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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpace Needs Final Presentation Minutes 01-23-2007~. ~~ ...r BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA SPACE NEEDS FINAL PRESENTATION January 23, 2007 Convened: 2:00 p.m.. Commissioners Present: Chairman, Chris Craft, Joseph Smith, Paula A. Lewis, Doug Coward, Charles Grande Others Present: Doug Anderson, County Administrator, Criminal Justice Coordinator, Sheriff Mascara, Millie Delgado-Feliciano; Guest Speaker Dr. Kalmanoff Dr. Kalmanoff gave of overview of his previous discussions with the Board, Constitutional Officers and staff.. He stated the jail seemed to be understaffed however he never studied the jail staffing issue and he is not sure what of the current status. He advised the Board of how space needs are calculated and projected and stated to start there should be 930,000 square feet with an additional 700,000 square feet needed for 20 years. The j ail farm area would be 8,000 square feet for minimum security inmates however where to locate it is the question. He also advised the Board the overcrowding in our jail seen to be from an increase in the average length of stay, not due to the growth. He stated reform is needed in agreement between the Prosecutor and the attorney in order to get a plea bargin. The Criminal Justice Complex proposed by Chief Judge Roby brings everyone together in an area where things can be settled however, it needs to be studied and carefully evaluated. Dr. Kalmanoff suggested hiring 4 or 5 people and make them pre-trial workers to evaluate those coming in and do a point system evaluation of the inmates rather than have them sit for a month without a Public Defender or not having first appearances bail postings. He felt the biggest problem was the Public Defender does not represent people for weeks and also it would help to have the Judges follow the law by having bail for 1St appearances. Sheriff Mascara advised the Board the present population at the jail today is 1435. An average of 160 people have gone to mental health court, 150 are on the GPS system and 100 per day are deferred by the Public Defender. Ms. T.A. Weiner, President of the TC ACLU addressed the Board with regard to the overcrowding . The Chairman thanked all those present for their input, the meeting was adjourned. I.L.P.P Recommendations Status Cost 1.) Create a criminal justice coordinator Completed -Started 8/8/05 position 2.) Develop a pretrial services program; Completed -Pretrial Resource Cost $3,500.00 get technical assistance from Pretrial Center Services Resource Center, then implement Completed - GPS/Pretrial Pgm. Started 1/29/06 - 71 Active Sentencing Alternates Inc. Cases/105 Total Cases Deferred from jail. Jail days saved equate to the following: 105 (participants X 90 ALOS (average length of stay) _ a savings of 9,450 bed days. Cost- 18.00 er da / er defendant. 3.) County & Community Leaders to Completed -Three (3) Full Time Cost -Judges paid by State of support more judicial positions Circuit Criminal Court Judges. Florida Also 1 Criminal Court Judge to hear cases 1 week per month. County Criminal Judges - 2.25 ositions. 4.) Develop a strategic plan to integrate Completed -Software for SLSO Cost - $5,000.00 all criminal justice databases Data Lines installed for SLSO, State Cost - $49,000 plus fees (note until Attorney & Clerk fiber agreement is reached with a vendor, current cost are $13,572.00 per annum for lines. 5.) St. Lucie County should organize a Completed -Criminal Justice Cost: I.T. staff person to perform sub-committee to have regular monthly System Committee (CJIS) meets adnunistrative duties for meetings. meetings to discuss IT problems. monthly and makes recommendations to P.S.C.C. - Cost: CJIS Analyst -Salary of CJIS Analyst position created by $45,000.00 per annum LT. Dept. to support Criminal Justice Coordinator 6.) County to support New Horizon's to Completed -Criminal Justice Cost: $481,000.00 support family emergency treatment Coordinators budget includes $33 X 365 days X 10 beds center funding for beds and case mgr position. Case mgr. $65,000.00 per annum For "Mental Health Court" 7.) Impose limits on the number of days Completed /On going: Cost: None -change in case that unsentenced technical probation Judges allowing more time for processing. violators may remain in jail without court VOP's. Also, Judges starting to review allow bonds/GPS for violators. I.L.P.P Recommendations Status 05 / 06 Budget 06 / 07 Budget 8.) St. Lucie County Should create a Completed: County has contracted with Cost: SAI Cost: SAI Department of Community Corrections. Sentencing Alternatives, Inc. Provides Contracted Expenses Contracted GPS/Pretrial Services/ Day reporting/ drug )rxpsnsens testing/ and in 2006 have supervised ROR program. 9.) Restructure the Public Safety Pending: I will be moving forward to Cost: None Cost: None Coordinating Council to create a small reseazch the development of a "Criminal The Criminal Justice executive group and make it a more Justice Commission" in St. Lucie County. Commission should effective coordinating body. Recruit a This will involve public and private sector be funded through prestigious leader to aim forcefully at leaders from St. Lucie County. This will be grants and other implementation of the recommendations anon-profit board that will give input into revenue sources. stemming from the I.L.P.P. report. crime prevention, law enforcement, corrections and courts. 10.) Circuit Court should consider Pending/Complete- ARer meeting with None in 05/06 Cost: approved implementing differentiated case several judges, a process of implementing $214,560.00 management (DCM) as a means of Case Managers to take control of case assigning cases to judges, taking control of progress and deadlines would be more case progress, deadlines, and delays effective. Three (3) case manager positions that would report to the Criminal Justice Coordinator) 11.) Adopt a Countywide citation policy Pending- as presented at the PSCC Cost: None Cost: None (Notice to Appear). meetings and Criminal Justice Workshop. Under Fla. Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.125 the Chief Judge can set policy for the County. 12.) Re-evaluate Bond Schedu]e Amounts Pending -presented at PSCC and Criminal Cost: None Cost: None Justice Workshop. Currently working with Courts on this project. 13.) Expand the Chief Judge's role to Completed: - Chief Judges's assignment is Cost: None Cast: None primary responsibility for court Administrative and he also backup to other management and facilitate this leadership judges. Responsibility - role by reducing the Chief Judges caseload. Courts I.L.P.P Recommendations 14.) Determine the jail's future staffing, bed needs and costs, before any new crowding becomes a facility crisis. 15.) Adopt uniform procedure for setting early pretrial conferences, motions and firm trial dates, and granting (and tracking) continuances, either through administrative orders or approved rules of court. 16.) Implement a series of pretrial risk assessment instruments and positively consider risk scores and recommendations when making all release decisions. 17.) Implement arisk/needs assessment, such as the LSI-R, in the screening of all Drug Court participants. 18.) Create a jail substance abuse treatment program for sentenced inmates Status Active: I along with the new CJIS Analysis will be requesting the Sheriff to allow access to inmate records and data in order to perform a jail forecast. Pending: Case Managers would not only assist the judiciary in this role, but also develop procedures to track defendants that are confined in jail, and flag these cases for expedited reviews. Completed/On-Going: Sentencing Alternatives doesn't use the risk assessment process, but complies with Florida Statute in regards to release recommendations. This is the same process that is used in Alachua County. In regards to other risk assessment evaluations of inmates, it will be reviewed and investigated. Active: If Drug Court expands, then this risk assessment tool will be reviewed. Currently, drug court cases are referred directly from the State Attorney's Office. Active: Currently the jail has a substance abuse education program in place funded through prison health services. Upcoming "Re-Entry Program" will utilize a treatment program for sentenced inmates. OS / 06 budget None Cost: See Costs in No. (10.) associated with Case Management Cost: Services already being provided by Sentencing Alternatives, Inc. during the screening process Cost: Unknown Cost: As presented at the workshop on May 12, 2006, a cost has not been associated with this program, but a 600,000 dollaz grant was applied for by the Public Defender's Office. 06/07 Cost: None Cost: Case Mgt. Cost None Cost: Unknown Cost: 19.) Drug Court should reconsider Pending: As it was discussed in Cost: None Cost: none its selection criteria and priorities the May 12`~ workshop, this is an to include higher risk/needs excellent program. If criteria were offenders who would benefit more expanded, then more staff would from intensive, court-driven be needed in St. Lucie County. services (and to exclude those who would do as well in regular court). I.L.P.P Recommendations 20.) Hold jail docket hearing dates as least weekly, and more often is necessary. 21.) Enforcement efforts and impact from Weed and Seed should be objectively evaluated for quantitative outcomes; the emphasis on "seeding" needs to accelerate. 22.) Establish a more regular video courtroom at the jail, staffed by an experienced judge, prosecutor and defense attorney. 23.) Adopt jail release mechanisms and a cap to control inmate population levels. 24.) Enhance efforts and training so police officers can work with prosecutors to improve case charging and early screening. 25.) Implement a mediator program for misdemeanants. 26.) Authorize by court order the State Attorney's role in releasing detainees via ROR in cases where charges will not be filed within established time frames. St. Lucie County Road /Mowing Status Active/Pending: Case Managers would hopefully assist Circuit Judges to the point that more time would be made available for additional arraignments and docket calls. Active/Pending: Currently the Weed and Seed program has reapplied for another grant that has identified a different zone. Will continue to attend meetings and assist. Completed/Active -video courtroom at the jail has been completed. As presented in the May 12, 2006 Criminal justice Workshop, I will continue to recommend that a more adversarial First Appearance be implemented. Not Active -impacts public safety if implementation is rushed. Not Active -data needs to be gathered to determine if case chazging practices are inappropriate. Case Mgt. Unit will assist in this project. Active -Case Managers could track trends, and if charges failed to be filed within the time frames as established by the Rules of Court, then the case would be placed on docket for a status hearing. Defendants sentenced to mowing and or work projects in lieu of jail. Cost Cost: Case Managers funding See item no. (10). Cost: Federal Cost: Unknown -additional staff system wide for this project. Cost: not determined Cost: not determined Cost: Cost: Case Mgt. Costs (see item # 10.) Cost: none Cost: not deter Cost: not deter Cost: Cost: Case Mg Costs (see item 10.) Costs would b~ off set by mow contracts, and t days (18,250 b~ days per year). Mental Health Court Complete/ Active :162 defendants in program -County funded Case Manager for New Horizons and Wrap Around Services -County also submitted $250,000.00 grant.