Agenda

Return

C. 44

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Robin Lipetzky, Public Defender
Date:	March 7, 2017

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Grant Award from the U.S. Department of Justice

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/07/2017

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

ABSENT:

Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor

Contact:

Richard Loomis, (925) 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: March 7, 2017
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Public Defender, or designee, to apply for and accept the 2017 Smart on Juvenile Justice grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, in the amount of $300,000, to assist with recidivism reduction and representation of juveniles for the period October 1 2017 through September 30, 2019

FISCAL IMPACT:

This grant will provide $300,000 salary reimbursement for a twenty-four (24) month Juvenile Reentry program, beginning October 1, 2017. There is no requirement for matching funds by the County, and the grant will not increase Net County Cost. Timing of anticipated grant expenditures and revenues are, as follows:


FY 2017-18 = $112,500

FISCAL IMPACT: (CONT'D)

FY 2018-19 = $150,000
FY 2019-20 = $ 37,500

BACKGROUND:

The Juvenile Unit of the Public Defender's Office values zealous, client-centered advocacy. Our Deputy Public Defenders aim to achieve diversion and acquittals on the front-end; and on the back-end, to decrease the number of detained youth, to increase successful completions of probation, and to connect youth with community services so that they can succeed after court supervision. The Juvenile Unit has taken various steps to leverage resources to provide post-disposition representation to juvenile clients. Recently, we obtained funding for a youth advocate for two of the seven attorneys (the Community Lawyering Youth Project). We also obtained another youth advocate and a half-time attorney through Byrne JAG funds as part of the creation of a county-wide Youth Justice Initiative. Through collaboration with the community and Probation Department we are seeking improvement in reentry outcomes of youth returning from high-level incarceration placements.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking applications for the 2017 Smart on Juvenile Justice: Enhancing Youth Access to Justice Initiative. This program furthers the DOJ mission by funding efforts that reduce recidivism and ensuring that children receive the guarantees of due process and equal protection. The Office of the Public Defender will apply to the Initiative funding category that supports organizations that provide direct legal service, mentoring and reentry planning to youth in out-of-home placement who are transitioning or have recently transitioned back to their families and communities. The Public Defender's objective is to enable reentry youth in overcoming barriers to securing housing, education and employment to reduce recidivism in juvenile offenders. Direct client services to be provided include: mentoring, record expungement and/or sealing of juvenile records; and assistance in securing public housing, drives' licenses, employment and education. Staff will provide legal services to youth up to age 24 who were released from secure confinement or out-of-home placement for offenses committed at age 18 or younger.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The Office of the Public Defender would not be able to effectively address the legal representation needs of its Juvenile clients.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

This grant is designed to provide legal services to address barriers in employment and education that youthful offenders face in community reintegration following a juvenile delinquency placement or commitment. Legal services may include record expungement, securing a driver's license, litigating housing or employment denials and educational advocacy. The ultimate measure of success of this program is an increase in employment and education participation of post-disposition juvenile offenders.