Hoping to further its goal of overhauling the county’s justice system, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors moved forward Tuesday with the creation of a department to centralize various programs enacted over the past few years to develop incarceration alternatives while expanding community services to divert people out of the jail system.
The board directed the county CEO to report back in 90 days with a organization and staffing plan for the Justice, Care and Opportunities Department, which would become a centralized home for various programs created in support of the county’s “Care First, Justice Last” initiative.
Supervisor Sheila Kuehl told her colleagues she was proud of the work done over the past eight years to support programs searching for alternatives to incarceration.
“But if we stop for a moment of critical reflection, we have to really acknowledge that process is not the same as progress,” Kuehl said. “And what we need now is progress, we need movement. … It’s time to make things happen, and to do that, in my humble opinion, we have to improve our county infrastructure.”
The requested plan will include a blueprint for the activities of various programs that will be under the new agency’s umbrella, including the Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative, the Jail Closure Implementation Team and the Office of Adult Programs, which will “centralize all prevention, pretrial and reentry services for adults” and include a unit to service “transition-age youth.”
County staff will also report back on issues such as where the new agency will be based and an estimate on costs and a timeline for its implementation. The board also requested a separate report on the planned July introduction of the Department of Youth Development, and how it will work in conjunction with the new JCOP agency. It also asked for a report on the development of a Justice Advisory Board.
In her motion calling for advancement in creating the JCOD, Kuehl hailed the work already done by the county to begin the process of revamping the justice system. But she said more steps are needed before the process can truly advance.
“Unfortunately, as this hard work as progressed, it has become clear that standing up programs and housing advisory bodies through multiple departments has not integrated service delivery to the extent needed to achieve true justice reform,” the motion states. “The system that is meant to serve the most vulnerable becomes too cumbersome to deliver the integrated, holistic services that our county residents need. Ultimately, we end up with a department-driven and overly bureaucratic approach to service delivery instead of a person-centric approach.”
Kuehl wrote that the current organizational structure “has resulted in a fractured and siloed bureaucracy.”
“This board should establish an umbrella entity that braids together Care First, Jails Last service delivery and advisory bodies into a cohesive team that is supported by a common mission and an administrative support structure that facilitates person and equity-centric service delivery,” according to her motion.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger opposed the motion, saying she still had concerns about the framework being proposed for the new agency. But the proposal earned support from the other board members.
“This is the big picture, but I hope we all are committed as well to making sure we have the right department head for this department, and the right county employees to staff this department,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said. “Because the last thing I want this department to be is bureaucratic and have a bunch of red tape that does not allow for our vision to continue to support and nurture those in L.A. County who will most benefit by this department.”
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Reform says
Bring back conscription.
Tim Scott says
Doesn’t seem to be working really great for Russia.
Conscription says
The US hasn’t won a war since WW2. The US looks dangerous and bullies banana republics. That won’t defeat a formidable opponent. China is laughing.
Conscription says
The US is a dying entity. It’s over. Good luck!
Stinger says
Spoken like a true Putin paid bot.
AV Observer says
Wrecks just hosted the Communist Chinese ambassador. He sure loves countries that can care less about human rights. Putin must be pleased too that Wrecks has given the Communist Chinese a foothold here in the AV where our defense contractors are located. Keep voting for that whacko, you hard working people of Lancaster. SMH
America's Most Antisocial Antisocialist says
Great comment.
Tim Scott says
I have to admit that sometimes democrats play right into the hands of the GOP. Calling a program “care first, justice last” is dumb as it gets. The intention is good, since it is far less expensive to provide care and support to prevent people turning to crime than it is to maintain the bloated and biased “justice” system, but the wording is awful.
I expect better from Kuehl.
Barger sitting at the kids table having a tantrum and pointlessly shouting no into the wind is typical.
FatWhiteBob says
Barger and Lackey both sit at the kids table.
Tim Scott says
Well, yeah…different tables at different dinners, but both kid’s tables for sure. Scott Wilk also.
Notice a trend Antelope Valley residents? Next time you are griping about your government, consider electing a representative that whatever body you are sending them to will pay at least some attention to.