to hold a seminar on Balanced and Restorative Justice:
July 23.
12 new POs have been hired, so now all
probation division openings are filled.
Positions in JH are being completed also.
The Youth Guidance Center Improvement
Committee is now dismantled, and will be reconstituted with a new Board of
Directors, and bylaws. The Chief asks
that a member of the Commission play a role in constructing that new facade.
The Chief asked T. Mtambuzi to talk about
the increased incidents of suicidal behavior in the hall. Mtambuzi reported that there has been about
10 attempts in the last month and a half, vs 5 for the whole of last year. When Comm. Julian asked how many youth were
involved in the 10 incidents, Mtambuzi changed his initial number and said that
there were 9 incidents, involving 8 youth. 2 females, 6 males. Quest:
did any of these occur due to copy cat practice? No.
Basically it was discussed that there are significant issues of mental
health of the youth, anger, and having inappropriate detainees in the hall (eg.
youth returned from St. Mary's Hospital).
There needs to be more attention paid to the problems, perhaps from a
spiritual counselor dealing with violence and anger management (some of the incidents
occur as a result of being disciplined by staff). There is a broad concept of attempt, used by this Department,
where in other locations some of the behaviors included here would not be
considered attempts.
Rev. Dunbar commented that sometimes the
impetus for suicide attempt has nothing to do with the quality of life in
JH. But there needs to be more support
staff that deal with the immediate response necessary in such incidents.
4. Discussion/Action
Items:
a.
Consideration and possible action to contract with the Asian Pacific
Islander Wellness Center (amount:
$49,000) for family oriented services.
Comm. Hale began to recount the process
followed by the Program Committee, which included the approval of the MOU
between the Department and the SFUSD/Samoan Community Development Center to
operate another program. The total
funding comes from the TANF pot of money (total amount $154,000), and is being
split between the two.
Under advisement of John Kennedy, Deputy
City Attorney, the MOU did not need an action by the Commission.
As a result, Comm. Hale reported that the Program Committee approved
contracting with the API Wellness Center.
Three representatives from the agency did a short presentation on their
service plan (see the minutes of the Program Committee meeting).
There was no public comment.
Comm.
Hale moved to approve the contract.
Comm. Dupré seconded. The question was called, and upon voice
vote, passed unanimously, 5-0.
5. Public
Comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Juvenile
Probation
Commission.
Representatives
from the Arts Commission and the Writers' Corps came to briefly explain their
program and involvement with youth in this Department (an MOU between the
Department and these two parties is being implemented this year). Upon questioning with regards to doing
similar work with youth in Juvenile Hall, the Chief said that they are working
with the Pacific News Service/YO, and that they are planning to have an event
in Oct. to showcase youth talent publicly.
Johnny Miller spoke highly of their past
relationship. The Commission applauded
their work. Individual commissioners expressed their feelings of appreciation
for the quality and humanity of the work.
The interim Director of the Samoan
Community Development Center briefly introduced his organization and what they
were doing with the SFUSD at Phoenix Middle School. More than half of the students they work with are on
probation. The organization brings in
the family as a part of the workplan for the student, giving them services at
the same time.
6. Unfinished
business none
7.
New business
Comm.
Dupré reported that the Mayor declared one day Damone Hale day for Pop
Warner baseball day.
Comm.
Hale reported that he and Comm. Arámburo attended the School
Board meeting last night. He and Comm.
Arámburo discussed the issue of armed police officers on school campuses,
and how the School Board voted. He
didn't know if the School Board
contacted this Department when they constructed that resolution. The Chief said he wasn't aware of it. It was suggested inviting the School Board
and SFUSD (and JJS?) to the Commission retreat and possibly use the afternoon
session to deal with issues that relate to both.
8. The
meeting was adjourned at 7:23 pm.