COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Probation Department

DATE:

4/1/02

BOARD MEETING DATE:

4/16/02

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Loren Buddress, Chief Probation Officer

SUBJECT:

Resolution Authorizing the Submission of an Application for Approval for San Mateo County's Comprehensive Multi-agency Juvenile Justice Plan Modification, and adopting related assurances pertaining to Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act Funds

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution assuring that the Board of Supervisors and the San Mateo County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council has reviewed and approved the County's Comprehensive Multi-agency Juvenile Justice Plan Modification, that the County will adhere to the requirements of the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act and Board of Correction regulations regarding submission of the Plan Modification, that the Comprehensive Multi-agency Juvenile Justice Plan Modification was developed, reviewed, and provided to the Board of Corrections in the required format not later than May 1, 2002, that the County will adhere to the requirements of the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) regarding expenditure of JJCPA funds and submission of required reports, and authorizing the Chief Probation Officer to submit and /or sign the Comprehensive Multi-agency Juvenile Justice plan Modification to the Board of Corrections for approval and to execute the approved Plan Modification.

Background

In 2000, a State appropriation in the amount of $2.5 million was allotted to San Mateo County for the implementation of a Comprehensive Multi-agency Juvenile Justice plan (CMJJP.) The plan was developed by the County's Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council with the Chief Probation Officer as Chair. The plan was submitted to the Board of Supervisors and the Board of Corrections and approved. The funds were used to target gaps in the County's umbrella of juvenile services and resulted in the eight (8) programs that follow:

· Juvenile Assessment and Referral Center

· Youth and Family Resource Center

· After School Homework Centers

· Expansion of Preventing Repeat Offender Program

· Intensive In-Home Intervention Program

· Expansion of the Community Weekend Work Program

· Court and Community School Counseling Program

· Literacy and Numeracy Instruction and Learning Program

It has been a start-up year for most of the programs, but all are now in operation. However, as noted in the discussion section of this memo, the reduction in the Juvenile Hall population and subsequent court referrals has kept some programs from meeting their proposed client numbers, and this has been the basis of the Plan modification.

A second year allotment of Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act funds has been received by the County in the amount of $2,405,662, which is a 7% reduction. To prepare the CMJJP Modification, that will release the funds, the County's Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council has met, and reviewed a subcommittee's recommendations for the modification of the Plan. The Coordinating Council subsequently approved the modified plan and it is now before the Board for approval and authorization for the Chief Probation Officer to submit the modified plan to the Board of Corrections no later than May 1, 2002.

Discussion

Due to the reduction in funding and the need to annualize the salaries and benefits contained in the original CMJJP, it was necessary to modify all program budgets as reflected in the accompanying copy of the modified plan. However, a significant movement of funds has resulted from the deletion of the Community Weekend Work program whose population did not materialize due to reduced juvenile hall population numbers and subsequent court referrals. The funds from this deletion will go to funding the Preventing Repeat Offender Program (PROP) in North County. Funding for this program, which was not part of the initial CPA 2000 Plan, is scheduled to end in June 2002. The Plan has been modified to allow this successful program to continue in the County. The PROP program serves as the base program for the Repeat Offender Expansion, which is currently funded with CPA 2000 funds. PROP is an extremely valuable program and the Board of Corrections has encouraged this plan modification to pickup as much of PROP program as possible. The modified plan would allow for funding approximately 50% of the PROP program with JJCPA funds. The balance of funds would come predominately from Probation funds.

The modified plan also includes the reduction of target numbers for three programs. Declining enrollment in the Court and Community School Counseling program, an originally unrealistic estimate in the Youth and Family Resource Center, and Afterschool Homework Centers contracts not meeting estimated numbers have resulted in reductions in those targets. Funds from reduced programs have been used to offset this year's reduction in the allotment received from the State and the annualization of salaries contained in the plan.

Vision Alignment

In keeping with the County's Shared Vision 2010, the Comprehensive Multi-Agency Juvenile Justice Plan Modification supports the following goals:

· Goal 6, Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods

· Goal 7, Maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors

· Goal 8, Help vulnerable people --...at-risk youth and others - achieve a better quality of life.

· Goal 22, County and local governments effectively communicate, collaborate and develop strategic approaches to issues affecting the entire county

The Comprehensive Juvenile Justice Plan Modification is an extensive collaboration of social service, educational and community based organizations within the County. The focus of the Coordinating Council and the plan is to provide programs that fill service gaps in the targeted neighborhoods most needing the services. The ultimate goal of these service agencies is that at-risk youth just entering the juvenile justice system will be able to make significant changes to their way of life to prevent further contact, and develop tools that will enable them to have a better quality of life that continues through their lifetime. The bottom line benefit to all is the reduction in crime and enhancement of public safety.

Fiscal Impact

No additional net County cost is associated with the review, approval, and submission of the CMJJP Modification.