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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 6 findings
F1
Page 187
The overall governance for juvenile justice is fragmented and ineffective. The administration and staff at JH are dedicated to youthful offenders, those in JH and those on probation. The Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council [JJCC] is a body required by state law to receive certain juvenile justice state grant money. The Council is expected to allocate funds across the member entities sitting on the Council. Generally the funds go only to Probation. Neither the JJCC nor the JJC has addressed how Juvenile Hall’s physical facility can be modified, remodeled, and repurposed to serve more probationary youth. Although the JJCC is tasked with providing necessary coordination and collaboration, they have not provided the active oversight and direction necessary to maximize the public investment in Juvenile Hall and probationary youth.
F2
Page 187
Inadequate documentation of probationary program experience. There are multiple paths through the three service systems for probationary youth. No case manager or data system tracks these program experiences. As a result of an inadequate data system, there is no way to tell how effective the different paths or programs may be, as recently noted by the State BSCC.
F3
Page 187
Un-coordinated approach to service. From a case management perspective, probationary youth are supported by three different related, but currently un- coordinated, service systems: probation, education, and housing/homeless services. As a result, no one knows if probationary youth receive the services they legally deserve.
F4
Page 187
Reduced need for detention model. There are too few youth in need of Juvenile Hall’s traditional detention model. A powerful design for NHA would be a better path forward for this facility and for the youth of Napa. ௺ఀఀ 11
F5
Page 188
Probationary youth need unused beds. Juvenile Hall has many unused beds, while many probationary Napa youth are homeless.
F6
Page 188
Educational program in need of improvement. JH needs to develop a viable New Horizons Academy to serve a broader range of probationary youth. Crossroads needs a literacy program that permits social interaction about what is read; a computer-based program that focuses on individual interest with isolated youth does not do that. JH also needs to work with the county library to develop an educational program that teaches youth to use a sophisticated library system. In addition, JH needs to develop new occupational activities similar to those undertaken with the audio studio. Overall, adults involved in the education of youth in the probation system need to investigate how the agency, literacy, and real work features of the audio studio can provided to all youth for whom they are responsible.
Recommendations 7
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R1Page 188Under the leadership of its current chair or of a consultant hired for that purpose, the JJC, a state-mandated body, should generate a development program that expands its current understanding of the potential of its group for leadership for the juvenile justice system. The program should include, but not be limited to, activities such as those noted below. a. Confirm with the State of California that the Commission is properly interpreting and applying state legal requirements b. Study websites presented by more active JJC’s c. Report on activities broader in scope than their own d. Critique videos prepared to explain the functioning of JJC’s e. Conduct Zoom interviews with outstanding leaders of other JJC’s f. Consult with university researchers who focus on leadership for juvenile justice g. Sponsor training sessions organized by external organizations for JJC leaders h. Attend appropriate regional and State conferences
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R2Page 188To insure oversight and transparency the Napa County Board of Supervisors should direct the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC) to report to the Board of Supervisors on a regular schedule at public meetings of the BOS. The JJCC should add more public members, meet regularly as required by law, provide timely public notice of meetings with agendas, provide minutes, recorded video, and follow the requirements of the Brown Act.
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R3Page 188The Napa County Board of Supervisors should direct the JJCC to inform the public about participation in JJCC meetings, in person and by remote means and about obtaining agendas, minutes and reports necessary for participation. The JJCC should redo its webpage to create greater transparency. The Grand Jury suggests studying the San Francisco JJCC webpage (link below) as a model of transparency. The webpage should accurately reflect its origin in the law and its legal responsibilities and obligations. The webpage should also include the names and official contact information of JJCC members ௺ఀఁ 12 and provide a contact number and email for questions about meetings and how to become a member. See https://www.sfsuperiorcourt.org/divisions/ufc/justice-commission https://sfgov.org/juvprobation/juvenile-justice-coordinating-council.
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R4Page 189Under the leadership of the Chief Probation Officer, the JJCC, the JJ Commission, and Napa County’s CEO should collaboratively develop a strategy for an external group’s comparison of the functionality of the existing CJNET homegrown system to a modified commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) system in use for juvenile justice in other counties. With the goal of providing meaningful data analysis and analytics, including tracking programmatic experiences and effectiveness along with required state reports, while enabling data transparency, the external comparison should include at least the features named below. a. Cost, including staff time and licensing costs. The functionality of each; especially the data analytics function. Will the system require additional IT personnel interface for data analysis and report generation (as CJNet reportedly does now) or can staff manage the system without the need to rely on an external data analyst? In sum, what functions will be delivered at the user level? b. The relative times for development (acknowledging that any COTS system will likely need to be customized) and implementation of each system. c. The availability and cost of training of each system, relying on an external data analyst. In sum, what functions will be delivered at the user level? d. The relative times for development (acknowledging that any COTS system will likely need to be customized) and implementation of each system. e. The availability and cost of training of each system.
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R5Page 189The Chief Probation Officer should engage the JJCC, the Commission, and NCOE in the design, creation, and implementation of New Horizons Academy as a way to address excess Juvenile Hall capacity and the needs of a broader range of youth. The design should focus on the provision of additional services to probationary youth not requiring detention in a secure facility, but who would benefit from a supervised residential program with easy access to a comprehensive educational program and mental health services. Some of these needy youth may be homeless. The design should also focus on the beneficial features offered by the JH’s audio studio.
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R6Page 189Leaders from the Office of Probation, from NCOE, and from the Napa County Library should meet to study programs in other counites and to develop an informal memo of understanding to outline how youth in JH will have full access to robust library services. The library program in Contra Costa County should be one of those studied. ௺ఀం 13
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R7Page 190The NCOE should recognize the Crossroads classroom as a unique planning unit within Camille Creek School and allow the Crossroads teacher the discretion to identify appropriate instructional programs, especially those for language literacy. NCOE should also provide the Crossroads classroom with necessary budgetary resources for the chosen programs, especially those for language literacy.