To view graphic version of this page, refresh this page (F5)

Skip to page body

Meeting Information



Programs_Committee

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 

       MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 21, 2005 PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETING of the JUVENILE PROBATION COMMISSION

      held at Youth Guidance Center Conference Room  375 Woodside Ave.  San Francisco, CA  94127


                                                        
The Minutes of this meeting set forth all actions taken by the Commission on the matters stated, but not necessarily the chronological sequence in which the matters were taken up

 

1.

(ACTION)  Roll Call

The Chair called the meeting to order at 5:32pm. Comms Hale and Rodriguez were present at the gavel. Comm Chuck was excused.  The Chief and Liz Jackson-Simpson represented the Dept.

 

2.

(ACTION) Review and approval of August 17, 2005 meeting minutes.

The minutes were approved as written.
(public comments)

There were none.

3.

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

4.

 

 

(DISCUSSION/ACTION) Continued discussion regarding probation officers’ safety in the field, with possible recommendations to the full commission.

Comm Hale recounted his discussion with a friend in LA’s probation dept.  With the exception of tactical units, they do not arm their POs.  Issues of training, liability, costs are large and prohibitive.  He says that not having arms demanded he develop community relations skills.

Comm Hale had expected someone from the POA or PO staff to do a fuller presentation of their case for arming.  Comm Rodriguez also was disappointed in this lack of a more specific and detailed proposal.

Paul Quadra, PO in SOP unit, mentioned that 2 POs in his unit were at the scene of a shooting in Bayview last week.  The SOP unit also does ”ride alongs” in the Night light program, and with the gang task force.

Comm Hale repeated that if they have a case for this, they need to present it in detail.  This is a responsibility of the DPOA. Comm Rodriguez wanted to know historically where the need for side arms had been experienced, and this requires more than only anecdotal evidence.

Comm Hale suggested they go to the African American Police Community Relations Board to get their take on this.  POs need to get their support or other community leaders’ input.  There needs to be a trust developed, which seems to be lacking between the community and the DPOA.

Chief Siffermann recounted that this was a topic, which came out of a discussion of probation officer safety, raised by Comm Stiglich.  He said that during labor negotiations when he first arrived, this was also a topic of discussion. But it was ultimately taken off the table in those negotiations. He said that if POs are asked to do tasks that are law enforcement oriented and identical to those required of police, then the Dept needs to take steps to protect the safety of those POs.   He has talked to the two POs who were at the shooting incident, and is exploring ways to address safety, including re evaluating the activities that may be more appropriately placed in others’ hands (eg. police).  Maybe a multi dept task force, with participation from this Dept’s staff, but separate from the main role of this dept in the community.  He is continuing to seek other ways for POs to develop skills in relating to the public.

(public comments)
there were none.

5.

(DISCUSSION/ACTION) Update on Log Cabin Ranch operations.

The Chief passed out a written report from Allen Nance in regards to this.  It will be discussed at the next committee meeting.

(public comments)

There were none.

 

6.

(DISCUSSION) Report from 5 CBOs providing intensive home based supervision to youth in the Dept. (Instituto Familiar de la Raza, Morrisania West, Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, Samoan Community Development Center, Vietnamese Youth Development Center).

Comm Hale reviewed that this grew out of the committee’s concern about those that did not have significant data for the PrIDE report.  Liz Jackson-Simpson said that there were some other IHBS providers who had comments to make on this issue.

Lonnie Holmes reported that the Samoan Community Development Center and Potrero Hill were not present.

Alfredo Bojorquez, Youth Program Coordinator for IFR, explained to the committee that IFR has been on record as opposing the PrIDE program in its invasiveness and cumbersomeness.  It was not done with their approval and lacked cultural and linguistic sensitivity and really didn’t help them in their services (the PrIDE people asked them to clean up the translations, rather than doing it themselves) in fact, interfering with their efforts to develop a close rapport with their youth.  With all the problems this evaluation program possessed, it was not possible to do the data collection they demanded. (there is also a waiver that excused youth from participating in this data collection).  And the data set that PrIDE used doesn’t even truly represent the total client population they work with, because PrIDE only wanted data within a specific timeframe that didn’t encompass all of their clients served. 

He also mentioned that there have been relatively few referrals from the Dept recently.

He felt that the money used for this could have been better spent and in fact the dept. still needs to develop its own ability to compile and track data on its contracts.

Maria Su, VYDC, said that they did complete 80% of the PrIDE paperwork, but there were problems with the data forms.  Translations were left to the case manager to do, questions were complex and invasive and youth were resistant to giving up information.  Worked against building trust and relationships.

Yen Ding, clinical services director, VYDC, said that they have always had problems administering the questionnaires, for all the reasons already presented, as well as the respondents not having a reading level that allowed them to do the questionnaires.  These questionnaires duplicated much of what they already do, so were redundant.

Charles Dixon, Morrisania West, said this was a surprise to him because he has communicated to Liz Jackson Simpson and the previous chief, and La France about this survey.  He questioned the changes made to the instrument.  He said that much of the information asked for already is contained in PO records.  He said that they submitted all the forms asked for. He disclaimed any non-compliance. He said that PrIDE lost many of their survey forms.  He said that there have been few report backs to the CBOs through the course of the year so they couldn’t benefit from any understanding of how the “evidence” said they were doing.  He said the money could have been better spent.  He said the IHBS program was really subsidized with funds from other programs they operate.

Liz Jackson-Simpson said that at times IHBS are asked to do work outside of their contracted work plan. She said that because of the transitory nature of their population, the process of data collection for PrIDE did not fit.  She was not aware of their lost forms, but said that this was a common occurrence.

Lonnie Holmes, management analyst, said that the PrIDE “program” was crammed down the throats of the CBOs here without any consideration with what would work locally.

  (public comments)

Tracy Taper, BAG, spoke about the problems of the PrIDE reporting processes. She agreed with the comments of others regarding the negative experience with the evaluation process. It was not an accurate picture of what they had done in their program. 

Shawn Richard, BAG, also echoed the previous comments.

Jay Smith, BVHP Fdn, had the same problems others had with the PrIDE process. Like others, their numbers of referrals from the Dept have declined in recent years.

L. Holmes said that referrals are made arbitrarily.

The Chief said that in the future there will be performance indicators enumerated in RFPs and work contracts.  The purpose is to evaluate the end result, not to punish providers.

L. Holmes commented that there are many other firms that can provide evaluations at a far lower cost (eg.  Davis Ja and Associates).

7.

(DISCUSSION) Language Access Task Force, progress report on identified concerns and progress toward eliminating them.

The Chief said there was a language access and cultural competence committee of JDAI.  G. Bieringer corroborated this, but was not sure this item referred to that.

This was an item that Comm Chuck asked for. It will be tabled until he can clarify exactly what he wanted, and is able to attend.

(public comments)

there were none.

 

8.

(DISCUSSION) Update on how District Based Planning will be utilized to develop/decide CBO services for youth in the Dept. in the coming year.

The Chief said that they plan to hold meetings with the JJCC to address the proposed distribution of funds, and to assess what the dept needs, and with their clients, and in the communities (possibly 3). Then to decide what services the dept will be seeking out.

L. Jackson-Simpson also echoed that this would be the process, mentioning a meeting in Oct and getting out an RFP in Feb.

The Chief asked if the Commission could streamline the demands for the Dept reporting back to the various levels of the Commission, on the progress of this item.

He said that he will be looking at all the services being delivered, through the lens of Restorative Justice, assessing 3 components: community safety, youth competencies, accountability through the process. Re evaluating the need for curfew checks and monitoring vs. more direct services.  Family/parent “rehabilitation”.

(public comments)

there were none.

 

9.

(DISCUSSION) Public comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Program Committee of the Juvenile Probation Commission

the written statement of Rich Perino is made a part of the minutes (attached at end)

 

10.

(ACTION) Announcements, future agenda items.  Adjournment
Comm Hale wanted a master calendar regarding the contracting schedule (RFPs, selections, etc.)

He wanted to have the issue of Huckleberry’s contract be discussed again.  The Commission will send a letter to Bruce Fisher to come to the next committee meeting.

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7:42pm.

 

                                       Statement from Rich Perino, below

 

                                         R Perino statement