Item 6-C

City Council Meeting: 03-11-99 Santa Monica, California

TO: Mayor and City Council

FROM: City Staff

SUBJECT: Resolution Recommending the Release of City Funds Available Under the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG) to the County of Los Angeles to Be Used for the Purpose of Hiring a Deputy Probation Officer to to Supervise High-Risk Juveniles in the City of Santa MonicaINTRODUCTION

This report recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution recommending the release of funds available to the City under the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG) to the County of Los Angeles. The funds will be used by Los Angeles County to hire a Deputy Probation Officer (DPO) who will supervise high-risk juveniles in Santa Monica. The proposed use meets grant guidelines which stipulate that the funds must be targeted to juvenile accountability in the criminal justice system. The City is eligible to receive an allocation of $53,231 for FY 1999-2000.

BACKGROUND

Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG) funds are federally-appropriated funds passed through to the states. The JAIBG Program is designed to promote greater accountability in the juvenile justice system to reduce juvenile crime. Funding is for a one-year period. Second year funding has been appropriated, and the City will receive an application from the state at the end of 1999. At that time, the City can decide if it wishes to apply for a second year of funding for the same $53,231 allocation. Third year funding is pending; whether it will be appropriated will be known at the end of 1999 or the beginning 0f 2000. It is not the intent of the Police Department that this become a budgeted City position, nor is there a grant requirement to maintain the program.

Three DPO's are assigned to the Santa Monica Probation Office. Each of them carries a caseload of up to 150 juveniles. Clearly, the officers cannot provide thorough investigation and supervision of each of their probationers. In Santa Monica, there is a need to have high-risk juveniles provided with close intervention to reduce opportunities for delinquency, to build academic and life skills, and to help them become accountable for their actions.

A DPO with a smaller caseload of up to 30-40 Santa Monica juveniles could realistically provide effective intervention, perhaps intercepting a pattern of delinquency, and ensuring compliance with court orders. The officer would interact with a youth's family, teachers, community policing officers, and after-school program leaders, such as the Police Activities League (PAL), and other involved parties. The DPO would also participate in the Serious Habitual Offender (SHO) Program's Interagency Task Force to gain broad insight into local juveniles needing assistance. The task force is an information center for youth at-risk and many youth service providers and agencies actively participate. Regular communication among members helps to identify, certify and monitor juveniles in the program, many of whom are probationers. Representatives from the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, Pico Neighborhood Bike Officers, Police Activities league (PAL), Inglewood Juvenile District Attorney's Office, California Youth Authority Parole, Los Angeles County Office of Education and Los Angeles County Probation are task force members.

DISCUSSION

Staff proposes that the City's $53,231 grant allocation and local match of $7,044, fund 70.7% of a Deputy Probation Officer (DPO) who will be dedicated to working with Santa Monica juvenile probationers and other high-risk youth. The officer would function as the case coordinator for each minor, monitoring his or her school, home and social life, and providing needed supervision and mentoring. The remaining percentage of the DPO's time will be spent working with the Culver City Police Department. The two police departments will maintain communication to ensure the most effective use of the DPO's time, coordinating the program through the juvenile section lieutenants of both departments.

BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT

The total cost of one Deputy Probation Officer is $85,223. The City and Culver City will pool their allocations and matches to fund one DPO. Santa Monica will purchase 70.7% of the DPO's time and Culver city will pay for 29.3%. Santa Monica's grant allocation is $53,231 and its match is $7,044, equaling $60,275. Culver City's grant allocation is $21,438 and its required match is $3,510, equaling $24,948.

To implement the JAIBG, the following budget change is necessary:

1. Appropriate the local grant match in the amount of $7,044 from the General Fund to 01-300-307-00000-4439-00000.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that the City release its funds available under the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG) to the County of Los Angeles to be used for the purpose of hiring a Deputy Probation Officer for supervision of high-risk juveniles in the City of Santa Monica and make the noted budgetary change.

Prepared by: James T. Butts, Jr, Chief of Police

f:\atty\muni\laws\mjm\juvenile.res

City Council Meeting 3-16-99 Santa Monica, California

RESOLUTION NUMBER ____ (CCS)

(City Council Series)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE

CITY OF SANTA MONICA RELEASING CITY OF SANTA MONICA

FUNDS AVAILABLE UNDER THE JUVENILE ACCOUNTABILITY

INCENTIVE BLOCK GRANT (JAIBG) TO THE COUNTY OF

LOS ANGELES TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF

HIRING A DEPUTY PROBATION OFFICER FOR SUPERVISION

OF HIGH-RISK JUVENILES IN THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA

WHEREAS, grant funds are available for Fiscal Year 1999-2000 from the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG) Program for the purpose of furthering juvenile accountability in the criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, this purpose can best be served in Santa Monica by combining City grant funds with grant funds for the County of Los Angeles and hiring a Deputy Probation Officer to supervise juveniles in the City of Santa Monica,

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. The City of Santa Monica waives its right to receive its entire direct subgrant award and authorizes the funds to be expended by the County of Los Angeles on condition that the funds be expended for the mutual benefit of both local entities through the hiring of a Deputy Probation Officer who will supervise high-risk juveniles in Santa Monica.

SECTION 2. The City Council authorizes the City Manager, or his or her designee, to negotiate and enter into an agreement with the County of Los Angeles for the hiring of a Deputy Probation Officer to supervise high-risk juveniles in Santa Monica in an amount not to exceed the amount of the grant funds which were available to the City under the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant.

SECTION 3. The City of Santa Monica acknowledges and resolves that any liability arising out of the performance of this Grant Award Agreement, including civil court actions for damages, shall be the responsibility of the grant recipient and the authorizing agency and that the State of California and the Office of Criminal Justice Planning disclaim responsibility for any such liability.

SECTION 4. The City further acknowledges and resolves that grant funds received hereunder shall not be used to supplant expenditures controlled by this body.

SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

________________________

JOSEPH LAWRENCE

Acting City Attorney