Agenda

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C. 30

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Robin Lipetzky, Public Defender
Date:	October 18, 2016

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Misdemeanor Early Representation Progam Grant

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 10/18/2016

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Richard Loomis, 335-8093

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: October 18, 2016
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

Public Defender (0243): APPROVE Appropriations and Revenue Adjustment No. 5013 authorizing new revenue in the amount of $212,720.00 from the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance, and appropriating it for expenditures related to the Misdemeanor Early Representation Program (MERP) in the Richmond Office of the Public Defender.

FISCAL IMPACT:

This grant will provide 377,657 for employee salary/benefit professional services and travel reimbursements for a two (2) year pilot program (10/01/16 through 10/01/18)., allocated over three (3) Budget Years, as follows:
FY 2016-17 = $164,243

FISCAL IMPACT: (CONT'D)

FY 2017-18 = $180,432
FY 2018-19 = $ 32,982

There is no increase in Net County Cost.

BACKGROUND:

This Smart Defense Initiative grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance will fund the West County Misdemeanor Early Representation Program (MERP), which is designed to provide immediate representation for persons cited for misdemeanor offenses, so as to reduce incarceration and collateral consequences stemming from failure to appear (FTA) for indigent clients in Richmond. The grant provides sufficient funding for one full-time unbenefited temporary Special Assignment Attorney and one part-time (0.5-FTE) benefited Legal Assistant, with funding for a subgrantee partner (the Justice Management Institute), to assist with program design and tracking of multiple data points to evaluate program performance.

These appropriation adjustments would become effective upon approval of a companion Order authorizing the Public Defender to apply for and accept a federal grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (FY 15 Smart Defense Initiative).

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If the new revenue and appropriations are not authorized and approved, the Public Defender' Office will not have access to the additional help to reduce the high rate of failures to appear (FTA's) by indigent defendants.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

N/A