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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-26-2007 MinutesSan CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO 300 N. `D " Street San Bernardino, CA 92418 Website: www.sbcity.org Mayor Patrick J. Morris Council Members: Esther Estrada Dennis J. Barter Tobin Brinker Neil Derry Chas Kelley Rikke Van Johnson Wendy McCammack MINUTES MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO JOINT ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 26, 2007 COUNCIL CHAMBERS The joint adjourned regular meeting of the Mayor and Common Council and Community Development Commission of the City of San Bernardino was called to order by Mayor/Chairman Morris at 4:14 p.m., Monday, November 26, 2007, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. Roll Call Roll call was taken by City Clerk Clark with the following being present: Mayor/Chairman Morris; Council Members/Commissioners Estrada, Baxter, Brinker, Johnson, McCammack; City Attorney Penman, City Clerk Clark, City Manager Wilson. Absent: Council Member/Commissioner Derry. 1. Parolee Workshop Mayor/Chairman Morris stated that the City is a major stakeholder in the parolee re-entry discussion. He stated that he had asked some folks at Cal State to do a research project on the county seats in the State as to who has the highest disproportionate burden of parolees. He stated that this County seat, which is home to ten percent of the County's population, has over 20 percent of the County's parolees, and this disparity is greater than any comparable county seat in the State. Mayor/Chairman Morris stated that the City must, therefore, have a voice in this important discussion and be an equal partner with the State and the County to ensure that the parolees who live among us have the resources necessary to make their re-entry a success. He stated that their success means a 11/26/2007 reduction in recidivism, and that translates to better public safety for the residents of the City. To understand the complex issues that are part of the parolee re- entry discussion, he stated that a distinguished panel of experts had been assembled to provide that overview. Joan Petersilia, Ph.D., Director of the University of California at Irvine Center on Evidence -Based Corrections, provided a PowerPoint presentation of California's Correctional System. Dr. Petersilia is a nationally recognized expert on the issue of parole and parolee re-entry and is currently serving as the special assistant for planning and research for the Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Dr. Petersilia's presentation touched on the following topics: • California's Prison System in Disarray • Crowding ➢ Idleness & Little Programming ➢ High recidivism • Growth in California Imprisonment Rate • California Policy Shifts Contribute to Prison Increases • About 1 in 5 Convictions for Serious Crime Lead to Prison • California Corrections Expenditures Increase While Other Vital Services Decline • California Crime Rates & Prison Populations • Prison Buildup Responsible for 25 % of Crime Drop • `Collateral Consequences' of Expanded Incarceration Are Growing • California Prisoners: They All Come Back • Parolees return to a few neighborhoods • Nearly 1 in 5 California Parolees at Large • California Three -Year Return -to -Prison Rate Much Higher Than Elsewhere • 80% of Parole Violations Involve New Criminal Behavior • California's `Catch and Release' System Returns Prisoners Repeatedly • Distribution of Revocations Across States • Nearly All Prisoners are Eventually Released and Nearly All Return Again to Prison • California Crime Rates Increasing • Governor Signs `Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007' • The Success of AB 900 Depends Upon: B• Community/County/State Partnerships ❖ Good for Offenders and their Families Judge Tara Reilly and Redlands Police Chief Jim Bueerman, who recently held a parolee re-entry workshop in the City of Redlands, discussed local perspectives on California's correctional system, parole reform, and the drug court program. 2 11/26/2007 Chief Bueerman referenced the following two documents which were included in a packet of materials that was provided to the Mayor and Council: "Prisoner Reentry and Community Policing: Strategies for Enhancing Public Safety" developed by the U.S. Department of Justice; and "Offender Re -Entry, Exploring the Leadership Opportunity for Law Enforcement Executives and Their Agencies" produced by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). City of San Bernardino Police Chief Michael Billdt presented an overview of parolee data for the City of San Bernardino including unlicensed transitional housing versus State licensed facilities. Tom Hoffman, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Director of Adult Parole Operations for the State of California, joined Dr. Petersilia in providing an overview of California's parole reform efforts. He stated that they are doing better about getting programs up and running such as literacy, residential multi -service centers, substance abuse, etc. San Bernardino County Assistant Sheriff Rodney Hoops provided an overview of San Bernardino County parolee re-entry facilities and Assembly Bill 900, which was signed into law by the Governor in May. He stated that the bill provides for up to 53,000 new prison and jail cells in conjunction with a strong programming element for rehabilitation. Assembly Bill (AB) 900, also known as the Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007, provides $7.7 billion to add the 53,000 jail beds. Assistant Sheriff Hoops stated that the California Department of Corrections (CDCR) has been actively working to implement the steps of A13900. He stated that because California's prison and jail system is very overcrowded the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department has shown an interest in participating in the allocation of AB900 dollars, which will provide up to 40,000 prison and community re-entry beds for State prisoners. Assistant Sheriff Hoops stated that they are fortunate that Sheriff Gary Penrod was selected by Governor Schwarzenegger to chair the board that will determine where the money for AB900 will be spent. He stated that the committee has met several times during the past four months and has created a point system to determine where the first dollars will be spent and San Bernardino County jails have been determined to be one of the most overburdened and overcrowded jail systems in the State of California. Assistant Sheriff Hoops stated that San Bernardino County is looking to be awarded up to $100 million to establish up to 1,400 new County bed facilities. He stated that in order to qualify for the 1,400 local County beds, San Bernardino County must also identify a re-entry facility of up to 500 beds somewhere within San Bernardino County. He noted that local and municipal officials have been meeting with various volunteer groups to determine where these re-entry facilities will be located. Assistant Sheriff Hoops stated that the Request For Proposals (RFPs) for construction of these facilities will be sent out on March 1, 2008 with 3 11/26/2007 construction to begin by May 1, 2008. He stated that the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and the Board of Supervisors have identified where they would like to put the 400 bed facilities and they are looking at the Adelanto Correctional Facility in the City of Adelanto and the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center in Devote, where correctional facilities already exist. He stated that there have been numerous discussions with several local support groups including Vista Guidance Centers, Goodwill, and United Way, who will be assisting in determining where to put these re-entry facilities. In closing, Assistant Sheriff Hoops stated that a new prison has not been built in California for almost 20 years and the system is in dire need of repair. He stated that currently in San Bernardino County, if a person is arrested and their bail is under $500,000, they are issued a citation as a promise to appear unless it is a violent offense or is sexual in nature. Assistant Sheriff Hoops stated that as an official law enforcement officer dedicated to public safety, he realizes that there are certain individuals that need to be incarcerated and locked away for life. He stated that a fair percentage of incarcerated individuals that will be eligible for parole must be given the opportunity for a prosperous life when they re-enter our communities, and AB 900 is a step in the right direction. Dr. Petersilia stated that given the lateness of the hour and because she was anxious to hear from the audience, she would not be making her presentation on "Key Elements of Parolee Re-entry Strategies" because Judge Reilly had already explained what a successful program is, and a lot of communities take the drug court model and now have re-entry courts. She stated that there are approximately 30 re-entry courts around the United States that identify prisoners 6 months prior to their release and the local community communicates with everyone coming home to that community. Dr. Petersilia stated that they know that 66 percent of all parolees fail over three years, and 50 percent of them will fail within the first six months. She stated that people fail quickly and death rates are very high for prisoners coming out within the first 30 days. She stated that they can get the best program with the best staff; however, research has shown that people are the product of their community —not the product of their programs. She stated that research also shows that ultimately there needs to be a handoff between the formal programs, such as the State -funded programs, and informal social control, such as church and community organizations that pick up that offender, that citizen, and that is what ultimately determines success. She stated that they know how to do programs —it's not cheap and it's not easy —but it can be done, and they know exactly how to do it. It takes a lot of political will and a fair amount of money. She stated that good programs run about $12,000 to $16,000 per year, and we currently spend about $2,000 per year. A question and answer session followed in order to provide the Mayor and Common Council an opportunity to fully understand the State Parole System, its current operation, and the information sponsored by the governor through AB900 and other initiatives. Questions posed by the Mayor and members of the Council 4 11/26/2007 covered issues such as job skills, rehabilitation, re-entry planning and programs, and licensed/unlicensed housing. Rodney Gray, Parole Agent III, Unit Supervisor for the Residential Multi -Service Center, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Adult Parole Operations, responded to a question relative to parolee housing by stating that their facilities are all licensed by the Alcohol Drug Program (ADP), which is a State licensing facility in Sacramento, and they have anywhere from 10 to 150 beds. He stated that there are no licensed facilities in San Bernardino; however, they are preparing to put out an Information For Bid (IFB) on another 20-25 bed contract wherein individuals can apply and go through the bid process with a conditional use permit. Mr. Gray stated that in addition to their Residential Multi -Service Centers they also have Parolee Service Centers. Mr. Gray stated that their program was developed for homeless, at -risk parolees and individuals who complete the 180-day program have an 80 percent chance of not returning to prison, which means their recidivism rate is about 20 percent. Council Member/Commissioner Kelley stated that he did not want the City of San Bernardino to be the pilot program, and if the Council considers taking any future action on this issue, he wanted to ensure that they receive the collaboration of at least five surrounding municipalities. Tom Hoffman responded to a question about the number of sex -offenders currently on parole in the City of San Bernardino by stating that the total number is 277. He stated that of that 277, 13 are within 180 days of being discharged, 56 have already been revoked meaning that a parole violation has sent them back into the institutional system, 29 are at large, and 179 are currently actively being supervised by State parole agents in the City of San Bernardino. Council Member/Commissioner McCammack asked if the City could partner with the State, the County, and the judicial system to create some kind of legislation with the League of California Cities that would define the number of parolees that local municipalities will and will not accept. Judge Tara Reilly stated that Dr. Petersilia had commented earlier that she felt the Governor had perhaps missed a golden opportunity to establish a sentencing commission in the State of California. Council Member/Commissioner McCammack stated that before the Council makes any decisions on the type of facility, it is imperative that they find out how many of the parolees that are here in the City of San Bernardino lived in the City of San Bernardino before they got sentenced. Mr. Hoffman stated that he would work with Chief Billdt to get that number for the Council. He stated that the law currently says "county" of last legal residence. He indicated that there are a number of communities like San 5 11/26/2007 Bernardino that are beginning to discuss whether that should be "city" of last legal residence, which would be very difficult to manage and control recognizing that there are 468 cities in the State. Chief Billdt stated that many local individuals who go to prison end up being paroled to other communities, and he believed research would show that many of our parolees may be living in other communities as well. Council Member/Commissioner Brinker suggested that the City work with both the school district and the Parole Department in identifying children who might benefit from the City's Police Activities League (PAL). 2. Public Comments Jay Lindberg, 6340 Orange Knoll, San Bernardino, CA, spoke about the violence associated with the war on drugs. Ellen Timothy, 1125 Chestnut Avenue, Redlands, CA, voiced her concerns about the increase of crime in neighborhoods and the successful re-entry of parolees into our communities. Denise Morehead, 3372 Wall Avenue, San Bernardino, CA, stated that after being bused to San Bernardino from Valley State Prison in Fresno, she received help from the "Time for Change" organization and she stressed the need for similar facilities. Michelle Freeman, 2910 N. Mt. View, San Bernardino, CA, stated that she was paroled to San Bernardino in 2006; however, she was supposed to be paroled to Los Angeles County. She stated that they go through a very strict program at "Time for Change," and she was proud to be part of it. Anthony Garacci, 966 N. Crescent Avenue, San Bernardino, CA, spoke about parolee housing and the lack of available grants and/or funding. Persephani Brooks, 3372 N. Wall, San Bernardino, CA, stated that she is a member of Judge Reilly's Drug Court and Kim Carter's "Time for Change" re- entry program. She stated that "Time for Change" is like her second family and without them it would be hard for her to survive. Rhea Duckworth stated that she has received housing, food, clothing, and transportation from "Time for Change" simply because they know where she's been and they want to see her do better. Kim Carter, San Bernardino, CA, stated that she is a former prisoner and has been sober for 15 years, yet she still cannot pass a background check to rent an 6 11/26/2007 apartment in the City of San Bernardino. Luckily, however, she can afford to buy homes. She stated that she started her first home on Mt. View Avenue because she knows that women need a place to come home to, but she also has very strict rules and regulations in place at that home. Ms. Carter stated that since they are considered an unlicensed group home, she does not need a license to provide people with food, clothing and shelter. She stated that she sends her girls to licensed professionals to receive certified drug and alcohol treatment. She stated that they also learn how to navigate social systems, complete applications, make appointments, and get their children back. She stated that she maintains quality homes in quality neighborhoods and will continue to do so. Thomas Lorincz, 1505 Northpark Blvd., San Bernardino, CA, suggested that the City invest in and create a "tent city" for the homeless. Tom Kanavos, 1962 Turrill, San Bernardino, CA, Turrill Transitional Assistance, a Federal, non-profit program that helps parolees and the homeless. Mr. Kanavos stated that he served five years for H&I, which is Hospitals and Institutions for Narcotics Anonymous. He stated that he visited prisons, jails, and institutions and he carried the message of recovery. He stated that he came to San Bernardino as a representative for Narcotics Anonymous and has assisted parolees faithfully for six years. Currently, he has approximately 18 houses and he stated that his program has cut the recidivism ratio in half. He stated that there are no licenses or funding for sober living facilities like his, and he can barely keep his doors open from month to month. Dan Walker, 1314 Date, San Bernardino, CA, stated that San Bernardino needs a comprehensive plan for the rehabilitation of parolees and the homeless. He stated that the City needs to start thinking about creating viable jobs through education and training. Muqsit Asaboor, 1830 N. Euclid Avenue, Upland, CA, Vice -Chairman of the San Bernardino Sober Living Coalition, and a member of the Sober Living Network out of Los Angeles, which includes Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside. He stated that there are many good quality homes in San Bernardino and Los Angeles that are viable and necessary for the community. 7 11/26/2007 3. Adjournment At 8:26 p.m., the meeting adjourned. The next joint regular meeting of the Mayor and Common Council/Community Development Commission is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Monday, December 3, 2007, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. No. of Items: 3 No. of Hours: 4 RACHEL G. CLARK City Clerk Linda Sutherland Deputy City Clerk 8 11/26/2007