MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON
PUBLIC SAFETY --
SO I WOULD FIRST LIKE.
TO AND HE'S NOT HERE YET BUT I
WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME THE NEW
MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE.
TYLER DIEPPE --
AND BUFFY WICKS.
AND OUR ARE BE QUE REBEKAH BAUER
K. AND TO THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US --
WE DON'T DO A WHOLE LOT IS
PRETTY QUIET.
SO YOU SHOULD BE OKAY --
AND THEN ARE WELCOME BACK OUR
MEMBERS MISTER LACKEY US SYDNEY
KAMLAGER-DOVE OF BILL QUIRK AND
MIGUEL SANTIAGO --
WELCOME YOU ALL BACK --
TODAY.
WERE HAVING A HEARING ON THE
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF
CRIMINAL JUSTICE FINES AND FEES --
I'VE THE READ SOMETHING STILL WE
CAN STAY.
ON MESSAGE AND THAT.
THEY ACTUALLY WROTE IT OUT FOR
ME TO MAKE SURE I STAYED ON
MESSAGE AND AND DIVERT OFTEN. TO
WHEREVER SO GOOD MORNING.
PEOPLE SAY GOOD MORNING BACK THE
MORNING.
AND WELCOME TO THE ASSEMBLY
COMMITTEE UP.
ON PUBLIC SAFETY INFORMATIONAL
HEARING ON CORAL JUSTICE FEES
AND FINES.
THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS
IMPOSED A DISTURBANCE IN THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
HAS BECOME AN ISSUE OF CONCERN
BOTH FOR STATE POLICYMAKERS.
AS WELL AS COUNTY OFFICIALS TO
THAT END THERE HAVE BEEN A
NUMBER OF POLICY DEVELOPMENTS IN
THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL AS
WELL AS IN OUR COURTS EACH YEAR
THERE ARE MULTIPLE BILLS.
RELATING TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE
FINES AND FEES AND TWENTY
NINETEEN IS UNLIKELY TO BE ANY
DIFFERENT IN THAT RESPECT.
I THEIR FOR THEREFORE FELT IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING IN WHICH
THE ISSUE CAN BE EXPLORED IN
GREATER DEPTH.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING IS
TO LEARN ABOUT THE EXTENT OFOUR
CRIMINAL JUSTICE FINES AND FEES
WHAT ISSUES HAVE ARISEN AS A
RESULT OF THE EMPLOYEE
IMPLEMENTATION.
THROUGH THE TESTIMONY THAT WE
HEAR TODAY.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL ACHIEVE A
GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE
IMPACT THAT A COMPLICATED.
AND EXPENSIVE SYSTEM OF PINES
MPS HAS ON BOTH THE INDIVIDUALS
AFFECTED AS WELL AS THE OFFICERS.
AM OFFICIALS TASKED WITH THEIR
ASSESSMENT COLLECTION.
AND DISTRIBUTION.
TODAY'S HEARING WILL BEGIN THE
PRESENTATION BUT BY THE LA OLD
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE.
WHO HAS BEEN STUDYING THIS
SUBJECT FOR SOME TIME IN TWENTY
FIFTEEN THE LA --
ISSUE THE IN DEPTH REPORT ON
CRIMINAL JUSTICE FINES AND FEES
HAS BEEN CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN
THE AREA FOR SOME TIME BEFORE
THAT.
POLICIES POLICY ANALYST A NEARLY
KASH MOTOR COST MODEL.
SAY FOR ME CUT BY.
TOMORROW PUSH MARK YEAH.
PEOPLE MASTER MY NAME ALL THE
TIME FRAME WOULD DO YOURS EITHER --
WILL PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE LA --
THE SECOND PRESENTER WILL BE
AFTER THE ROLL BLISS FROM THE
YOUTH JUSTICE COALITION WHO HAS
AGREED TO SHARE HIS PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE OF HAVING BEEN
SUBJECTED TO NUMEROUS CRIMINAL
JUSTICE BY THEM FEES.
ARE THIRD PANEL WILL CONSIST OF
REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALAMEDA AND
SAN FRANCISCO COUNTIES BOTH OF
WHOM HAVE ELIMINATED CERTAIN
FEES AND COSTS ASSOCIATED.
WITH INVOLVEMENT.
IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
[inaudible]
BRENDAN WORDS.
WHICH IS MY SON IN LAW'S NAME
BUT IT'S NOT MY SON IN LAW.
BRENDAN WORDS.
THE PUBLIC DEFENDER ALAMEDA AND
CARE BAKER THE CHIEF ASSISTANT
PROBATION OFFICER ALAMEDA WILL
TESTIFY REGARDING ALAMEDA IS
APPROACH.
AND JEFF.
ADACHI THE PUBLIC DEFENDER IN
SAN FRANCISCO WILL TESTIFY WITH
THE TREASURER US OF SAN
FRANCISCO JOSE CISNEROS ABOUT
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THEIR CITY
AND COUNTY.
OUR FINAL PANEL WILL DISCUSS THE
IMPLANTS PLAN IMPLICATIONS OF
REFORMING THE PINES AND BE
STRUCTURE.
STEPHANIE COMPOST FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
BERKELEY WHAT TESTIFIED ALONG
WITH BRANDING GREEN FROM THE
EAST BAY COMMUNITY CENTER.
MARRIED BOYER DATE CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND NAPA AND
SHELLY KARAN THAT.
DIRECTOR OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SERVICES VERY FULL AGENDA THE
DAY SO I ASKED WITNESSES TO KEEP.
WITHIN THEIR SCHEDULED TIME
LIMITS TO ENSURE IT IS
SUFFICIENT TIME AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT AT THE END I ALSO WANT TO
READ A STATEMENT FROM MY
COLLEAGUE ON YES OTHER SITES
THEY SENATOR HOLLY MITCHELL
WHO IS AS WE ALL KNOW HAS BEEN A
CHAMPION AND BEEN WORKING ON
THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME?
THIS IS A BRIEF STATEMENT THAT
SHE WANTED ME TO READ TO YOU.
I INVITE EACH OF YOU TO JOIN ME
IN THIS CRITICAL FIGHT FOR
EQUITY AND JUSTICE.
I STARTED TWENTY NINETEEN BY
DOUBLING DOWN ON MY COMMITMENT
OF REFORMING THE SYSTEM.
BY INTRODUCING SB ONE FOR FOR
THE FAMILIES OVER FEES ACTS
WHICH WILL ELIMINATE CRIMINAL
ADMINISTRATIVE FEES FOR ADULTS.
WE CANNOT EXPECT TO MAKE REAL
PROGRESS WITHOUT MAKING REAL AND
SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN A TRULY.
REGRESSIVE SYSTEM.
NOW WHEN I FIRST WENT TO THE
RIVER DUE TO REPORT.
YOU KNOW AYE I'M A BIG FAN OF
MOVIES AND A FAN OF CHRISTMAS
MOVIES.
AT ONE MY FAVE IS A CHRISTMAS
CAROL AND STATE ALISTAIR
[inaudible]
ALISTAIR STARE VERSION AND
REGIONAL --
IN VERSION NOT THE NOT THE
CAPTAIN PICARD VERSION NOT THE
LATER ONE OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
AND IN IT.
EBENEZER SCROOGE IS VISITED BY
TOO CHARITY COLLECTORS.
AND ONE SAYS AT THIS FESTIVE
TIME OF YEAR MISTER SCROOGE IT
IS MORE THAN USUAL DOES USUALLY
DESIRABLE THAT WE SHOULD MAKE.
SOME SLIGHT PROVISION FOR THE
POOR.
AND DESTITUTE. FOR WHICH
EBENEZER SCROOGE ANSWERS ARE
THERE NO PRISONS [inaudible]
THE COLLECTOR'S.
RESPOND PLENTY OF PRISONS
[inaudible]
AND EBENEZER REPLIES ANY UNIONS
OF WORK HOUSES ARE THEY STILL IN
OPERATION.
WHICH DE COLLECTORS RESPOND THEY
ARE I WISH THEY WERE NOT.
THE TRADE IN EVERY NEEDS ARE
DIDN'T REPLY TO TREADMILL AND
THE POOR LAW.
ARE IN FULL BIGGER THAN.
SOME OF WHAT HE SAID.
KIND OF DESCRIBES WHAT WE'RE
GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW WITH
FINES AND FEES.
HE FURTHER GOES ON AND THE BILL
COLLECTORS ASK.
WEATHER AND SOME OF THEM WOULD
RATHER GO TO WOULD NOT WOULD
RATHER DIE THAN GO TO PRISON.
FOR WHICH EVER TEASERS SCREWS
REPLIES.
THEN LET IT BE SO WE CAN REDUCE
THE POPULATION.
THAT IS NOT THE KIND OF SOCIETY
THAT WE WANT TO BE AN CHARLES
DICKENS WHEN HE DESCRIBED WITH A
DEBT WAS IN THE DEBTORS WAS
FAMILIES IN A DEBTOR'S PRISON --
DEBTOR PRISON BACK IN THE
EIGHTEEN HUNDREDS.
WERE UNSANITARY OVERCROWDED.
AND DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENTS IN
WHICH DOES CONVICTED OF OWING
MONEY.
LET ME REPEAT THAT UP --
WE MONEY.
THAT THEY COULD NOT PAY WERE
PLACED IN GENERAL POPULATION
WITH VIOLENT CRIMINALS.
DICKENS WAS FORCED TO LEAVE
SCHOOL TO WORK IN A FACTORY WHEN
HIS FATHER.
WAS THROWN INTO DEBTORS PRISON.
WE HAVE PEOPLE NOW THERE WERE
LOOK AT SHOPLIFTING.
AS A METHOD OF SEEN PEOPLE BACK
TO PRISON BY MAKING IT A FELONY.
WE SHOULDN'T REGRESSED BACK TO
THE EIGHTEEN HUNDREDS WE SHOULD
BE MOVING FORWARD I THINK THIS
IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. TO SHOW
HOW.
A MONETARY RESTRICTIVE SYSTEM
CAN LEAD. TO TWO PEOPLE WHO WERE
LIVING IN POVERTY.
FURTHER EXACERBATE THEIR
SITUATION.
AND SO I AM GOING UP.
QUICKLY OKAY ANYONE TO MAKE ANY
OPENING STATEMENTS OTHERWISE
WE'LL GO RIGHT AND IT OF THAT I
WOULD LIKE [inaudible]
GO.
TO I THANK YOU MISTER CHAIR FOR
IT AGAIN THANK YOU THANK YOU
MISTER CHAIR HE SAID SAY THAT
AGAIN THANK YOU MISTER CHAIR I
THINK REGGIE LIKE THAT --
FOR CONVENING THIS HEARING --
IT WAS SOMETHING I THINK WE
TALKED ABOUT.
DURING MOST OF THE REST OF LAST
SESSION --
AND I'M GLAD TO SEE SO MANY
FACES FAMILIAR AND NEW --
TO THIS HEARING BECAUSE I THINK
IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT I'M
SURE LIKE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES
I'M HERE TO LISTEN AND TO LEARN
SO THAT WE CAN TAKE ACTION.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
ARE HEARING SOLUTIONS AND
TALKING ABOUT UNCOMFORTABLE
PROBLEMS THAT ARE FACED IN THE
SYSTEM.
SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP A SYSTEM
THAT IS FAIR --
WE HAVE GOT TO STOP BUILDING
SYSTEMS ON THE BACKS OF THE POOR
AND THEN BREAKING THEIR BACKS
BECAUSE THEY ARE POOR --
I WON'T GET IN WHILE THE UNITED
STATES SUPREME COURT IN NINETEEN
EIGHTY THREE AND BEARDEN BE
GEORGIA INTERPRETED THE EQUAL
JUSTICE CLAUSE OF THE FOURTEENTH
AMENDMENT TO MEAN THAT JAILING
PEOPLE FOR NOT PAYING FINES.
AND FEES IS THE LEGAL UNLESS THE
NON PAYMENT WAS WILL FALL WE
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK
ABOUT FOR REALLY CRITICAL ISSUES.
ABOUT OUR JUDGES ABOUT OFFENDERS
AND THE PARENTS AND FAMILY
MEMBERS OF THE OFFENDERS ABOUT
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ALSO ABOUT
RACE AND ECONOMICS.
AS IT RELATES TO JUDGES THERE
ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS THAT LIE
IN HOW JUDGES INTERPRET THE WORD
WELL -- FOR
AND SO JAILING SOMEONE BECAUSE
THEY ARE AN ABLE TO PAY FINES
AND FEES AND HAVING INCONSISTENT
STANDARDS ABOUT HOW WILLFUL IS
DEFINED IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE TO WE HAVE INSTANCES
WHERE IF JUVENILES HAVE
OUTSTANDING DEBT BY THE TIME
THEY TURN EIGHTEEN OR WHEN THEY
TURN EIGHTEEN THAT DEBT TURNS
INTO A CIVIL JUDGMENT WE HAVE
SITUATIONS WHERE YOUNG FOLKS ARE
JAIL.
ARE UNABLE TO PAY THAT DEBT THAT
DEBT THEN GOES TO THE PARENTS OF
THE PARENTS ARE UNABLE TO PAY
THE DEBT THEN THE PARENTS ARE
JAILED AS WELL.
WE HAVE TO HAVE SERIOUS
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC
IMPLICATIONS OF THAT KIND OF
PROCESS OF THOSE KINDS OF
PROCEDURES WE HAVE GOT TO US WE
HAVE TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT IS ASKED TO DO
DOUBLE DUTY.
LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD NOT BE
PROTECTING AND COLLECTING.
THAT JUST AIN'T RIGHT.
AND IT ALLOWS FOR A LOT OF HOLES.
TO BE BY PASSED.
AND THEN LASTLY ULTIMATELY WE
HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE RACE.
IMPLICATIONS ON THE ECONOMIC áP
IMPLICATIONS OF THIS KIND OF
SYSTEM.
WE KNOW THAT FOR AFRICAN
AMERICANS THEIR 68% LESS LIKELY
TO HAVE CASES DISMISSED BY THE
COURT.
AT LEAST 50% MORE LIKELY TO THAT
LEAD TO ARREST AND ACCOUNT 492%
OF CASES IN WHICH COURT ISSUE
THE COURT WILL ISSUE AN ARREST
WARRANT.
THIS SAME NUMBER IS NOT AS HIGH
CAN BE SAID FOR OTHER --
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND SO WE
HAVE GOT TO ALSO HAVE
UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT WHY THERE ARE
DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE OF COLOR AND POOR PEOPLE
THAT ARE JAILED AND ULTIMATELY
THEY ARE JAIL BECAUSE THEY ARE
POOR.
I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN COME TO
SOME SOLUTIONS IN THIS HEARING
SO THAT WE CAN WORK WITH OUR
ADVOCATES AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
TO REALLY MAKE THIS A LEGITIMATE
AND ADJUST TO SYSTEM SO THANK
YOU FOR CONVENING.
THANK YOU MISTER LACKEY.
YEAH JUST REAL QUICKLY I AM.
I THINK THAT EVERYONE WOULD
AGREE THAT --
WE HAVE A A VERY SIGNIFICANT
PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS WITHIN THE
THE MAJORITY.
OF THESE --
FINES ARE BEING COLLECTED.
OUR BECAUSE OF ENFORCEMENT
AGAINST TRAFFIC OFFENSE.
THESE AREN'T --
CRIMINAL OFFENSES THESE ARE
PRIMARILY INFRACTIONS.
BEING COMMITTED BY BY THE
GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE TALK ABOUT --
THE THE UNFAIR FOCUS UPON THE
POOR.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT'S A
TRAFFIC CITATION FOR FOUR
HUNDRED DOLLARS.
IS TOUGH FOR MOST AMERICANS MOST
CALIFORNIA'S NOT JUST POOR.
AND HERE'S THE BIGGER PROBLEM WE
TALK ABOUT.
BEING ABLE TO ARRIVE AT
SOLUTIONS I HOPE WE DON'T JUST
GET TOO HEAVY.
ON THE PROBLEM BECAUSE WE ALL
AGREE ON THE PROBLEM.
THE SOLUTIONS BECOME VERY VERY
DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE'VE ARRIVED
AT THIS PROBLEM.
OVER DECADES.
THIS IS BEEN AN INCREMENTAL --
DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS TYPE OF
THING BECAUSE NOW.
WE HAVE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE
LANCE ON THE FUNDS THAT COME
FROM THESE OFFENSES.
HAD SO WHEN WE SAY THAT WE WANT
TO DIVERT.
THIS FUNDING MECHANISM TO THE
GENERAL FUND WHICH IS LESS
RELIABLE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE
HUGE.
OUTRAGE BY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
FUNDED BY.
THESE FUNDS AND SO WE HAVE A
VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT WE
SHOULD IDENTIFY A SERIOUS AND
THERE'S NO EASY SOLUTIONS BUT TO
ME.
THE REMEDY IS THE SAME WAY THAT
WE GOT HERE IT'S GOING TO HAVE
TO BE INCREMENTAL.
AND AND STARTING TO A REDUCE
SOME OF THESE COSTS --
THAT'S NOT GONNA COME WITHOUT
SOME REALLY SEVERE --
DIFFICULTY SO.
I HATE TO A RAIN ON THE PARADE
BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING
TO BE VERY VERY DIFFICULT AND I
HOPE THAT WE CAN PUT OUR HEADS
TOGETHER FIGURE THIS OUT.
THANK YOU IN [inaudible]
WE'RE GOOD.
OKAY.
SO LET'S BEGIN WITH THE OVERVIEW
OF FINES AND FEES BY THE LA OWES
OFFICE.
OF WHO WANTS TO START FIRST.
GOOD MORNING THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US ANNUALLY ALONG WITH MY
COLLEAGUE LUKE KUSH MORROW --
WITH THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S
OFFICE WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE
A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT TO FRAME
YOUR DISCUSSION ABOUT FINES AND
FEES TODAY --
I BELIEVE THE SERGEANTS HAVE
PASSED OUT A HANDOUT THAT WILL
BE USING SERVE AS A GUIDE --
FOR OUR COMMENTS TODAY THIS
CANNOT IS ALSO NOW AVAILABLE
ONLINE IF YOU PREFER TO ACCESS
IT THAT WAY AS WELL.
SO IF YOU TURN TO PAGE WHAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
WE CAN GET THAT.
YES THAT.
ONE THE BILL THAT'S THE OLD
VERSIONS OF THERE'S IT MIGHT.
ACROSS NOW.
I'M SORRY MOSTLY COMMITTEE
DIDN'T GET.
I AM I APOLOGIZE --
FOR IF YOU TURN TO PAGE ONE OF
YOUR HAND OUT OUR COMMENTS ARE
REALLY GONNA FOCUS ON KIND OF
TWO AREAS.
I'M GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH
CONTEXT ABOUT THE CRIMINAL FINES
AND FEES IN THESE ARE THE
ASSESSMENTS THAT A TRIAL COURT
WILL LEVY UPON AN INDIVIDUAL.
WHO IS CONVICTED OF A CRIMINAL
OFFENSE WHICH DOES INCLUDE
TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS --
MY COLLEAGUE LUKE WILL THEN BE
CHATTING AND PROVIDING CONTEXT
ABOUT THE PROBATION FEES AND
THESE ARE FEES THAT STATE LAW
AUTHORIZES PROBATION DEPARTMENTS
TO CHARGE TO COVER SOME OF THEIR
COSTS.
IF YOU TURN TO PAGE TWO OF YOUR
HAND OUT WE'LL GET STARTED WITH
THOSE CRIMINAL FINES AND FEES.
WE PROVIDED A TABLE HERE THAT
WILL SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR HOW
THE TOTAL AMOUNT WILL BE
ASSESSED ON THE TO EXAMPLE THAT
YOU HAVE IS FOR STOP SIGN
VIOLATION AND THEN FOR A D. Y..
IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY FIRST
LINE OF THE TABLE HE CAN START
THAT THE YOU CAN SEE THAT THE
ASSESSMENT GENERALLY STARTS WITH
THE BASE FINE.
THE BASELINE FOR THE STOP SIGN
VIOLATION IS THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS
AND FOR THE D. WHY IT'S THREE
HUNDRED AND NINETY DOLLARS.
STATE LAW THEN AS YOU MOVE DOWN
THE TABLE STATE LAW AUTHORIZES
THE EDITION OF CHARGES SUMMER
RIP --
VOLUNTARY DEPENDING ON THE TYPE
OF OFFENSE AND OTHER FACTORS
THAT THAT CAN OCCUR.
AT THE VERY BOTTOM YOU CAN SEE
THE TOTAL AMOUNT --
FOR THE STOP SIGN VIOLATION IT
BECOMES TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY
EIGHT DOLLARS AND FOR A DO YOU
WHY -- IT'S
A LITTLE BIT OVER TWO THOUSAND
DOLLARS AND SO FROM THE BASELINE
IT'S ABOUT YOU KNOW FIVE TO SIX
TIMES MORE THAN WHAT THE
BASELINE WAS.
JUDGES DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY
TO REDUCE OR WAVE SOME OF THESE
CHARGES.
IF YOU THEN TURN TO PAGE THREE
OF YOUR HAND OUT.
A FINE IN FEE LEVELS HAVE
INCREASED PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY
OVER TIME SINCE TWO THOUSAND AND
FIVE AND THAT HAS BEEN BOTH IN
THE THE SIZE OF THE CHARGE AS
WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL CHARGES I
HAVE BEEN ADDED.
AND SO FOR THE STOP SIGN
VIOLATION WHICH WE JUST TALKED
CHATTED ABOUT ON THE PREVIOUS
PAGE YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL
AMOUNT.
INCREASED BY ABOUT 54% THAT'S A
PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
THESE FINES AND FEES ARE CHARGED
FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES PSALM IS TO
REFLECT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE
OFFENSE.
SOME IS TO GENERATE REVENUE TO
SUPPORT SPECIFIC TYPES OF
ACTIVITIES AND OTHERS ARE JUST
ARE USED TO TO KIND OF OFFSET
STATE AND LOCAL COSTS FOR
PROVIDING CERTAIN SERVICES.
IF YOU THEN TURN TO PAGE FOUR OF
YOUR HAND OUT.
ONCE PAYMENT IS COLLECTED TO
ADDRESS THE FINES AND FEES THAT
ARE CHARGED THEY ARE DISTRIBUTED
TO A VARIETY OF STATE AND LOCAL
FUNDS.
AND SO IN TOTAL THERE ARE ABOUT --
THEIR UP TO FIFTY STATE FINDS AN
ADDITION TO MANY LOCAL FINDS
THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE
THESE DOLLARS --
STATE LAW THAN DICTATES A PRETTY
CALM HOW ALL PAYMENTS ARE
DISTRIBUTED TO THESE VARIOUS AND
LOCAL FINES.
AND THERE ARE RULES THAT ARE
DEPENDENT ON THE SPECIFIC
FINANCIALLY THAT'S CHARGED IN
ADDITION TO ADDITIONAL ROLES IF
PAYMENT IS NOT RECEIVED AND FALL.
AND NAMELY THAT MEANS WHAT
PAYMENTS WHAT CHARGES ARE KIND
OF ADDRESSED FIRST AS YOU GO
DOWN THIS HIERARCHICAL LAST.
IF YOU TURN TO PAGE FIVE OF YOUR
HAND OUT WE THEN PROVIDE A PIE
CHART THAT KIND OF SHOWS WHERE
THIS MONEY GOES AND WHO BENEFITS.
IN TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN SIXTEEN
ABOUT ONE POINT SEVEN BILLION
WAS DISTRIBUTED TO STATE AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
LOOK AT THE PIE CHART BEFORE YOU
ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE YOU CAN
SEE THAT ABOUT 50% OR EIGHT
HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE MILLION
WENT TO THE STATE.
AND OF THIS AMOUNT ABOUT 60%
WENT TO SUPPORT TRIAL CORE
OPERATIONS ARE CONSTRUCTION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RIGHT HAND
SIDE OF THE PIE CHART.
ABOUT 42% OF THAT THEN WENT TO
SUPPORT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH
ABOUT 80% OF THAT GOING TO THE
COUNTY IS.
THE SMALLEST SLIVER THAT LIGHT
SLIVER -- WE
ALSO KIND OF COVER ON PAGE SIX
ABOUT 7% ABOUT A HUNDRED AND
FOURTEEN MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT GOES TO COURTS AND COUNTY
IS THAT OPERATE COLLECTION
PROGRAMS IN THESE OTHER COSTS
RELATED TO COLLECT COLLECTING
DELINQUENT PAYMENTS --
AND SO BEFORE I TURN THINGS OVER
TO MY COLLEAGUE LUKE TO TALK
ABOUT PROBATION FEES WE WOULD AS
AS THE CHAIR REFERENCE WE HAVE
DONE -- SOME
WORK IN THIS AREA OUR OFFICE HAS
RELEASED A REPORT WITH OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS.
ABOUT IMPROVING THE OVERALL
KAMAL FIND IN THE SYSTEM WE
WON'T GET INTO IT WE'RE HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE
THEM.
BUT IN A NUTSHELL AT THE HIGH
LEVEL WE RECKON THE OVERALL
SYSTEM WHAT'S THE GOAL OF THE
SYSTEM HOW HOW SHOULD ABILITY TO
PAY BE INCORPORATED OVER TIME
WHAT HAPPENS TO LEVELS OF FINES
AND FEES EXCITER UP.
WE ALSO RECOMMENDED KIND OF
INCREASING LEGISLATIVE CONTROL
OVER THE USE OF THE DOLLARS WE
DID RECOMMEND DEPOSITING MOST OF
THE REVENUE INTO THE GENERAL
FUND.
CONSOLIDATING MOST OF THE FINES
AND FEES.
REEVALUATING THE PROGRAMS THAT
ARE SUPPORTED BY THIS TYPE OF
REVENUE --
AND THEN FINALLY MITIGATING THE
IMPACTS THAT --
WOULD BE EXPERIENCED BY LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS.
AND SO WITH THAT I'M GONNA TURN
THINGS OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES TO
TALK ABOUT PREVENTION PLEASE.
TOMORROW THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE WE ARE ASKED
ABOUT AN OVERVIEW OF THE FEES
LEVIED ON PROBATION ORDERS NOT
TO DO SO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT
BUT THE SPECIFIC FEES LEVIED.
BY COUNTIES AS WELL AS THAT GIVE
A SENSE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FEES
INNOVATION OR MIGHT OF OR PERIOD
OF OPERATION.
SO IT STARTED OUT WITH THE TABLE
ON PAGE --
SEVEN WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A
SAMPLE OF SOME OF THE FEES
CHARGED BY THREE COUNTIES.
IS DESIGNED TO GIVE A SENSE OF
THE VARIABILITY IN THE SIZE
NUMBER AND TYPE OF FEES CHARGED
BY THE COUNTIES.
SO FOR INSTANCE WE GO TO THE
FIRST ROW OF THE TABLE GPS
MONITORING IS CHARGING A DAILY
BASIS.
WITH SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
CHARGING ABOUT FOUR HOW DO YOU
COUNTY CHARGES ABOUT HALF OF
THIS AMOUNT OF FIVE TO SEVEN
DOLLARS PER DAY.
WE GO DOWN THE NEXT ROW
SUPERVISION FEES ARE CHARGED ON
A MONTHLY BASIS.
WITH --
FAMILIES OBISPO COUNTY CHARGING
SEVENTY SIX DOLLARS PER MONTH.
WHILE SAN DIEGO COUNTY CHARGES
SEVENTEEN TO ONE HUNDRED AND
SEVENTY SIX DOLLARS PER MONTH
DEPEND ON THE LEVEL OF
SUPERVISION PROVIDED --
AND THEN IN ADDITION NOT ALL OF
THESE COUNTIESCHARGES SAME FEE
SO IF YOU GO TO THE LAST ROW OF
THE TABLE.
PROBATION VIOLATIONS RESULTS IN
FEES AND BUTTE COUNTY OF ABOUT A
HUNDRED NINE DOLLARS.
BUT WE SEE THAT SOUND WAS OBISPO
COUNTY AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY DO
NOT CHARGE THAT FEE AT ALL. FOR
THE MORE ABILITY TO PAY CAN BE
TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. TO EITHER
ADJUST OR EVEN WAY SOME OF THE
FEES.
AND INABILITY TO PAY DOES NOT
NECESSARILY PREVENT SERVICES
FROM BEING PROVIDED SUCH AS
SUPERVISION OR ELECTRONIC
MONITORING.
GOING ON TO PAGE.
EIGHT WE WANTED TO GIVE A SENSE
OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF
RELATIONAL MIGHT --
IN ORDER TO DO SO WE CONSTRUCTED
TO HYPOTHETICAL PROBATIONERS AND
LOOK AT THE FEES THEY WOULD --
OVER THREE HOURS IN THAT
SCENARIO AS WE CREATED --
WE FIND AT THE LEVEL OF
SUPERVISION SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPACTS THE FEE AMOUNT.
SO FOR INSTANCE IF WE GO TO THE
FIRST COLUMN OF THE TABLE AND
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
THAT LOW SUPERVISION PROBATION
OR WHAT --
THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS OVER
THREE HOURS IN THE SCENARIO WE
CREATED WHILE THE HIGH
SUPERVISION CREATION OR WHAT --
SIX TIMES AS MUCH OR EIGHTEEN
THOUSAND DOLLARS.
WE GO OVER THE BUTTE COUNTY ON
THE FAR RIGHT WITH YET THE LOSI
PROVISION PROVISIONAL WOULD ONLY --
ABOUT ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS BUT
THE HIGHS --
ABOUT SIXTEEN TIMES THAT AMOUNT
OR SIXTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
WE HAVE THE SERVICEMEN HELPFUL
AND ARE HAVE ANSWERED THE
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE
[inaudible]
THE YEAH.
CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE --
BUT HOW MUCH.
ON COLLECTED FEES AND FINES --
IS KIND OF OUTSTANDING EVERY
WEEK WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE.
WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT
TRAFFIC.
FINES AND FEES AND HOW MUCH TO
COURTS.
THOSE IS NEVER GONNA MOUNT THEY
WERE ASKED I THINK THEY WERE
LIKE ONE POINT EIGHT WHEN I GOT
IN TWENTY TWELVE IS LIKE ONE
POINT.
EIGHT BILLION OUT THERE AND THEY
WERE ASKING FOR A BILLION IN.
AND BEING A FRESHMAN ASSEMBLY
MEMBER I SAID ONCE YOU JUST
COLLECTED IN IN YOU CAN SOLVE
YOUR BUDGET PROBLEM.
AND EVIDENTLY I LEARNED IS NOT
THAT EASY.
TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH.
ARE WE LOOKING OUT THERE IN THE
SO AS A FIFTEEN SIXTEEN WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TWELVE BILLION A
LITTLE BIT OVER TWELVE BILLION
IN OUTSTANDING.
DEBT -- ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD
HIGHLIGHT IS THAT --
ONE OF THINGS THAT WE FOUND IS
THAT THERE WAS SOME WEAKNESSES
IN THE COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION
OF INFORMATION ABOUT COLLECTIONS
AND DISTRIBUTION.
AND NE OF OUR REPORTS WE
ACTUALLY HAVE A FIGURE THAT
SHOWS -- A
GRAPHIC OF THE MISMATCH BETWEEN
THE TWO AND SO WE DID WE DID
OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS PROVE THAT
SIDE BECAUSE ONE OF THE ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED
IS FOR THE LEGISLATURE.
TO MAKE CHANGES OR TO HELP THEM
MAKE DECISIONS COMPREHENSIVE
INFORMATION IS HELPFUL I NEED IT.
OF THE TWELVE BILLION DOLLARS
IT'S UNCLEAR HOW MUCH OF THAT IS
ACTUALLY COLLECTIBLE AND SO WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT ACTUAL
COLLECTIBILITY.
ON IT COSTS COURTS AND COUNTIES
A CERTAIN AMOUNT TO COLLECT
THESE DOLLARS AND AT SOME POINT
IT COSTS YOU MORE THAN WHAT YOU
WOULD BRING IN AND THAT'S WHAT
WHEN WE SAY I ON COLLECTIBLE
THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN.
AND SO ONE OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAD WAS
THAT WE THOUGHT THAT THERE
SHOULD BE AN ASSESSMENT.
ABOUT THE COLLECTIBILITY OF OF
THAT DEBT.
GOOD AND THEN YOU MENTIONED.
THERE FOR IT. FIFTY PINE TREES
ARE COLLECTED --
AND IN A MONIES DISTRIBUTED
THERE'S ABOUT FIFTY DIFFERENT.
DO WE HAVE A PRIORITY ORDER OR
IS IT.
SO IT IS SELF FIFTY I
LEGISLATION.
THERE THERE COULD BE MORE WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE COULD BE
MORE -- THE
PRIORITY KICKS AND WHEN PAYMENT
ISN'T.
PROVIDED IN FULL --
AND SO TO GET IT SO TO GIVE ANY
AS RESTITUTION.
THE SECONDS KIND OF WITH A
SECOND PRIORITY ORDER IS COSTS
RELATED TO THE COLLECTION OF
DELINQUENT THAT AND THERE'S A
COST RECOVERY PROCESS.
THAT'S AND THAT'S IN PLACE --
AND THEN THEIR SUBSEQUENT ORDERS
AS WELL AND THERE ABOUT FIVE
TEARS IN TOTAL AND ALMOST ALL OF
THE FINES AND FEES THAT ARE
CHARGED WILL FALL INTO ONE OF
THOSE.
FIVE CATEGORIES AND SO ONE OF
THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT --
OUR SYSTEM ON THE COLLECTION
SIDE IS THAT NEITHER THE COURTS
NOR THE COUNTIES HAVE.
THE GREATEST FISCAL INCENTIVES
TO COLLECT SO I THINK THAT'S
THAT'S ONE THING ON ON THE
REVENUE SIDE THAT'S THAT'S
DIFFERENT FROM THE POLICY WE'RE
NOT WEIGHING IN ON THE POLICY
THAT'S A DECISION --
FOR LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS --
TO MAKE.
PART OF THAT RATIONALE AS AS YOU
GO DOWN THE PRIORITY LIST IF
YOU'RE AT THE BOTTOM YOU'RE IN
THE LOWER PRIORITY AS THINGS ARE
COMING OFF THE TOP.
IT MIGHT MEAN THAT YOU DON'T GET
YOUR FULL THE FULL AMOUNT THAT
WAS ASSESSED.
RELATED TO THE FINER FEE THAT
YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GET AND
GAIN FROM.
AND SO THAT REDUCES SOME OF THE
THE FISCAL AND SENT.
TO THE OTHER PIECE ON ON KIND OF
COLLECTIONS IS THAT.
THERE REALLY WASN'T INCENTIVE.
TO COLLECT WHEN DAD WAS NON
DELINQUENT SO THIS IS BEFORE ALL
OF THE VARIOUS TOOLS THAT THE
STATE HAS AUTHORIZED THESE ARE
THINGS LIKE BEFORE IT WAS THE
DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION --
WAGE GARNISHMENT SELENE'S AND SO
ONE OF THINGS THAT WE FOUND WAS
THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT
COURTS COULD DO COURTS IN
COUNTIES COULD DEAL AND SOME OF
THEM WERE DOING IT --
TO HELP INDIVIDUALS STAY ON
TRACK THESE INCLUDED THINGS LIKE
PAYMENT REMINDERS TO SOMETIMES
IF YOU GET A UTILITY BILL ALL
RIGHT YOU'LL GET A LITTLE NOTICE
SAYING YOU OWE THIS MUCH.
AND SO THEY IS SOME COURTS AND
COUNTIES FOUNDED THAT WAS REALLY
REALLY HELPFUL.
BUT COSTS RELATED TO NON
DELINQUENT COLLECTIONS WHICH IS
BEHAVIOR WE POTENTIALLY WOULD
WANT.
ON SAMPLE SIZE WASN'T
RECOVERABLE UNDER THE CURRENT
STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE --
RELATED TO DON'T COLLECTING
DELINQUENT PAYMENTS.
AND SO THAT SORT OF IT IN A
NUTSHELL I MEAN I THINK THERE
ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE FOUND
BUT HOPEFULLY THAT ADDRESSES
YOUR QUESTION.
OKAY AND IN THE LAST WHEN YOU.
YOU YOU MENTIONED ABOUT.
HAVING THESE FINES AND FEES GO
INTO THE GENERAL FUND WITH WITH
THAT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
WE WOULD RE PROGRAM THIS MONEY
BACK INTO PUBLIC SAFETY ONLY AND
TO COLONEL JESS THAT THERE WOULD
BE DIVERTED TO TRANSPORTATION
OUR SCHOOLS SAID IT WOULD STAY.
HOPEFULLY WITHIN.
PER VIEW OF PUBLIC SAFETY OR IT
BAR GOES A GENERAL FUND AND
ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.
THERE ARE MULTI THEIR MULTIPLE
REASONS FOR OUR RECOMMENDATION
TO PAUSE INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
THE FIRST MAJOR RATIONALE FOR
THAT IS THAT.
OVER TIME VARIOUS CRIMINAL FINES
AND FEES HAVE BEEN ADDED ON FOR
A WHOLE VARIETY OF PROCESS THESE
AND FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS.
THE AMOUNT WHAT THEY DO
BASICALLY THEIR OP PENDANTS ON
THE AMOUNT OF FINING FEE REVENUE
THAT'S COMING AND IT WAS NEVER
REALLY MATCHED UP TO THE SERVICE
LEVEL.
THAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS
EXPECTING.
AND SO PART ONE OF THE REASONS
FOR THAT IS THEN ESSENTIALLY TO
DE COUPLE THAT RATIONALE AND SO
THEN THE LEGISLATURE COULD FOCUS
ON WHAT PROGRAM WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT HOW IT WHAT ARE OUR
EXPECTATIONS FOR THAT PROGRAM
AND HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST. TO
LIVE IT TO DELIVER THOSE
SERVICES IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS
ACTUALLY HAPPENING ON THE BUDGET
SIDE.
MISTER CHAIR YOU'LL YOU'LL BE
HAVING THAT AS PART OF YOUR
BUDGET DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE OVER
TIME WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF
PROGRAMS --
AND FUNDS ENTERING INTO KIND OF
INSOLVENCY OUR OPERATION
SHORTFALL BECAUSE AMOUNT OF FINE
AND FEE REVENUE THAT'S BEEN
COMING AND HAS BEEN DECLINING.
THE STATE'S TAKEN A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT ACTIONS INCLUDING BACK
FILLING SOME OF THEM SHIFTING
SOME OF THE PROGRAMS TO THE
GENERAL FIND AND ALSO
IMPLEMENTING REDUCTIONS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF ONE PIECE.
THE SECOND ASPECT IS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS VERY
COMPLEX PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING
TO ALL OF THE STATE AND LOCAL
FINDS.
SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT
LOOKED AT AND EVALUATED BY THE
LEGISLATURE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS
AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS
FOR EXAMPLE.
THESE PROGRAMS COME BEFORE THE
LEGISLATURE WHEN THERE'S A
PROBLEM.
ESSENTIALLY THAT THEY'RE RUNNING
OUT OF REVENUE AND OR YOU KNOW
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES ARE
NOT MATCHED UP.
AND THAT REALLY LIMITS THE
LEGISLATURE'S ABILITIES IN TERMS
OF WHAT TO DO TO ADDRESS THAT
ISSUE.
THE CONCEPT IS BASICALLY IF YOU
KNOW THE PROBLEM IS COMING --
YOU CAN POTENTIALLY IMPLEMENT
SOLUTIONS EARLIER ON THAT CAN
MAKE IT LESS PAINFUL TO
IMPLEMENT ESSENTIALLY --
IN TERMS OF THAN DEDICATING THE
FUNDING SPECIFICALLY TO PUBLIC
SAFETY THAT'S CERTAINLY
SOMETHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE
CAN TALK ABOUT --
IT'S EIGHT SIX IT'LL BE IN THE
GENERAL FUND SO THERE'S A
QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THE LEGISLATURE MIGHT WANT TO
DEDICATE A CERTAIN PART OF
PORTION OF THAT MONEY. TO PLEASE
BUT FOR US WE THINK THAT IT IS A
DECISION FOR THE LEGISLATURE
AMONGST ALL OF ITS GENERAL FUND
PRIORITIES.
WE DON'T YOU KNOW THERE'S NOT
THEIR VARIOUS RATIONALES
CURRENTLY FOR HOW WE ASSESS
THESE FINES AND FEES.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR
RECOMMENDATION ABOUT
CONSOLIDATING MOST OF THE FINES
AND FEES THE LEGISLATURE CONSENT
THOSE FINES AND FEES BASED ON
WHAT GOALS THEY WANT TO ME.
SO FOR EXAMPLE IF THE GOAL IS
DETERRENCE THAT CAN BE ONE FEE.
IF FOR WAR FINE IF THE GOAL IS
TO OFFSET THE IMPACTS OF
WHATEVER THE BEHAVIOR AS IT CAN
BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
GOALS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
BUT IT'S HOPEFUL TO HAVE
DIRECTION FROM THE LEGISLATURE
ABOUT WHAT THE LAW WHAT THE
POLICY DIRECTION POLICY
RATIONALE IS FOR THESE FINES AND
FEES.
THANK YOU NOT PROJECTED TO GO.
NOW IN.
BEEN [inaudible]
MR QUIRK [inaudible]
I'M [inaudible]
SORRY.
HE IS THE SECOND.
I SEEM TO HAVE SOME BRONCHITIS --
THE WELL FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU
VERY MUCH --
BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR FINE
PRESENTATION AND MISLI FOR THAT
RECENT ANSWER --
I REALLY THINK YOU'VE HIT ON
THIS SO [inaudible]
WE THE CHAIR AND I HAVE BEEN ON
THIS COMMITTEE FOR A LITTLE OVER
SIX YEARS AND WE LOVE IT.
WE DID I I THINK I DO SOME OF MY
MOST IMPORTANT WORK HERE BECAUSE
WE TRIED TO MAKE THE SYSTEM IS
JUST AS WE CAN --
THIS TIME PERIOD --
STAFF IS MADE IS VERY AWARE THAT
WHEN THERE'S A THIRTY FIVE
DOLLAR BASE.
FINE -- IT
CAN.
GO UP TO TWO HUNDRED THIRTY
EIGHT DOLLARS --
AND WE OFTEN GET PEOPLE IN HERE
WANTING TO INCREASE THE BASE
FINE AND WE TELL THEM.
YOU KNOW THE REAL FINE IS REALLY
EIGHT OR TEN TIMES LARGER AND SO
YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T DO THAT
GENERAL I DON'T THINK WE'VE LET
ANY OF THOSE GO WELL YOU'VE BEEN
CHAIR I WAS CHAIR.
ANJANA WHICH CHAIR HOWEVER.
THESE FEES.
PEOPLE DEPEND UPON THEM I DO
REMEMBER WHEN THE EMS PENALTY
ASSESSMENT CAME UP AND SAID IS
THE CHAIR.
THE DIFFICULTY WAS SO WHICH TWO
DOLLARS FOR EVERY TEN OF BASS
FINE AND FRANKLY IF THAT WERE
THE ONLY.
ENHANCEMENT WE HAD IT MIGHT NOT
BE SO BAD BUT UNFORTUNATELY AS
YOU MENTIONED IT'S ONE OF MANY.
THE DIFFICULTY.
AND EVEN --
THE AS CHAIR AT THE TIME MELISSA
MELENDEZ --
SAID THAT GEE THIS IS NOT JUST
OUR FEES ARE TOO HIGH AND I
AGREE WITH THAT BUT THE PROBLEM
WAS IF WE DIDN'T EXTENDED.
THEN THE PEOPLE IN EMS THIS WAS
A MAJOR PART OF THEIR FUNDING --
SO THE FIREMEN WERE HERE AND
OTHER --
AMBULANCE COMPANIES WERE HERE
AND IT WE REALLY NEED THIS AND
PARTICULARLY WAS FIRE AND
THEY'RE VERY HARD TO SAY NO.
TO SO THE AND I'M SURE THAT THE
COURTS WOULD COMPLAIN IF WE TAKE
OFF ANY OF THESE --
THE COUNTIES WILL COMPLAIN --
I THINK.
THIS IS JUST GOING TO BE VERY
HARD TO DO BECAUSE ALL OF THESE
ARE HERE FOR YOU NOW REASONABLE.
WELL MAYBE NOT ALL OF THEM BUT
MANY OF THEM ARE HERE BECAUSE
THEY SUPPORT GOOD CAUSES --
AND THE COUNTY CERTAINLY WON'T
TRUST ISSUE THAT GOES TO THE
GENERAL FUND ELSE CREAM SO WILL
THE COURTS SO WELL EMS.
THIS IS WHAT I'M SAYING IS
FRANKLY THERE OUGHT TO BE A BASE
THE PERIOD.
IT OUGHT TO GO TO THE GENERAL
FUND AND THEN WE SHOULD PAY
THESE OTHER THINGS BUT I DON'T
KNOW THAT ANY OF THE GROUPS THAT
GET ANY OF THIS MONEY WILL TRUST
US -- TO
SEND IT BACK TO THEM SO.
THAT'S THE DIFFICULTY WE FACE
AND I'M MENTIONING THIS FOR THE
EDUCATION OF OUR NEW MEMBERS WE
HAVE TWO NEW THIS YEAR AND
THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE FACE.
I'M CERTAINLY WILLING TO LOOK AT
A RADICAL SOLUTION BUT IT'S
GONNA BE TOUGH [inaudible]
THANK.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION IT'S SUPER HELPFUL --
ON THE BENEFITS IS PRETTY CLEAR
WHO'S BENEFITING FROM ALL THESE
FINES AND FEES --
YOU WHO VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE
HERE ON THE COLLECTION PROGRAM
WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL COSTS
THAT GO INTO COLLECTING THESE
FEES AND HOW DOES THAT COMPARE
WITH THE BENEFIT.
COULD YOU CLARIFY ON COULD YOU
PLEASE CLARIFY I'M NOT QUITE
SURE IN TERMS OF THE ADDITIONAL
COSTS SO I ASSUME THE COUNTIES
BEAR ADDITIONAL COST BEYOND JUST
THE 7% OF COLLECTION PROGRAMS
ARE NOT GOING TO COLLECTING THE
SKIS -- YES
SO THE 7% THAT YOU HAVE
HIGHLIGHTED THAT IS THE COURT
AND COUNTY COSTS FOR COLLECTING
WHEN IT'S DELINQUENT --
SO THERE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS ON
BOTH SIDES WHEN THEY'RE
COLLECTING --
WHEN IT'S NON DELINQUENT AND SO
THEY ME IN COURT IN QUESTION AND
WHAT THE AGREEMENT IS BETWEEN
THE TWO OF THEM SO FOR EXAMPLE?
THERE ARE CERTAIN COUNTIES WHERE
THE COURT COLLECTS EVERYTHING.
AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER
COUNTIES WHERE THE COURT
COLLECTS. 80% OF IT AND THEN THE
COUNTY COLLECTS UP ANOTHER
PORTION OF IT I THINK ONE OF THE
ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE HAD
HEARD MOST FREQUENTLY.
WAS THAT --
FOR EXAMPLE THE COUNTY WOULD
COLLECT THE PROBATION FEES --
IT BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE WOULD
MORE DIRECTLY GO TO LIKE THE
PROBATION DEPARTMENT ETCETERA --
WE DON'T HAVE A GREAT IDEA OF
HOW MUCH THEY'RE PUTTING INTO
THAT WE'VE HEARD ON A PIECEMEAL
BASIS THAT IT CAN RANGE FROM
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO
SOMETIMES EVEN IN THE MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS.
I THINK WHEN WE LOOKED --
SO BEFORE THE REPORT THAT THE
TERM MENTIONS IN 200-015-2000
SIXTEEN WHICH WAS FOCUSED ON THE
DISTRIBUTION AND ASSESSMENT WE
ACTUALLY DID A REPORT ON THE
COLLECTION SIDE.
AS WELL AND SO --
SOME OF THINGS THAT I WAS
TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE
LACK OF FISCAL INCENTIVES TO
COLLECT THAT WAS --
THAT RESULTED FROM THAT REPORT
INTO SPECIFICALLY IN RELATION TO
YOUR QUESTION.
IT WAS THAT ISSUE FOR US IN
TERMS OF THERE ARE THINGS THAT
WERE BEING DONE ON THE DON'T NON
DELINQUENT SIDE THAT IF YOU'RE
GOING TO OPERATE A COLLECTIONS
PROGRAM THE STATE'S DECIDED THAT
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO --
YOU'D PROBABLY WANT TO KIND OF
REWARD THAT BEHAVIOR IN AN
INCENTIVE STRUCTURE AND OUR
CURRENT IN STOCK INCENTIVE
STRUCTURE DOESN'T DO THAT.
THERE WERE SCENARIOS ACTUALLY
WHEN WE'RE MODELING IT THAT
THERE WERE COUNTY IS THAT
INVESTED IN THAT COUNTIES
REPORTS I WOULD INVEST IN THAT
WHICH WOULD ACTUALLY BE PUNISHED
ESSENTIALLY.
BECAUSE THEY WERE COLLECTING
ALAS DELINQUENT DADS AND SO THEY
WERE ABLE TO RECOVER LESSEN
THEIR COSTS.
JUST IT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
PRESENTATION I'M JUST TO PAY
BACK ON ON ASSEMBLYMEMBER CORKS --
COMMENTS --
YOU KNOW OF THIS SORT OF FIFTY
FUNDS -- THE
SPECIFIC ONES SAID
ASSEMBLYMEMBER CORK APPOINTED
OUT.
OF THEIR TOTAL BUDGET HOW MUCH
OF THAT BUDGET NEED IS MET BY
FINES AND FEES ARE THERE SOME OF
THEM THAT ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT
THAT ARE THEY'RE MET BY THIS.
IT WILL VERY --
SO ON ONE SIDE UP TO A FEW YEARS
AGO -- I
WILL GIVE THE EXAMPLE OF POST
THE THE THE FUNDS.
THE DOLLARS THAT ARE USED TO
SUPPORT THE PEACE OFFICER
STANDARDS ON COMMISSION UP TO A
FEW YEARS AGO THEY WERE SOLELY
FUNDED BY FINANCIER REVENUE --
AS A KIND OF REFERENCE TO MY
COMMENTS THE AMOUNT OF FINE AND
HE REVENUE THAT HAS BEEN COMING
AND HAS BEEN COLLECTED OVER TIME
HAS BEEN DECREASING.
AND SO THE STATE THROUGH THE
BUDGET PROCESS HAD TO TAKE
ACTION --
BECAUSE THEY HAD IMPLEMENTED
REDUCTIONS THE STATE WASN'T AND
HE WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE SERVICE
LEVEL THAT WAS BEING PROVIDED
AND SO ULTIMATELY THE STATE
DECIDED TO PUT IN GENERAL FUND
DOLLARS.
THERE'S ACTUALLY PROPOSAL THIS
YEAR AGAIN RELATED TO POST
ANOTHER ONE KIND OF IN THAT VEIN
IS THE STATE'S DNA --
LAPS AND THAT'S OPERATED BY DOJ
AND SO THEY TRADITIONALLY WERE
FUNDED BY KIND OF FIND FEE
REVENUE AS WALL.
COME ON THE FLIP SIDE THEN YOU
HAVE TRIAL COURTS --
FOR EXAMPLE TRIAL COURT
OPERATIONS IS FINE IF YOU'RE
EVAN AS THEY GET A PORTION OF IT
BUT THEY'RE ALSO SUPPORTED BY
THE GENERAL FUND CIVIL FILING
FEES ON THE PAN THE CIVIL SIDE.
AS WELL AS THIS OUTSTANDING
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTIES
IN COURTS IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH
THE COUNTY IS PROVIDE TO SUPPORT
THE COURTS SO DOES IT VERY --
AND IT IT SUBJECT TO KIND OF
DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF WHAT
ACTIONS TO TAKE.
YEAH I WAS JUST WONDERING DO YOU
HAVE ANY IDEA WHY --
THE REASON BEHIND THE COMPLEXITY
BASE FIND PERCENTAGES WHICH VERY
FROM CITY TO CITY AND COUNTY
COUNTING.
I AM I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE
RATIONALE BEHIND THE
DISTRIBUTION I THINK IT GOES
BACK TO HISTORICAL TIMES I THINK
MAYBE PERFORMED FOR FOR ME --
AND AS PART OF OUR RESEARCH I
DON'T THINK I WAS EVER ABLE TO
KIND OF ASCERTAIN SPECIFICALLY.
HOW THOSE WERE ACHIEVED AND SO
THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS IN THE
AUDIENCE WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND
HIM WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
CONTEXT IS THIS QUITE
COMPLICATED AND VERY SPORTY
SIGNIFICANTLY?
AT US.
OKAY THANK YOU [inaudible]
THANK YOU [inaudible]
SO.
NO MORE QUESTIONS WE WANT TO
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU BOTH.
AND WILL BRING ON MR --
ANTI ROLL BLISS THE PERSONAL
IMPACT OF FINES AND FEES.
THE USER ORGANIZER WITH THE
YOUTH JUSTICE COALITION.
AND YOU HAVE.
ABOUT TEN MINUTES TO GET HERE
[inaudible]
YOUR STATEMENT --
THE WE HAVE A REALLY NICE SIGN.
FOR JUST MOVED CLOSER
[inaudible]
AREA.
MAY ARE RECORDED.
LINE MONEY OF THE RECORDER NEAR
RECORD.
SURE COOL THANK YOU --
GOOD MORNING A MEMBERS OF THE
ASSEMBLY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
MORNING MISTER CHAIR --
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE
TODAY FOR LONG ME TO SHOW MY
PERSONAL TESTIMONY ON HOW
CRIMINAL MINISTRY TO FEES FINES
PENALTIES AN ASSESSMENT OF
AFFECTED ME AND MY COMMUNITY.
MY NAME IS ANTHONY ROBERT IS AND
I'M YOUTH ORGANIZER WITH THE
YOUTH JUSTICE COALITION ALSO
KNOWN AS WHITE CASEY. TEN YEARS
AGO Y. J. C. YOUTH AND FAMILIES
PROCESS SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZED
WHEN A MORATORIUM ON THE BILLING
OF FAMILIES WHO HAD A YOUNG
PERSON AN ALLEY COUNTY PROBATION
JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND TWENTY SEVENTEEN WE FOUGHT
WITH LOCAL PARTNERS TO END A
FIFTY DOLLAR PUBLIC DEFENDER
FREE AN ALLEY COUNTY AFTER THE
ACLU RELEASED REPORT CONDEMNING
THE PRACTICE.
ALSO IN TWENTY SEVENTEEN Y. J.
SHE WAS A CO SPONSOR ON SB ONE
NINETY AUTHORED BY SENATOR HOLLY
MITCHELL WHICH ENDED THE
PRACTICE OF ASSESSING JUVENILE
MINISTRY TO FEES IN CALIFORNIA.
IN OCTOBER OF TWENTY EIGHTEEN WE
HELP ALI COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS TO COMPLETELY ERASE
NINETY MILLION DOLLARS OF
JUVENILE IN JUSTICE THAT FOR
FIFTY EIGHT THOUSAND FAMILIES IN
LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
NOW WE ARE WORKING ON LIMITING
THESE BURDEN SOME FEES FOR
ADULTS.
FEES AND FINES FOR ADULTS AT THE
LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL WE COORDINATE THE
LET'S GET FREE LA COALITION
WHICH IS CURRENTLY FIGHTING TO
REPEAL FINES AND FEES AND ALL
THE COUNTY AMONG OTHER THINGS.
AT THE STATE LEVEL WE ARE PART
OF THE DEBT FREE JUSTICE
CALIFORNIA COALITION THAT IS
HERE TODAY TO TESTIFY WHY AM --
FEES FINES COUNTIES IN
ASSESSMENT SHOULD BE REPEALED.
I WAS INVITED HERE TO SHOW THE
IMPACT THEIR CRIMINAL FEES OF
HAD ON ME PERSONALLY.
GROWING UP MY FAMILY ALWAYS
STRUGGLED.
FINANCIALLY.
EVEN THOUGH BOTH OF MY PARENTS
WORKED FULL TIME JOBS IT WAS
STILL LONG ENOUGH TO GET BY
PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
THINGS GOT WORSE FOR MY FATHER
WAS DEPORTED WHEN I WAS IN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SOON AFTER THAT WE WERE VIC DID
AND LEFT HOMELESS LIVING WEEK BY
WEEK OUT OF ROACH INFESTED
MOTELS.
MY BROTHER WHO IS IN COLLEGE
BOUND SCHOOL PROGRAM AN AVID
BASKETBALL PLAYER WAS ARRESTED
AND SENTENCED TO PROBATION CAMP
AT SIXTEEN YEARS OLD SHORTLY
AFTER WE WERE AFFECTED.
LUCKILY MY GRANDMOTHER TOOK US
IN AND LET US LIVE WITH HER FOR
YOU INTO MY MOM GOT BACK ON
THEIR FEET WITH THREE CHILDREN.
YEARS LATER AS A TEENAGER LIVING
ON A BLOCK THAT HAD HEAVY POLICE
PRESENCE AND A LACK OF RESOURCES
AND OPPORTUNITIES I FOUND MYSELF
GETTING CONSTANTLY STOPPED BY
POLICE.
PATTED DOWN AND SEARCHED
WRONGFULLY BUT AGAIN DATABASE
INTERESTED MULTIPLE TIMES.
AS A YOUNG ADULT THINGS DID NOT
CHANGE MUCH AND I EVENTUALLY
ENDED UP CATCHING A FELONY
CONVICTION IN TWENTY FOURTEEN
AND SPEND MY TIME IN THE ALLEY
COUNTY JAIL.
WHEN I WAS ASSIGNED A PUBLIC
DEFENDER I WAS HANDED A PIECE OF
PAPER AND TOLD TO SIGN IT?
BY THE ATTORNEY WAS GOING TO BE
REPRESENTING ME.
THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO PAY
FIFTY DOLLARS TO REGISTER THIS
IS NOT IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE
MONEY NOW THAT I COULD PAY
WITHIN FIFTEEN DAYS.
I WAS SHOCKED BECAUSE I ALWAYS
STOP PUBLIC DEFENDERS ARE FREE
BECAUSE THE US CONSTITUTION
GERRY'S GUARANTEES COUNSEL FOR
THE ACCUSED NO MATTER ONE'S
INCOME.
THIS IMMEDIATELY MADE ME
DISTRUSTFUL OF MY PUBLIC COUNCIL
AND EXACERBATED MY PRECONCEIVED
NOTION THAT PUBLIC DEFENDERS
WERE INCOMPETENT AND DIDN'T CARE
FOR THE CLIENTS SOMETHING THAT I
NOW KNOW.
THAT COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM
THE TRUTH THAT IS WIDELY
BELIEVED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC
IN PART BECAUSE THE POLICIES
ACTIVE REGISTRATION FEE.
MY DISTRUST LIED TO ME ARGUING
WITH MY COUNSEL BECAUSE I
THOUGHT THEY DIDN'T HAVE MY BEST
INTEREST IN MIND.
LOOKING BACK IS VERY WELL MIGHT
HAVE UNDERMINED EFFECTIVE
REPRESENTATION HOW MY BEHALF.
IN ANY CASE I DON'T PAY THE FEE
IN TIME IN THE PRIVATE
COLLECTION AGENCY THE ALLEY
COUNTY CONTRACTS WITH GC
SERVICES SENT ME A LETTER SAYING
THAT I WAS DELINQUENT AND I OWE
THEM FIFTY DOLLARS.
THIS JUST ADDED STRESS TO AN
ALREADY INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL
TIME IN MY LIFE AS MY CASE WAS
SETTLED AND TIME WENT ON I
RECEIVED NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS
FROM GC SERVICES REMINDED ME
THAT I OWE THEM MONEY.
I EVENTUALLY PAID IT OFF BUT NOT
BEFORE ALL THE EXTREME OCEAN ON
FINANCIAL STRAIN DURING A HARD
TIME IN MY LIFE.
FORTUNATELY OTHER MENTIONED
EARLIER ALLEY COUNTY HAS
APPEALED THAT BE BUT STATE LAW
STILL ALLOWS COUNTIES TO COLLECT
PUBLIC DEFENDER REGISTRATION
FEES AND SEVERAL BIG COUNTIES
LIKE SUMMER TO DO YOU KNOW
RIVERSIDE AND SAN DIEGO STILL
COLLECTED.
AN ACLU REPORT CITES AND EARLY
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION STUDY
ON PUBLIC DEFENDER REGISTRATION
FEES WHICH FOUND OUT OF TWENTY
EIGHT JURISDICTIONS NATIONWIDE.
STUDY NATIONWIDE THOSE PROGRAMS
WHICH HAD DATA ON FEE COLLECTION
RIGHT TO REPORTED COLLECTION
RATE FROM 6220%.
SO NOT ONLY DOES THIS BE
SABOTAGED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND
AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS BUT ALSO
COMPROMISES EFFECTIVE
REPRESENTATION WILL NOT.
EVEN BEING COLLECTED AT A RATE
THAT IS SUFFICIENT TO OFFSET
COSTS WHICH IS ITS INTENDED GOAL.
AFTER I WAS RELEASED I WAS PUT
ON FELONY PROBATION FOR THREE
YEARS WHEN I WENT IN TO CHECK MY
MY P. O. IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY
RELEASE I WAS IN FOR ANOTHER
SHOT JUST AS MUCH OF THAT TIME
WHEN I WAS HANDED A PIECE OF
PAPER THAT TOLD ME OUT. FIFTY
DOLLARS FOR SUPPOSEDLY FREE
PUBLIC DEFENDER.
THIS TIME I PUT MY P. ALL TOLD
ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LOSE
BEFORE MY PROBATION TERM WAS UP
AND THAT THE MINIMUM MONTHLY
PAYMENT WAS GOING TO BE FIFTY
DOLLARS.
I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I HAD TO
PAY FOR MY OWN PROBATION
SUPERVISION A PROGRAM THAT
DIDN'T HELP ME FIND A JOB OR GET
IN A SCHOOL OR FINE HOUSING.
I HAD JUST GOT BACK BECAUSE
SORRY I JUST GOT A JAIL WITH THE
FAMILY ON MY RECORD AND NO MONEY
TO MY NAME.
MY OLD JOB WOULD NOT TAKE ME
BACK BECAUSE OF MY RECORD AND I
COULDN'T FIND ANY STABLE
EMPLOYMENT.
I WAS LUCKY IF I FOUND A JOB
ASSIGNMENT FOR A WHOLE WEEK.
I WENT BACK TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
AND KEPT DRIVING TOWARD MY GOAL
COMMUNITY A UNIVERSITY IN
OBTAINING MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
I DO NOT MAKE A PAYMENT TO
PROBATION FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR AND
ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT HAD ANY
PLEASE CONTACT AND CHECK THEM
WITH MY PO ONE TIME EVERY MONTH
THEY STILL SENT ME A LETTER
SAYING THAT IF I TO MAKE A
PAYMENT WITHIN TWO WEEKS.
THAT I WOULD HAVE A PROBATION
HEARING AND I COULD POSSIBLY BE
VIOLATED AND THROWN BACK IN JAIL.
THIS IS A PARTICULARLY ROUGH
TIME FROM FROM MY FOUNDED WE HAD
RECENTLY BEEN FORCED OUT OF OUR
HOME AGAIN BECAUSE THE OWNER
SOLD IT.
WE WERE BACK AT MY GRANDMA'S
AGAIN.
INVESTORS OVERTAKING US IN TWICE
THERE WAS THREE PEOPLE LIVING IN
A FIVE HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING APARTMENT FOR
LOW INCOME SENIOR CITIZENS.
MY LIVING SPACE WAS IN THE
CORNER OF THE ROOM IN THE IN THE
LEAD IN THE CORNER OF THE LIVING
ROOM AND ALL I HAD WAS A ROLL
OUT BAD AND A SMALL DRESSER.
HOWEVER PROBATIONTHOUGHT WOULD
BE NICE IF I COULD PAY THEM
FIFTY DOLLARS EVERY MONTH FOR
SERVICES THEY DON'T EVEN PROVIDE
TO SUPPORT ME.
I VISITED MY P. O. AND TOLD ME
THAT I WAS IN SCHOOL RECEIVING
GENERAL RELIEF BENEFITS AND THAT
I COULD NOT AFFORD THE PAYMENTS.
SHE TOLD ME THAT I COULD RECEIVE
A FINANCIAL VALUATION IF I
BROUGHT IN ALL MY PROOF OF
INCOME.
WHEN I CAME IN FOR THE
EVALUATION?
HOW IS NOT RECEIVING FINANCIAL
AID BECAUSE I HAD TAKEN TOO MANY
UNITS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE SO
ALL I WAS RECEIVING WAS TWO
HUNDRED AND TWENTY DOLLARS IN
FOOD STAMPS AND ABOUT TWO
HUNDRED DOLLARS CASH A MONTH
FROM G. R.?
SOMEHOW PROBATION CALCULATED
THAT I HAD THE ABILITY TO PAY
HALF THE ORIGINAL FEET TWO
THOUSAND DOLLARS TOTAL TWENTY
FIVE DOLLARS.
A MINIMUM MONTHLY PAYMENTS.
THE ONLY REASON I WAS SURVIVING
AT THE TIME WITH BECAUSE MY
GRANDMA WAS LETTING ME LIVE
THERE FOR FREE.
AN ALLEY COUNTY PROBATION THE
BUDGET INCREASED HAS INCREASED
BY ALMOST FIVE HUNDRED MILLION
DOLLARS IN THE LAST ELEVEN YEARS
ALTHOUGH CRIME IS JOB TO
HISTORIC LOWS IN LOS ANGELES.
THEIR BUDGET IS CLOSE TO ONE
BILLION DOLLARS AND YET THEY
STILL CHARGE PROBATIONERS FOR
THEIR OWN SUPERVISION.
BY GOOD FORTUNE SHORTLY AFTER
THAT EVALUATION I FOUND
EMPLOYMENT MY BROTHER'S JOB AND
WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS
UNTIL MY PROBATION WAS
TERMINATED.
NONE THE LESS IF I HAD NOT HAD
THE TREMENDOUS AN AMAZING
SUPPORT FROM MY FAMILY.
MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN
VIOLATED AND SENT BACK TO JAIL
FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY.
PROBATION NEVER OFFERED ME BUS
PASSES ACCESS TO COMPUTERS OR
LIVE COUNSELING.
IT WITH MY STRUGGLING FAMILY WHO
PROVIDED THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT.
SADLY EVERY DAY THOUSANDS
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
CALIFORNIANS SPACES HELPLESS
SITUATION.
AND DO NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT
I DID.
CRIMINAL ADMINISTRATIVE FEES AND
FINES ARE NEXT ARE AN ECONOMIC
DRAIN ON BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITIES AS WE ARE THE ONES
THAT ARE OVERWHELMINGLY
REPRESENTED IN THE SYSTEM DUE TO
RACIAL BIAS AT EVERY STAGE OF
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
PEOPLE EXITING THE SYSTEM ARE
OFTEN CHARGE THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS IN ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.
AND A SEPARATE EXPERIENCE FROM
THOSE ALREADY MENTIONED I WAS
CONVICTED OF A MISDEMEANOR THAT
CARRY TO BASE FINE OF THREE
HUNDRED AND NINETY DOLLARS WHICH
IS ALREADY ON AFFORDABLE FOR ME.
BUT AFTER FEES PENALTIES IN
ASSESSMENTS I ENDED UP PAYING
OVER FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.
THESE FEES ARE NOT JUST ABOUT
COLLECTING REVENUE BUT ABOUT
EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENT SINCE
PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SERVE TIME
PAID FINES OR FACE OTHER
CONSEQUENCES.
FIND IN FEES DO NOT ENHANCE
PUBLIC SAFETY.
RATHER THEY MAKE IT EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT FOR SUCCESSFUL REENTRY
AND LEAD TO RECIDIVISM.
CALIFORNIA IS THE RICHEST THING
IN THE NATION IN THE FIFTY FIFTY
RICHEST ECONOMY IN THE ENTIRE
WORLD.
YEAH IT IS HOME TO THE LARGEST
PRISON SYSTEM ON THE PLANET THE
LARGEST PROBATION DEPARTMENT AND
LARGEST JAIL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
AND IN MY HOME IN LOS ANGELES IS
BASICALLY HOME TO THE LARGEST
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE
WORLD AND IT IN TRAPS FAR TOO
MANY PEOPLE ESPECIALLY LOW
INCOME RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR.
LET US HAVE A FAIR CHANCE BY
ELIMINATING FEES FINES PENALTIES
AND ASSESSMENT AND ALLOW US TO
ENJOY ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS TO OFFER.
NOT JUSTICE PRISONS AND JAILS
AND THAT AND IT'S FINE
COLLECTION AGENCIES.
I RECOMMEND FOR THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATURE THAT YOU MOVE BEYOND
CREATING AN ABILITY TO PAY
MECHANISM FOR FEES AND FINES
WHICH AS EVIDENCED BY MY OWN
EXPERIENCE WITH PROBATION DOES
NOT WORK.
AND STAND FOR JUSTICE BY
REPEALING THEM COMPLETELY ANY
RACING ALL PAST THAT --
TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU MISTER ROVER SENT
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US
COMMITTEE --
A FACE OF THIS IN A REAL LIFE
EXAMPLE YOU WERE VERY ELOQUENT
THANK YOU APPRECIATE IT --
BOOKS ARE LIMITED [inaudible]
IT.
OKAY ONE QUICK QUESTION.
SO I'D THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONEST
CONCISE AND CLEAR TESTIMONY I AM
I JUST WANTED I HAD A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS SO YOU FEES ARE LINKED
TO THE OFFENSE AND THEN THE
FINDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURTS.
I'M AND THE COSTS --
WE DID ANY MEANS TESTING HAPPEN.
WELL FOR IN THE VERY VERY VERY
BEGINNING OF YEAR EXPERIENCE AN
ENTRY JUST FOR SOMEONE TO SAY
EXACTLY.
YOU KNOW HOW MUCH ARE YOU
EARNING HOW MUCH CAN YOU PAY TO
DO THAT BEFORE HAND NEVER.
DID THIS IMPACT YOUR CREDIT --
I THOUGHT IT HAD AND I CHECK MY
CREDIT REPORT BEFORE THIS
HEARING AND I DIDN'T SEE
ANYTHING THAT WENT ON TO MY
CREDIT REPORT BUT IT DOES GO TO
A COLLECTION AGENCY SO I THOUGHT
IT HAD BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT
DID.
NOT SURE AND WAS INTEREST.
DID YOU HAVE TO PAY INTEREST.
ON THE THE FOR THE DON'T HAVE TO
PAY INTEREST BUT FOR EVERY LIKE
THERE IS LATE FEES ATTACHED TO
IT SOULS ALMOST LIKE.
THIS RIGHT WERE YOU EVER I KNOW
THIS IS BUT IT ALL GOES TO THE
SAME THING.
WERE YOU EVER INVITED TO
NEGOTIATE DOWN THE COSTS I WAS
NEVER INVITED AFTER THE YEAR
WHEN I GOT THE LETTER SAYING I
HAD A PROBATION HEARING THAT I
COULD BE VIOLATED BECAUSE I
HAVEN'T MADE A PAYMENT --
I WENT AND SEEN MY P. I. P. O.
IMMEDIATELY AND TOLD I CAN MAKE
THIS AND I DON'T WANT TO BE
VIOLATED I CAN I WANNA GO BACK
TO JAIL.
WHAT CAN I DO AND SO WE CAN HAVE
A FINANCIAL VALUATION HIM THAT
WAS A YEAR INTO MY PROBATION
KNOWING THAT I WAS ON ON G. ARE?
GOING TO SCHOOL NOT COLLECTING
FINANCIALLY AT THE TIME SHE EVEN
OFFER ME THAT I HAD TO BRING IT
UP TO HER AND THEN --
I WAS ABLE --
TO NOT EVEN NEGOTIATE HOSES TOLD
THAT THEY WOULD BE CUT IN HALF
AND I STILL HAD TO PAY A TWENTY
FIVE DOLLAR MINIMUM MONTHLY
PAYMENT BUT ULTIMATELY.
YOUR PROBATION WAS NOT DISMISSED
UNTIL YOU PAID EVERYTHING DOWN
TO ZERO YEAH YEAH AND I WAS
SOMETHING HANGING OVER MY HEAD.
THANK YOU THANK YOU.
AGAIN THANK YOU FOR FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY THANK YOU MISTER.
TO AND CAN WE BRING UP THE
ALAMEDA INS AND SAN FRANCISCO
COUNTIES WHO ELIMINATED.
THE ASSESSMENTS RELATED TO
PROBATION SUPERVISION OUT AN
ATTORNEY COSTS.
BRANDON WOODS CARE BAKER.
JEFF APACHE AND JOSE CISNEROS
[inaudible]
YEAH
.
YES -- GOOD
MORNING --
TO THE COMMITTEE I THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING US TO COME AND SHARE
SOME COMMENTS REGARD TO HOW WE
WERE ABLE TO ELIMINATE PUBLIC
DEFENDER FEES.
AND THE BASIC VERSION COSTS IN
ALAMEDA COUNTY.
I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON PUBLIC
DEFENDER FEES AND ASSISTANT
CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER KAREN
BREAK WILL FOCUS ON THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS [inaudible]
ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
FROM THAT IS THE WAY THE SYSTEM
IS SET UP.
AND THAT IS A HUGE HUGE FAILING.
YOU SAW MY BIO --
DONE THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN.
PUBLIC DEFENDER ALAMEDA COUNTY
I'M CURRENTLY THE ONLY CHIEF
AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLIC DEFENDER
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO SEEING THE
WAY TO SYSTEM IMPACTS MEANS OF
COLOR.
THE WAY.
PRISONS IMPACT MEANS OF COLOR
POLICING THIS DEBT.
THAT WE HAVE THAT.
IS BEARS DOWN ON A COMMUNITY OF
COLOR WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.
WE MUST TO BETTER AND I JUST
WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT I
APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM THE
SAME WITH REGARD TO HOW RACE.
UNDERMINES HIS WHOLE SYSTEM HERE.
AND WE JUST NEED TO BE MINDFUL
THAT AS WHEN THEY GET OUT THERE
AND THANK MISTER WILL BASE
BECAUSE HIS TESTIMONY WAS VERY --
IMPACTFUL AND IN SOME WAYS I
REALLY WE STOP RIGHT THERE ON WE
COULD STOP RIGHT THERE
[inaudible]
SO.
I MEAN FOR TO TALK ABOUT THIS
PROCESS I NEED TO TALK TO YOU
FIRST ABOUT HOW SOME OF THE
COMES THE PUBLIC FROM THE CLIENT.
IN ALAMEDA COUNTY AND I MOST OF
STATE OF FIRST THING THAT
HAPPENED IS SOMEONE'S ARRESTED.
AND IF THEY CAN --
FROM THAT POINT THERE CHEN BE
REFERRED TO A PUBLIC DEFENDER --
THEY CAN BE SENT TO US EITHER IN
CUSTODY OR OUT OF CUSTODY AND
THERE'S A DETERMINATION MADE
WITH REGARD TO WHETHER THEY CAN
AFFORD TO PAY FOR THEIR
COUNTLESS SOME SORT OF FINANCIAL
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS --
AND NOW COUNTY WE GET OURSELVES
AND IF SOMEONE CANNOT AFFORD TO
PAY FOR COUNCIL WITHIN REPRESENT
THEM [inaudible]
AND I'M.
THE REAL PROBLEM BEGINS AT THE
CONCLUSION OF THE CASE ONCE THE
CASE IS OVER.
AT THAT POINT IN TIME DOWN A
COUNTY THE PERSON'S REFER TO THE
FATTER HEARING OFFICER THAT
PERSON HAS BEEN GIVEN THE
AUTHORITY BY THE COURT IN THE
COUNTY DETERMINE WHETHER SOMEONE
CAN PAY FORTIFIED IN FEES.
AND THE TERM WHAT THEY'RE
FINDING FEES WILL BE.
SO IN ALAMEDA COUNTY.
OUR FINES AND FEES FOR ATTORNEY
SERVICE THE BASED UPON THE TYPE
OF CRIME TO COMMIT WERE TO
MISDEMEANOR OR FELONY. FOR
MISDEMEANOR.
IT'S A HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS.
FOR THREE OR FOUR APPEARANCES ON
A CASE.
DO HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR FOUR MORE
APPEARANCES.
POINT IN FIFTY DOLLARS THERE'S A
MOTION OR TRIAL AND THEN SEVENTY
FIVE DOLLAR BASIN EACH
APPEARANCE AFTER THAT RELITIGATE
APPEARANCE.
SO FOR FELONIES IT'S DUE HUNDRED
DOLLARS FOR A CASE THREE ARE A
FEW APPEARANCES FIVE HUNDRED FOR
FOR A MORE APPEARANCES. FIVE HER
DOLLARS FOR MOTION.
THAT HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE
DOLLARS FOR EACH ADDITIONAL
SESSION RELATED LITIGATION IN
THE TRIAL A MOTION.
SO ONE OF MY LOWER JUST FINISHED
UP A TRIAL --
LAST WEEK WAS A VERY QUICK TRIAL
ON A FELONY CASE NOT SERIOUS
CASE FOR A GOOD RESULT.
UNFIT TO THE LESSON OF THIS
YEAR'S CASE. FOR A CLIENT WOULD
HAVE TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED
AND TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS JUST IN
ATTORNEY'S FEES [inaudible]
THAT'S IT.
NOT COULDN'T PROBATION
SUPERVISION ACOSTA COURT COST.
I'M A PREPARATION FOR THIS
HEARING WENT BACK AND LOOKED UP
AN OLD FILE --
AT RANDOM FOR A CASE THAT.
OCCURRED PRIOR TO US ELIMINATING
OUR FEES.
THE PERSON CONVICTED OF A AUTO
THEFT FOR LOW LEVEL FELONY.
WITH PUT PLACE ON THREE YEARS
PROBATION THE SAYS DURING THE
ARREST TUITION FEE. TWENTY THE
PROGRESSION INVESTIGATION FEE
THAT ALSO MONTH SUPERVISION FEE.
FORTY DOLLAR CONVICTION FEE.
THIRD ALL COME A CONVICTION
ASSESSMENT FEE AND HER ATTORNEY
FEES WITHIN FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
TOTAL COST TWO THOUSAND TWENTY
DOLLARS FOR ONE CASE NOT TALK
ABOUT TO CENTER HERE K..
THE FIRST CASE TO TRIAL.
THE PERSON IN THAT CASE THAT
YOUNG MAN WAS.
LIVING OUT OF HIS CAR
[inaudible]
HOMELESS.
AND AND NOT BEEN EMPLOYED FOR
TWO YEARS.
THE SECOND PERSON I MENTION HERE
WAS A LADY WHO HAD BEEN HOMELESS.
THE MENTALLY ILL.
THANKFULLY FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE
ALAMEDA COUNTY.
DOES FEES WILL NOT GOING TO
AFFECT.
THEY WILL NOT BE ASSESSED THOSE
FEES.
SO THE COST.
OR REAL THE IMPACT.
THESE COSTS AND FINDING PEAS ARE
HAVING ON OUR FIVE LIVES OR
WE'LL.
NO YOU'VE HEARD MENTION THE
SUPREME COURT SIX MEMBER COUNTY
TRY TO PROVIDE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT SHALL PROVIDE A
LAWYER FOR ANYONE ACCUSED OF A
CRIME THEY CAN AFFORD.
ONE WE TALK ABOUT THE MIRANDA
RIGHTS OKAY YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
TO REMAIN SILENT.
YEP RIGHT IN ATTORNEY.
IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO I WANNA BE
APPOINTED FOR YOU.
THE MIRANDA RIGHTS DO NOT SAY
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO AN
ATTORNEY.
IF YOU CAN AFFORD AN ATTORNEY
WANNA BE PROVIDED FOR YOU AT THE
CONCLUSION OF YOUR CASE WILL BE
ASSESSED TO COURT FEE.
RESTITUTION Vl COME A
CONVICTION V. PUBLIC DEFENDER
FEET PER SUBMITTED FEES AND A
BUNCH OF OTHER FEES.
MAKE AN ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE
FOR YOU TO GET FROM ON THIS
MOUNTAIN OF DEBT.
MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY.
MATT WHAT JOB YOU GET.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU'VE TURNED
YOUR LIFE AROUND.
YOU'LL BE CONTINUALLY SHACKLED
TO THIS DEBT.
AND WE TALK ABOUT SECOND CHANCES
BASED ON OUR CURRENT CRIMINAL
FINES AND FEES WE ARE
ELIMINATING SECOND CHANCES
[inaudible]
SO.
AND I'M SORRY AGAIN THAT
APPRECIATE HOW WRAPPED UP --
BASED ON A RANDOM SAMPLING ABOUT
HUNDRED FIFTH ABOUT CLIENTS.
THE AVERAGE INCOME WAS NINE
HUNDRED AND SIX SIX DOLLARS A
MONTH.
SO IT IS CLEAR OUR CLIENTS
CANNOT AFFORD COUNSEL.
OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS IT
AVERAGE OF THE FEES WERE
COLLECTING.
ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX
THOUSAND DOLLARS.
HER.
NOT TO IN TWENTY TWENTY THOUSAND
I'M SORRY --
INTERNEES FEES A YEAR.
THAT WAS THE COST OF ONE
ATTORNEY.
SO WE WERE ASSESSING FEES IN
ASSESSING PEAS IN ASSESSING FEES
IN THE RESULTS WE GET BACK WE'RE
NOT VERY HIGH.
SO I WAS PLEASED THAT TO A
COLLABORATION.
PROBATION.
EFFORT LED BY EAST BAY CAMILLUS
AND WHO HERE FROM.
AND THE FEET AND LATER ON THAT
WE WERE THEY ABLE TO LIMIT A
FEES -- THIS
WAS DONE TO A CLUB AND IT'S SO
IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE
OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY
ARE THE ONES BEING IMPACTED IN
HER.
BY AS MUCH OF FEES SO I KNOW
WHEN OVER THE THANK YOU.
THANK YOU NECKS.
THANK YOU --
BRENDAN I AM GOING TO GO ON
SCRIPT NOT HAVING FLIGHT YOUR
PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS.
THANK YOU CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE I'M KAREN BAKER
AND THE ASSISTANT CHIEF
PROBATION OFFICER IT'S MY
PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY ON
BEHALF OF CHIEF WINDY STILL --
TO DISCUSS THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC
AND ALAMEDA COUNTIES
DELIBERATION PROCESS FOR
DECIDING TO IT AND PROBATION
FEES.
SHE STILL APOLOGIZES FOR HER
INABILITY TO BE HERE TODAY SHE'S
HOSTING A TWO DAY JUVENILE
JUSTICE FORM IN ALAMEDA COUNTY
TODAY AND TOMORROW.
OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER TWO
THOUSAND AND EIGHTEEN DASH SIXTY
SEVEN ON DECEMBER FOURTH
REPEALING A NUMBER OF CRIMINAL
JUSTICE FEES INCLUDING PROBATION
FEES.
THE RESOLUTION TOOK EFFECT ON
JANUARY FOURTH.
TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN ALAMEDA
COUNTY AS YOU MAY KNOW INDEED
JUVENILE FEES IN JULY TWO
THOUSAND SIXTEEN THEY WERE
ELIMINATED STATEWIDE IN.
TWO THOUSAND EIGHTEEN ALAMEDA
COUNTY HAS NOW TAKEN THE
IMPORTANT STEP IN CRIMINAL
JUSTICE FEES FOR ADULTS AND IS
CHARGING OUT THEIR OUTSTANDING
DEBT JOIN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF
SAN FRANCISCO IN THIS ENDEAVOR.
TO REMOVE BARRIERS FOR THE
JUSTICE INVOLVED.
AS OF LAST WEEK OUR CENTRAL
COLLECTIONS REPORTS THAT BETWEEN
PROBATION AND PUBLIC DEFENDER
CLIENTS.
NEARLY ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY
EIGHT THOUSAND INDIVIDUAL
ACCOUNTS WILL BE DISCHARGED FOR
A TOTAL OF ALMOST FORTY FOUR
MILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT.
BOOK FOR PROPOSING THE FEEL IN
THE NATION THE GOVERNMENTAL
PARTNERS GOT TOGETHER TO REVIEW
OUR PAST COLLECTION PRACTICES.
AND OUR ABILITY TO SUSTAIN
SERVICES IF THERE WERE A LOSS OF
THIS REVENUE. FOR PROBATION WE
LOOKED AT THAT THESE OUTSTANDING
BALANCES FROM FISCAL YEAR
200-013-14317.
EIGHTEEN WE FOUND THAT THE
OUTSTANDING PROBATION FEES THAT
WERE DO AVERAGED ABOUT TWENTY
ONE POINT THREE MILLION IN THAT
STAYED FAIRLY CONSTANT OVER THAT
FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
AND WHILE WE WERE COLLECTED ON
AVERAGE --
SAID ABOUT OUTSTANDING DEBT A
YEAR.
THIS DEBT HAD ACCUMULATED OVER
TIME DESPITE PROBATION IS USE OF
A SLIDING SCALE FEE IN
DETERMINING AN OFFENDER'S
ABILITY TO PAY AND ADJUSTING
FEES ACCORDINGLY.
PROBATION ALSO LOOKED AT ITS USE
OF THIS REVENUE SOURCE THE
REVENUE WAS MEANT TO FUND THE
COSTS OF ADULT SUPERVISION AND
DRUG LAB TESTS AND FEES.
BUT THE AMOUNT COLLECTED
ANNUALLY HAS ONLY BEEN BETWEEN
FIVE AND SEVEN HUNDRED AT THE
MOST EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS A YEAR IT'S NEVER FUNDED
THOSE ENDEAVORS.
AND THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND
HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MAIN FUNDING
SOURCE.
WE DETERMINED THAT THE COST TO
OUR CLIENTS WAS MUCH GREATER
THAN THE LOW REVENUE WE WERE
ABLE TO RECOUP.
EVERY COUNTY NEEDS TO MAKE THAT
DETERMINATION FOR THEMSELVES
BECAUSE DIFFERENT DIFFERENT
JURISDICTIONS HAVE DIFFERENT
FUNDING CHALLENGES.
BUT OUR COUNTY ESTIMATED THE
AVERAGE REVENUE RECEIVED OVER
THE LAST THREE YEARS BETWEEN
PROBATION PUBLIC DEFENDER AND
SHERIFF THESE.
WAS ABOUT ONE POINT FOUR FIVE
MILLION.
SO WORKING COLLABORATIVE
COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE AUDITOR
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S
OFFICE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER THE
SHERIFF AND WITH THE UNANIMOUS
SUPPORT UNANIMOUS SUPPORT AND
APPROVAL OF OUR BOARD WE WERE
ABLE TO ELIMINATE THOSE FEES.
IT WAS A PRIORITY FOR THE AB ONE
OH NINE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
PARTNERSHIP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
AND OUR BOARD.
THEIR FOR WE MADE THE DECISION
TO USE EIGHTY ONE OH NINE GROWTH
FUNDS TO ENSURE WE CAN CONTINUE
THE SERVICES WITHOUT RELYING ON
THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE BE REVENUE.
SHE STILL CAME TO ALAMEDA COUNTY
IN AUGUST OF TWO THOUSAND
SIXTEEN IN HER VISION HAS
INCLUDED TO END --
THESE FEES WHICH ARE RE ENTRY
BARRIERS.
ED AS DISCUSSED IN THE PAPER
THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE LINK TO
YOUR HEARING TO DEBT CRIMINAL
JUSTICE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS IN
THE BARRIERS TO RE ENTRY THEY
CREATE.
SHE WANT ME TO JUST GIVE A
COUPLE CLOSE TO YOU FROM THAT.
SHACKLED TO DEBT EXPLORES THE
TREND IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE NATION
WIDE OF SHIFTING THE COST TO
ADMINISTER CRIMINAL JUSTICE
PROGRAMS TO THE JUSTICE INVOLVED.
BY INCREASING THE AMOUNT TO
NUMBERS OF FINES FEES AND
SURCHARGES THEY ASSESS.
THESE FEES ONLY EXACERBATE AN
ALREADY CONSIDERABLE LISTA
BARRIERS THE JUSTICE INVOLVED
FACE POSTED CAR SERRATION.
THE PAPER DETAILS THAT IN
CALIFORNIA SIXTEEN DIFFERENT
STATUTES CODIFY TWO HUNDRED AND
SIXTY NINE SEPARATE COURT FINES
FEES FOR PICTURES SURCHARGES AND
PENALTY ASSESSMENTS THAT CAN BE
ASSESSED.
MORE THAN 85% ON PROBATION OR
PAROLE ARE REQUIRED TO PAY
SUPERVISION FEES FINES COURT
COSTS OR RESTITUTION IN ORDER TO
REMAIN FREE FROM FURTHER
SANCTIONS.
SHE STILL PUTS PAPER NAMES FOR
WAYS THESE FEES HAVE RECREATED.
BARRIERS TO RE ENTRY.
FIRST COURTS HAVE THE DISCRETION
TO WAIVE OR MODIFY MONETARY
SANCTIONS BUT THEIR RESEARCH
FOUND THAT FEW CONSIDERED
WHETHER PEOPLE HAD THE FINANCIAL
RESOURCES. TO MEET THE
OBLIGATIONS BEING IMPOSED.
FURTHER FEW HAD MECHANISMS IN
PLACE TO REDUCE BEES CONTENTION
UPON PEOPLE'S FINANCIAL ABILITY
TO PAY.
SECOND YOU STAYS PROVIDE
ADEQUATE PAYMENT PLANS TO ALLOW
THOSE WHO ARE INDIGENT TO PAY
DOWN THEIR DEBTS OVER TIME.
IT IF THEY DID THERE WAS A FEE
IN ORDER TO APPLY.
THIRD JURISDICTIONS COULD BE
PLACE FEES WITH COMMUNITY
SERVICE WHICH IS ANOTHER WAY TO
GET BACK YET MOST DO NOT OFFERED
AS AN ALTERNATIVE OR PROVIDE
LIMITED OPTIONS.
AND FINALLY THESE FEES ARE
ROUTINELY SUBJECT TO LATE FEES
THESE FOR PAYMENT PLANS AND FEES
FOR DEBT COLLECTION.
CONSEQUENTLY THE JUSTICE
INVOLVED IN OFTEN THEIR FAMILY
MEMBERS WHO FREQUENTLY SHOULDER
THE BURDEN OF THE LEGAL DEBT.
CAN BE SADDLED WITH THESE
OBLIGATIONS FOR DECADES. FOR
MANY CRIMINAL JUSTICE THAT CAN
TRIGGER A CASCADE OF
DEBILITATING HAUNTS CONSEQUENCES
MANY OF WHICH UNDERMINE POSTING
CAR SERRATION REENTRY GOALS SUCH
AS FINDING STABLE HOUSING
TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYMENT.
TOOK IN CLOSE AND I'LL JUST
LEAVE YOU WITH THIS AND ALAMEDA
COUNTY THE ANTICIPATED REVENUE
LOSS AS A WHOLE WAS ONE POINT
FOUR FIVE MILLION A YEAR. FOR
ANY CUMULATED DEBT OF FORTY FOUR
MILLION DOLLARS [inaudible]
THANK YOU.
X..
MORNING OF MY NAME IS JEFF
ADACHI I. SERVIZI ELECTED PUBLIC
DEFENDERS HAVE TO SCHOOL COUNTY.
I'VE SERVED IN THAT POSITION FOR
SIXTEEN YEARS AND I'VE BEEN A
DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR
THIRTY THREE YEARS --
THANK YOU --
CHAIR JONES SAWYER FOR HOLDING
THIS HEARING.
MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE.
ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
THIS IS A CHANCE FOR YOU TO MAKE
HISTORY.
IF YOU PASS A BILL LIMITING.
UNNECESSARY CRIMINAL FINES AND
FEES.
CALIFORNIA WILL BE THE FIRST.
STATE IN THE NATION TO DO THIS.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. TO
DO PROCESS TO EVERYTHING THAT WE
SAY ABOUT OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM.
LAST -- WHAT
IT TWENTY SEVENTEEN AND THE DAY
BEFORE THANKSGIVING I WAS
WORKING THE FRONT DESK WE?
HAVE REDUCING LETTING OUR
EMPLOYEES GOAL EARLY.
IN A YOUNG MAN CAME IN.
ANY SAID IS THERE ANYTHING THAT
YOU CAN DO TO HELP ME I SAID
WHAT CAN HELP YOU NEED.
HE SAYS I IT WAS SINGLE FILE
IT'S A WORKING TWO JOBS.
THE TAKEN SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS
OUT OF MY CHECK EVERY MONTH IS
OR HOW MUCH YOU MAKE.
IS A MAKE ABOUT FIFTEEN HUNDRED
DOLLARS.
THIS IS A YOUNG MAN WHO'D BEEN
CONVICTED OF A FELONY.
IT WAS SETTLED WITH THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS WITH THE FEES REMEMBER
TALKING A RESTITUTION NOT
TALKING ABOUT A FINE ASSOCIATED.
WITH A PARTICULAR CRIME DO
THINGS FOR LIKE COURT
CONSTRUCTION FEES.
AND IT WAS CAUSING HIM TO SINCE
WE HAVE A SECOND JOB IN ORDER TO
SUPPORT HIS KIDS.
I TOLD AT THAT TIME A SAID ARE
TRESOR JOSE CISNEROS AND I HAVE
STARTED A WORKING COMMITTEE
ALONG WITH DONNA MANDEL OUR
POLICY ANALYST IN THE OFFICE TO
TRY TO ADDRESS THIS.
WE SPENT ABOUT A YEAR.
LOOKING AT THIS PROBLEM. TO MY
OFFICE REPRESENTS ABOUT TWENTY
THREE THOUSAND PEOPLE A YEAR
CHARGED WITH THE CRIME. 8290% OF
CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS OR POOR.
THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PAY
[inaudible]
AND YOU KNOW MOST FOR PEOPLE OF
COLOR --
THIS THE OTHER TENER 20% ARE
JUST BARELY GETTING BY.
MORE THAN A THIRD OF OUR CLIENTS
ARE HOMELESS MANY HAVE MENTAL
ILLNESS.
AND IN SAN FRANCISCO AFRICAN
AMERICANS IN OUR LESSON 5% OF
THE POPULATION YET 50%.
OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE
SYSTEM AND OUR SERVER WITH THESE
FINES.
WOULD SIMPLY GUITAR JAIL OR
PROBATION THEY CAN BE HIT WITH
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
WITH THE PORT FEES AT THEY HAVE
ABSOLUTELY NO WAY OF PAYING.
WE HAVE A CLEAN SLATE PROGRAM
WHICH IS EXCELLENT A PROGRAM.
WHICH ALLOWS PEOPLE TO CLEAR THE
RECORDS THE UNEMPLOYMENT ABOUT
64% UNEMPLOYMENT.
IN MOST EARNED ABOUT THREE
THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR IF YOU
CAN IMAGINE SAN FRANCISCO.
IN THE COURT WILL NOT CLEAR
RECORD UNTIL ALL THE FIGHTS AND
FEES ARE PAID. TO A STUDY THAT
CENTER THE AVERAGE POST
INCARCERATION DEBT.
IS MORE THAN THIRTEEN THOUSAND
DOLLARS.
AND IT'S NOT ONLY THE FORMAL
INCARCERATED PERSON HAS TO PAY
THE DEBT IT'S USUALLY FAMILY
MEMBERS AND WOMEN.
WHO THEMSELVES ARE TRYING TO GET
BY COURSE SETTLE WITH THIS DEBT?
ONE CLIENT OF OURS NICOLE IS A
SINGLE MOTHER.
OF TWO CHILDREN SHE'S WORKING
TWO MINIMUM WAGE JOBS TO SUPPORT
OUR KIDS IN TO PAY RECORD FEES.
EVEN LOWER INCOME WAS BARELY
ABOVE THE POVERTY LEVEL SHE
STOOD SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS A
MONTH TAKEN FROM A PAYCHECK IN
ORDER TO COVER THE DEBT.
THIS IS TEN YEARS AFTER SHE
FINISHED HER SENTENCE.
SHE WANTED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL
TO BECOME A CERTIFIED NURSING
ASSISTANT BUT SHE WAS NOT ABLE
TO GET LICENSED ISSUE SHE GOT
THE CONVICTION EXPUNGED.
AND THAT RECORD PAY THE DEBT.
MY STAFF RESEARCH RECORD FEES
THAT OUR CLIENTS ARE BEING
CHARGE IS.
A PUBLIC DEFENDER A WOOD SAID
WITHIN A FIVE FORTY FIVE FEES
BEING CHARGED JUST IN SAN
FRANCISCO.
THERE WERE OVER TWO HUNDRED
STATEWIDE FEES BOTH OF THESE
FEES ARE FOR THE PURPOSE OF
REVENUE GENERATION.
IN THE BEING CHARGED SOME OF THE
POOREST PEOPLE.
INSTEAD OF JUST WHO IDENTIFY TEN
FEES ARE AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS THE CASA
PROBATION. EIGHTEEN HUNDRED
DOLLARS UP FRONT TWO HUNDRED
DOLLARS A MONTH FOR THREE YEARS.
HE SAID REPORT A HUNDRED FIFTY
BUCKS.
BOOKING THREE HUNDRED THIRTY
FIVE DOLLARS ELECTRONIC
MONITORING GET THIS HUNDRED
TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS JUST TO SIGN
UP.
IN THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS A DAY.
A COLLECTION RATE ON COURT FEES
WITH LESS THAN.
7% 70%.
EVEN AFTER FIVE YEARS OF
HOUNDING OUR CLIENTS BY
COLLECTION AGENCIES AND HAVING
THEIR WAGES CARS.
SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
THAT THESE WERE EARMARKED FOR
DIDN'T EVEN BUDGET FOR THE MONEY
BECAUSE THEY KNEW IT WASN'T
THERE.
ONCE WE MADE THIS RESEARCH
PUBLIC THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
VOTED LAST YEAR TO ELIMINATE ALL
CRIMINAL JUSTICE FEES IT HAD
AUTHORITY OVER.
THE SHERIFF ELIMINATE TO FEES IN
HER DEPARTMENT.
BEFORE THE BOOK BOARDED EVEN
VOTED.
THE BOARD ASKED THE COURT TO
WEIGH THIRTY TWO MILLION IN
OUTSTANDING DEBT THIS IS PASSED.
SO LOSE RETROACTIVE FOR TWENTY
THOUSAND PEOPLE.
THIS IS MONEY THAT WAS UNLIKELY
TO BE COLLECTED ANYWAY.
WE VAST WITHIN S. WHY NOT MAKE
THE FEE SUBJECT TO BUILD YOU TO
PAY.
RATHER THAN ELIMINATING THEM.
I BELIEVE THAT ELIMINATION IS
ONLY SOLUTION. FOR CRIMINAL
JUSTICE DEBT FOR SEVERAL REASONS
ONE ABILITY TO PAY PROVISIONS
ARE ALREADY IN THE LAW.
BUT IN MOST CASES THE COURTS
DON'T BOTHER TO MAKE THAT
DETERMINATION.
AND THERE'S NOT A HEARING --
YOU KNOW MANY OF THE FEES A
WHEEL LEMONADE WERE SUBJECT TO
QUALITY IT FROM THE SPEEDS ARE
TURNED OVER TO A COLLECTION
AGENCY TYPICALLY HAVE TO DEFEND
IT DOESN'T PAY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY CONSIDER
ABILITY TO PAY. 8290% OF
CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS ARE ALREADY
DETERMINED TO BE INDIGENT ANYWAY
THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE A PUBLIC
DEFENDER.
DEBILITY TO PAY DETERMINATION
HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE SO IT'S
NOT NECESSARY.
AND ALMOST NO ONE CAN AFFORD
THESE FEES.
EVEN THE 15220% OF FEES THAT ARE
COLLECTED INTER SQUEEZE OUT OF
PEOPLE UNDER DURESS.
NEGATIVELY IMPACT THEIR ABILITY
TO MOVE FORWARD.
FINALLY BECAUSE A COLLECTION
LATEST SOLO THE AMOUNT THE
COUNTY SPENT ON COLLECTING THESE
FEES.
IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF WHAT IS
COLLECTED.
TRULY IMPLEMENTING THE ABILITY
TO PAY WOULD INCREASE THE
ADMINISTRATIVE COST.
INSTANCE YOU KNOW MOST PEOPLE
CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY YOU SPENDING
A LOT OF MONEY JUST TO FIND THAT
RARE DEFENDED WHO CAN PAY.
THIS IS NOT COST EFFECTIVE IN
ITS INFANCY IT INEFFICIENT USE
OF GOVERNMENT RESOURCES.
OWN IN WITH A CITATION FROM A
HIS ORANGE COUNTY PROBATION
DEPARTMENT.
TWENTY SIXTEEN QUOTE RAISING
MONEY FOR GOVERNMENT TO LAW
ENFORCEMENT WHATEVER THE SOURCE
PARKING TICKETS POLICE ISSUE
CITATIONS COURT IMPOSED FEES
BILL FOR COURT APPOINTED LAWYERS
PUNITIVE FINES INCARCERATION
CHARGES SUPERVISION FEES AND
MORE.
CAN LAY A DEBT TRAP FOR THE POOR
THIS IS CHARLES DICKENS SAID.
WHEN A MINOR OFFENSE PRODUCES A
DEBT THAT DEBT ALONG WITH THE
INTENDED COURT APPEARANCE CAN
LEAD TO A LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT?
OR SHELTER COMPOUNDING INTEREST.
YET MORE LEGAL ACTION IN AN EVER
EXPANDING FINANCIAL BURDEN THE
CYCLE IS PREDICTABLE IN IS
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
AS IT IS INTRACTABLE THIS IS
YOUR CHANCE TO CHANGE THAT.
CALIFORNIA HAS ONE OF THE WORST
INCOMING QUALITY IN THE NATION
AS MR ROLE THE SAYS IT DOES NOT
HAVE TO FUND ITS BUDGET ON THE
BACKS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
RESIDENTS MANY OF WHOM ARE
ALREADY FACING UNEMPLOYMENT FOR
HOMELESSNESS.
THIS IS THE MOST REGRESSIVE FORM
OF TAXATION IMAGINABLE IT
FURTHER EXACERBATES WEALTHY
INCOMING INEQUALITY.
ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR.
URGE THE COMMITTEE TO ELIMINATE
AS MANY OF THESE REGRESSIVE FEES
AS POSSIBLE THANK YOU THANK YOU
MISTER DOCTOR.
ARE YOU THE ONLY ELECTED PUBLIC
DEFENDER IN THE STATE.
ARE THEY'LL.
WE NEED TO CHANGE THE LONG DELAY
COUNTY.
OKAY MR CISNEROS.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING FOLKS OF JOSE
CISNEROS SAN FRANCISCO TREASURE
I'M HAPPY --
TO JOIN A PUBLIC DEFENDER JEFF
ADACHI IN OUR COLLEAGUES FROM
ALAMEDA COUNTY --
TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ALMOST TWO
YEARS AGO --
MY OFFICE LAUNCH THE FINANCIAL
JUSTICE PROJECT TO ASSESS AND
REFORM FINES AND FEES AND
TICKETS.
THAT WERE HAVING A
DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON LOW
PEOPLE OF COLOR.
WE ARE THE FIRST IN THE NATION
TO LAUNCH SUCH SUCH AN EFFORT
WITHIN GOVERNMENT.
AND AS TREASURER I CERTAINLY
KNOW THE FINES AND FEES ARE A
FUNDAMENTAL PART OF GOVERNMENT
FINES.
SERVICE CONSEQUENCES FOR
BREAKING RULES AND FEES HELP
GOVERNMENTS UNDER WRITE THEIR
OWN COSTS.
BUT FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE AND
PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR
FINES AND FEES CAN BECOME
PREDATORY.
THEY CAN PUSH PEOPLE INTO A
FINANCIAL HOLE THEY CANNOT CLIMB
OUT OF WE DECIDED TO START THE
FINANCIAL JUSTICE PROJECT WHEN
WE HEARD THE SAN FRANCISCO'S
WERE STRUGGLING TO PAY FINES AND
FEES.
MANY FINES AND FEES HAVE GROWN
IN SIZE IN RECENT YEARS AND
EXCEED PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO PAY
THEM.
WHEN PEOPLE CANNOT PAY THEM
CONSEQUENCES CAN SAID IN WE
HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO HAD THEIR
DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENDED
BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T PAY
TRAFFIC TICKETS?
AND THEN BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T
DRIVE THEY COULDN'T GET TO WORK
AND THEY LOST THEIR JOBS WE
HEARD ABOUT HOMELESS PEOPLE
GIVEN TWO HUNDRED DOLLAR TICKETS
WERE SLEEPING ON THE SIDEWALK.
WHICH GREW TO FIVE HUNDRED
DOLLARS WHEN LEFT ON PAY.
WE HEARD ABOUT SNOWBALLING --
WITH LATE FEES AND CREDIT SCORES
GOING DOWN THESE CONSEQUENCES
HAD DRAMATIC IMPACTS AND SOME
LIVES WERE RUINED.
WE KNOW THAT NOT THIS IS NOT
JUST A SAN FRANCISCO PROBLEM.
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT NEARLY
HALF OF AMERICANS CANNOT COME UP
WITH FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS TO PAY
FOR AN EMERGENCY EXPENSE.
AS TREASURER I KNOW WE CAN
BALANCE OUR BOOKS IN WAYS THAT
ARE NOT ON THE BACKS OF THE POOR.
AND THAT THESE REFORMS CAN WORK
BETTER FOR GOVERNMENT.
TO IN OUR FINANCIAL JUSTICE
PROJECT WE HAD TWO MAIN GOALS
FIRST WE LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO IDENTIFY FINE AND FEE
PAIN POINTS.
THEN WE IDENTIFY DOABLE
SOLUTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT AND THE
COURTS.
WE'VE ADVANCED ARRANGER REFORMS
SOMETIMES WE BASE A FINER A FEE
ON ABILITY TO PAY.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WHEN YOU
PROPORTION OF FINE ON SOMEONE'S
INCOME THEY PAY MORE EASILY.
REVENUE CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE IN
THAT CIRCUMSTANCE.
SOMETIMES WE OFFER A PATHWAY TO
ACCOUNT OF REQUIRE MONEY AND
SOMETIMES WE ELIMINATE FEES THAT
DON'T MAKE SENSE.
BOB AS WE ALL HEARD IN JUNE OF
TWENTY EIGHTEEN SAN FRANCISCO
BECAME THE FIRST COUNTY AND IN
THE NATION TO ELIMINATE ALL ARE
LOCALLY CONTROLLED
ADMINISTRATIVE FEES THAT WE
CHARGE TO PEOPLE EXITING JAIL
AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
SO AS YOU HEARD WE ELIMINATED
FEES LIKE THE FIFTY DOLLAR --
MONTHLY PROBATION FEE AND THE
THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS ANKLE
MONITOR FEE --
WE WERE PROUD TO WORK WITH OUR
PUBLIC FOUNDER --
JEFF ADACHI INTER DISTRICT
ATTORNEY TO PETITION THE COURT
AND AS I JUST MENTIONED WE WIPED
OUT THIRTY TWO MILLION DOLLARS
IN DEBT FROM THESE FEES.
THAT WERE --
STILL ON THE RECORDS OF TWENTY
ONE THOUSAND PEOPLE.
WE KNEW THIS WAS THAT WE WERE
NEVER GOING TO COLLECT IN FACT
THE LARGEST FEE THAT WE WERE
COLLECTING HAD A PAYMENT RATE OF
LESS THAN 10%.
ALL THE DETAILS OF WHAT WE
COLLECTIVELY DID AS A COUNTY ARE
INCLUDED IN THE REPORT --
WE DEVELOPED CALLED THE
FINANCIAL JUSTICE PROJECT TITLE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATIVE
FEES.
HIGH GAINS FOR PEOPLE LOW GAIN
FOR GOVERNMENT AND YOU ALL HAVE
A COPY OF IT.
WE CREATED THE REPORT TO BE A
RESOURCE FOR OTHERS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WHO WANTED TO TAKE
SIMILAR ACTION WE'VE BEEN
GETTING CALLS FROM COUNTIES.
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY --
WITH THE FINANCIAL JUSTICE
PROJECT WE WORKED WITH OUR
DEPARTMENTS TO RECOMMEND THE
FEES AND FINES THAT CAN BE ALSO
PLACED ON A SLIDING SCALE OF
INCOME OR ABILITY TO PAY.
OR ALLOW ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT
LIKE COMMUNITY SERVICE.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATIVE
FEES AS I THINK YOU'VE HEARD ARE
UNIQUELY DIFFERENT WE WORK
DILIGENTLY FIND THE MOST REVENUE
NEUTRAL ALTERNATIVES LIKE HAVING
THESE.
FEES ON A SLIDING INCOME SCALE
OR ABILITY TO PAY THE MORE WE
LOOKED AT ALTERNATIVES THE MORE
WE CAME TO ONE CONCLUSION.
THAT THESE FEES ARE HIGH PAYING
FOR PEOPLE BUT LOW GAME FOR
GOVERNMENT AND THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE FEES FOR CRIMINAL
JUSTICE FEES ELIMINATION IS THE
BEST SOLUTION. FOR THESE REASONS
THE FEES ARE ALMOST ALWAYS
ASSESSED ON VERY LOW INCOME
PEOPLE WHO CAN NOT A PAID FOR
THEM FOR THEM.
AS YOU FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF
PEOPLE ARE UNEMPLOYED HAVE
UNSTABLE HOUSING NO STEADY
SOURCE OF INCOME.
AND FIND WORK DIFFICULT OR
NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO OBTAIN.
AN EVALUATION OF THE PUBLIC
DEFENDER'S CLEAN SLATE PROGRAM.
FOUND THAT MORE THAN TWO THIRDS
OF THE CLEAN SLATE CLIENTS ARE
UNEMPLOYED AND THOSE WHO WERE
EMPLOYED.
HAD A MEDIAN INCOME OF TWO
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS A
YEAR.
SO FEW PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO PAY
THEM THAT IT DOESN'T PENALIZE
PENCIL OUT TO CONDUCT AN ABILITY
TO PAY DETERMINATION.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN OF
HAVING STAFF CONDUCTED ABILITY
TO PAY DETERMINATION ON DIDN'T
JUSTIFY THE REVENUE OUR
PROBATION CHIEF KAREN FLETCHER
SAID SHE WANT HER SHE DIDN'T
WANT.
HER PROBATION OFFERS DID NOT
WANT TO SERVICE COLLECTION
OFFICERS THEY WEREN'T TRAINED TO
BE THAT.
THE COLLECTION RATES ON THESE
FEES AVERAGE ABOUT 17% WHEN
YOU'RE LOOK AT ALL OF THEM --
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
AS I SAID THE COLLECTION RATE
FOR THE LARGEST FEE WAS LESS
THAN 10%.
AND FOR MORE THAN HALF THE FEES
THE MONEY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
PROJECTED TO COME IN WITH SO
MINIMAL THAT IT WASN'T EVEN
ACCOUNTED FOR IN OUR BUDGET.
COMPARE THIS TO OUR MUNICIPAL
TRANSPORTATION AGENCY PARKING
CITATION COLLECTION RATES WHICH
ARE ABOVE 90%.
OUR BUSINESS REGISTRATION
LICENSE FEES WHICH ARE 95%.
RESEARCH OF COLLECTION A SIMILAR
SOME JUVENILE JUSTICE
ADMINISTRATION FEES AND OTHER
COUNTIES.
SHOW THE COUNTIES OFTEN SPEND
MORE TO COLLECT THESE FEES THAN
THEY ACTUALLY BRING IN.
LET'S NOT FORGET THE FEES WE
ELIMINATED ARE ADMINISTRATIVE
FEES.
THEIR GOALS ARE SIMPLY TO RECOUP
COST THEY'RE NOT MEANT TO BE AN
ADDITIONAL LAYER OF PUNISHMENT.
THIRDLY THESE FEES ARE ALSO
DIFFERENT IN THAT RESEARCH SHOWS
THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY
CONTRIBUTE TO RECIDIVISM AND
CREATE BARRIERS TO ENTRY.
BECAUSE THESE FEES CAN BE
COLLECTED THROUGH WAGE
GARNISHMENT AND BANK ACCOUNT
LEVIES THEY CAN DRIVE PEOPLE
TOWARD UNDERGROUND ECONOMIES.
AND CHARGING PEOPLE WITH SUCH
LARGE BILLS CAN DRIVE PEOPLE TO
FIND SOLUTIONS TO COME UP WITH
LARGE AMOUNTS OF CASH.
RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE WHITE
HOUSE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC
ADVISERS.
THE BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE
AND OTHERS SHOWS THAT THESE FEES
CAN CREATE BARRIERS TO ENTRY.
AND ALL OF OUR SAN FRANCISCO
CRIMINAL JUST JUST.
LEADERS ALL SUPPORTED THESE
REFORMS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT
THESE REFORMS SUPPORT PEOPLE'S
REENTRY.
THAT'S GOING TO KEEP US SAFER AS
A CITY AND ALSO CAN BE MORE
EFFECTIVE IN THE LONG TERM.
AND FINALLY OUR MAYORS BUDGET
OFFICE ESTIMATE IT THE BENEFITS
OF ELIMINATING THESE FEES FAR
OUTWEIGHS THE COSTS.
WE ESTIMATED THAT ELIMINATION OF
THESE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
ADMINISTRATION FEES COSTS ARE
COUNTY ONE MILLION DOLLARS A
YEAR AND FOR GONE REVENUE.
WE KNOW THAT'S REAL COST BUT
ELIMINATING THESE FEES AND
OUTSTANDING DEBT LIFTED THIRTY
TIMES THAT THIRTY TWO MILLION
DOLLARS IN DEBT.
OFF OF TWENTY ONE THOUSAND
INDIVIDUALS THAT'S AN INVESTMENT
WITH A GREAT RETURN FOR OUR CITY.
WHENEVER I THINK ABOUT OUR WORK
REFORMING CRIMINAL JUSTICE HE'S
I THINK ABOUT MERRY VANDERGRIFT.
AFTER MERRY'S TIME IN JAIL SHE
GOT CLEAN FROM HER OBJECTION.
SHE FOUND A NEW JOB A REUNITED
WITH THEIR DAUGHTER.
EVERYTHING WAS GOING WELL.
AND THEN WE HAD --
IT WITH A BILL FOR EIGHTEEN
HUNDRED DOLLARS TO PAY UP FRONT
FOR THREE YEARS OF PROBATION
FEES.
THIS CERTAINLY DIDN'T HELP
MERRY'S REENTRY INTO THE
COMMUNITY AND GET HER BACK ON
HER FEET IN FACT JUST THE
OPPOSITE.
AND THESE FEES DIDN'T WORK FOR
GOVERNMENT EITHER BECAUSE AS I
MENTIONED WE DON'T EVER RECOUP
THE COST WE SPEND COLLECT THESE
FEES.
WE NEED TO FIND MORE JUST AND
SUSTAINABLE SOURCES OF REVENUE
TO PAY FOR OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM.
AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK WE'RE
STARTING TO DO IN CALIFORNIA AT
THIS LOCAL AND HOPEFULLY AT THE
STATE LEVEL.
GOVERNMENT WILL --
SHOULD BE AN EQUALIZER OF
OPPORTUNITY AND NOT A DRIVER OF
INEQUALITY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU MISTER CISNEROS SO I
ASSUME YOU'RE AN ELECTED
TREASURE I AM YES ONE OF THE FEW.
OR THE ONLY NO ACTUALLY ABOUT
HALF OF THE TREASURES OKAY.
I CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE.
ARE.
ANY OTHER QUICK QUESTIONS BEFORE
WE GO TO THE NEXT PANEL I WOULD.
AS MUCH AS YOU LOVE TO SEE
ELECTED TREASURES.
LANDERS I REALLY THINK THIS MORE
REFLECTS.
THE ATTITUDES IN THE COUNTY THAN
IT DOES WHETHER THEY'RE ELECTED
OR NOT GIVEN THAT WE HAVE.
TO ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE ARE
SAYING THE SAME THING SO I DON'T
THINK WE SHOULD HAVE MORE
ELECTED OFFICIALS JUST SAY.
GOOD YOU ALL MENTION OBVIOUSLY
THAT THE COST OF COLLECTING YOU
KNOW.
ISN'T YELLING THE RETURN CAN YOU
QUANTIFY THE RESOURCES SPENT ON
TRYING TO COLLECT.
SINCE THAT CAME UP.
FROM A FEW OF YOU COUNTY YOU
IT'S DONE THROUGH OUR CENTRAL
COLLECTIONS AND THEY ESTIMATED
IT WAS ABOUT THREE HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR FOR THE
ONE POINT FOUR FIVE NAY AND
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT.
INSTEAD OF JUST WHO
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WAS
BASICALLY A WASH BECAUSE THE
AMOUNT OF COSTS THAT YOU'RE
PUTTING INTO COLLECTIONS AND
EVERYTHING ELSE PRETTY MUCH
WIPED OUT.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS
WHY THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT
EVEN THERE THERE THERE WERE
GETTING I THINK TWO HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS IN REVENUE EACH
YEAR.
VOTED TO ELIMINATE.
RIGHT.
I MEAN YOU KNOW IT IT DID RECALL
REQUIRE BACK FILLING YOU KNOW
SOME COST BUT IT WASN'T IN
NEARLY IS IT AS MUCH AS YOU
MIGHT THINK.
OKAY. ONE MORE QUESTION.
THANK YOU I TREASURE CISNEROS
YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE
DOWNSTREAM COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
THIS RIGHT AND I'VE SEEN CLIENTS
FOR WHOM THIS IS THE CASE THEY
LOSE THEIR LEG DRIVER'S LICENSE
THEY LOSE THEIR JOB.
THEY BECOMING ELIGIBLE FOR
HOUSING BECAUSE OF THESE
WARRANTS ARE OUT FOR THEM --
AND SO I WISH AND THE RECIDIVISM
WHICH OBVIOUSLY COST AS MANY AS
WELL AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
I WISH WE COULD QUALIFY THAT
IT'S RIGHT THOSE DOWNSTREAM
COSTS THAT ARE DEFINITELY
COSTING SAN FRANCISCO MONEY WHEN
YOU SEE A RISE IN HOMELESSNESS
BECAUSE OF THIS AND THE LIKE.
ANY SENSE OF WHAT THE COST IS OF
THAT.
WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THAT --
WOULD BE HAPPY TO GET BUT YOU
KNOW.
THE EVIDENCE IS IS VERY OBVIOUS
AND WE JUST DIGGING TO FIND SOME
MORE THE DETAILS TO SUPPORT THE
ACTUAL NUMBERS.
THANK YOU [inaudible]
THANK YOU.
I WANT TO THAT.
AT THE NEXT BATTLE --
CONSIDERATIONS OF REFORMING THE
STRUCTURE OF FINES AND FEES US
DEFINITELY COMPOST.
THINK IS BOY.
AB A BRANDING GRAIN.
MERRY BORE.
AND SHELLEY KARAN.
HOPEFULLY I CAME CLOSE TO SOME
OF THESE NAMES.
YOU GOT MY NAME RIGHT RIGHT.
GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN JONES
SAWYER AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE MY NAME IS STEPHANIE
COMBOS BOY A AND I AM A
SUPERVISING ATTORNEY AND THE
POLICY ADVOCACY CLINIC AT UC
BERKELEY SCHOOL OF LAW.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE TESTIFYING
BEFORE YOU TODAY CONSIDERING THE
SIGNIFICANT ROLE THAT THIS
COMMITTEE HAS PLAYED IN
ADVANCING CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REFORM HERE IN CALIFORNIA AND
THE COUNTRY.
SINCE TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN OUR
CLINIC HAS BEEN RESEARCHING THE
ARRAY OF COSTS IMPOSE ON PEOPLE
IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH SENATOR
MITCHELL ON SB ONE NINETY EIGHT
WHICH REPEALED COUNTY AUTHORITY
TO CHARGE NEW JUVENILE FEES TO
FAMILIES OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN
CALIFORNIA STARTNG JANUARY ONE
OF TWENTY EIGHTEEN AND WE
PUBLISHED A RESEARCH REPORT ON
THE ISSUE WHICH FOUND THAT FEE
PRACTICES ACROSS THE STATE WERE.
HARMFUL UNLAWFUL AND COSTLY AND
REALLY UNDERMINE THE
REHABILITATIVE PURPOSE OF THE
JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
IN FACT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A
SINGLE COUNTY IN WHICH PRACTICES
WERE BOTH LAWFUL AND REVENUE
GENERATING WHICH IS WHY SEVERAL
COUNTIES ACTED AHEAD OF SB ONE
NINETY TO AND THE ASSESSMENT AND
COLLECTION OF THESE HARMFUL AND
REGRESSIVE FEES.
ANY YEAR INTO IMPLEMENTATION OF
SB ONE THAT ALL FIFTY EIGHT
COUNTIES HAVE STOPPED CHARGING
JUVENILE FEES WITHOUT REPORTING
ANY NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO PUBLIC
SAFETY.
OR PROVISION OF SERVICES TO
YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND ALTHOUGH NOT REQUIRED BY SB
ONE NINETY THIRTY SIX COUNTIES
HAVE VOLUNTARILY DECIDED TO STOP
COLLECTING ON OLD JUVENILE FEET
AT RELIEVING FAMILIES ACROSS THE
STATE OF OVER TWO HUNDRED AND
THIRTY SIX MILLION DOLLARS.
DISAPPOINTINGLY THOUGH THERE ARE
STILL TWENTY TWO COUNTIES THAT
ARE ACTIVELY COLLECTING ON
JUVENILE FEE ACCOUNTS. 82% OF
WHICH IS HELD IN THREE COUNTIES
RIVERSIDE ORANGE AND SAN DIEGO.
GIVEN WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN THE
JUVENILE SPACE WERE NOW
SUPPORTING RESEARCH EFFORTS ON
THE ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION IN
A CRIMINAL OR ADULT JUSTICE
SYSTEM.
AND WHILE WE'RE STILL CONTINUING
TO GATHER DATA AND SPEAK TO
STAKEHOLDERS WE'VE ALREADY
OBSERVE SIMILAR FINDINGS TO
THOSE IN THE JUVENILE SPACE.
THESE FEES ARE HIGH HARM TO
INDIVIDUALS AND COSTLY TO BOTH
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITIES.
AT EVERY POINT IN THE CRIMINAL
LEGAL PROCESS CALIFORNIA STATE
LAW AUTHORIZES COUNTIES TO
CHARGE FEES.
FROM BOOKING ARRESTS TO
REPRESENTATION BY FREE PUBLIC
DEFENDER AND PROBATION
SUPERVISION.
AN INDIVIDUAL CAN FACE A HOST OF
FEES INCLUDING FOR THE
COLLECTION OF THOSE FEES.
COUNTIES ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHICH
ADMINISTRATIVE FEES TO CHARGE SO
PRACTICES VARY WIDELY ACROSS THE
STATE. FOR EXAMPLE IN SAN DIEGO
COUNTY AND IT'S ALL ON PROBATION
FOR FIVE YEARS CAN BE CHARGED
ALMOST TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLARS
FOR PROBATION SUPERVISION.
AND INVESTIGATION REPORT BUT
JUST MY IMPERIAL THEY WOULD ONLY
BE CHARGE SEVENTEEN HUNDRED
DOLLARS. TO PROTECT INDIVIDUALS
AGAINST EXCESSIVE FEES STATE LAW
ALLOWS FOR BUT DOES NOT ALWAYS
MANDATE.
A COUNTIES TO CONSIDER AN
INDIVIDUAL'S INCOME BEFORE
CHARGING FEES BUT YET IN MANY
INSTANCES AND AS WE'VE HEARD.
MOST COUNTIES ARE NOT CONDUCTING
MEANINGFUL ABILITY TO PAY
DETERMINATIONS AND IN SOME CASES
NOT DOING ANY DETERMINATIONS AT
ALL.
AND SO PEOPLE ARE BEING FACED
WITH BILLS THAT THEY SIMPLY
CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY AND WILL
NEVER PAY.
AND ONCE IMPOSE FEES AREN'T JUST
BILLS THEY CAN BECOME CIVIL
JUDGMENTS SUBJECTING PEOPLE TO
TAX INTERCEPTS AND WAGE
GARNISHMENT.
AND THESE FEES
DISPROPORTIONATELY HARMED LOW
INCOME PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR.
DUE TO OVER POLICING AND TARGET
POLICING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE
PUNISHED MORE FREQUENTLY AND
HARSHLY AT A VARIETY OF
DISCRETION POINTS WHICH ONLY
LEADS TO HIGHER FEE BURDENS.
STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT CRIMINAL
JUSTICE THAT CORRELATES WITH A
GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF RACES
RECIDIVISM EVEN ONE CONTROLLING
FOR CASE DEMOGRAPHICS AND
CHARACTERISTICS DOES NOT ONLY
HARMS PUBLIC SAFETY.
BUT THESE NEGATIVE OUTCOMES ONLY
MAKE REENTRY FOR PEOPLE THAT
MUCH HARDER.
AND AS WE'VE HEARD THESE FEES
ARE REALLY JUST INTENDED TO HELP
LOCAL JURISDICTIONS RECOUP COSTS
AND IT COUNTIES OFTEN RECOVER
ONLY A SMALL PROPORTION OF WHAT
THEY A SASS. FOR EXAMPLE AS WE
HEARD IN SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY
LESS THAN 10% OF SOME
ADMINISTRATIVE FEES WERE
ACTUALLY COLLECTED.
AND SUCH LOW RETURN RATES ARE
NOT THE RESULT OF LACKS
COLLECTION EFFORTS BECAUSE BUT
BECAUSE MOST SYSTEM INVOLVED
PEOPLE ARE LOW INCOME AND CANNOT
AFFORD TO PAY THESE FEES. FOR
EXAMPLE IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY 84%
OF PEOPLE ON PROBATION HAD A
MONTHLY INCOME OF LESS THAN ONE
THOUSAND DOLLARS.
FURTHER COUNTY SPEND SIGNIFICANT
RESOURCES TRYING TO ASSESS AND
COLLECT FEES FOR EXAMPLE HERE IN
SACRAMENTO COUNTY IN FISCAL YEAR.
TWENTY SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN THEY
REPORTED SPENDING OVER FOUR
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
COLLECTING ONLY TO FEES THE
SUPERVISION AND DRUG TESTING
FEES.
BUT THESE THESE AREN'T JUST
COSTLY TO COUNTIES FEES CROWD
OUT SPENDING ON POSITIVE SOCIAL
GOODS SUCH AS HEALTHCARE AND
EDUCATION WHICH ONLY IMPOSES
HARM OVER TIME.
PROLONGS OR EXACERBATE POVERTY
AND GENERATES COSTA FAMILIES
COMMUNITIES AND SOCIETY.
IN THE ONLY STUDY OF ITS KIND AT
TWENTY SIX ANALYSIS FOUND THAT
ELIMINATING JUVENILE FEES AND
ONE COUNTY IN CALIFORNIA.
RESULT IN A NET FINANCIAL
BENEFIT TO SOCIETY A FIVE POINT
FIVE MILLION DOLLARS.
MOMENTUM IS BUILDING FOR FINES
AND FEES ARE FORM ESPECIALLY IN
CALIFORNIA AS WE COME OFF THE
HEELS OF SB ONE NINETY WHICH
MADE CALIFORNIA THE FIRST STATE
IN THE COUNTRY TO ELIMINATE FEES
IN THE JUVENILE SYSTEM.
AND WHILE MORE MORE COUNTIES ARE
DECIDING TO TAKE UP THIS ISSUE
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS IN WHICH
THE LEGISLATURE CAN HELP PLAY A
SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN ENDING THE
HARM CAUSED BY THESE FEES.
FIRST THE LEGISLATURE CAN STOP
THE CONTINUING HARM CAUSED TO
FAMILIES LIVING IN COUNTIES THAT
ARE STILL COLLECTING ON OLD
JUVENILE FEET AT LEGISLATION
THAT WOULD REQUIRE COUNTIES TO
AND COLLECTION AND DISCHARGE
OLDER.
OLD JUVENILE FEES WAS ORIGINALLY
A PART OF SB ONE NINETY AND
WOULD PROVIDE RELIEF TO FAMILIES
LIVING THE TWENTY TWO COUNTIES
THAT ARE STILL ACTIVELY PURSUING
JUVENILE FEE ACCOUNTS.
SECOND THE LEGISLATURE CAN LIMIT
THE ROLE THAT THE STATE PLAYS
PARTICULARLY THE FRANCHISE TAX
BOARD IN THE ONGOING COLLECTION
OF PREVIOUSLY SS JUVENILE FEES.
BY ENDING LOCAL AUTHORITY TO
CHARGE NEW JUVENILE FEES WITH
THE SIGNING OF SB ONE NINETY
CALIFORNIA MADE CLEAR THAT THESE
FEES ARE HARMFUL AN AGGRESSIVE.
AND YET STATE RESOURCES ARE
STILL BEING PUT TOWARDS
COLLECTION OF THESE FEES IN
THOSE TWENTY TWO COUNTIES.
THIRD OF THE LEGISLATURE CAN
ELIMINATE COUNTY AUTHORITY TO
CHARGE FEES TO ADULTS IN THE
JUSTICE SYSTEM JUST LIKE IT DID
WITH JUVENILE FEES AN SP.
ONE NINETY ENDING THE ASSESSMENT
OF THESE HE'S WILL ADVANCE
PUBLIC SAFETY OR MITIGATING THE
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES THAT SUCH
COST CURRENTLY IMPOSE ON
INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES.
FINALLY THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD
ACKNOWLEDGE THE FULL RANGE OF
COSTS THAT MAKE REENTRY FOR
FORMER SYSTEM INVOLVED
INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUALS NEARLY
IMPOSSIBLE.
WE'VE SEEN THE RELIEF THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE
HAD UNDER SB.
ONE NINETY BUT QUITE OFTEN FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE JUVENILE
SYSTEM.
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT
THEY'RE STILL FACING FINES AND
RESTITUTION SO FEES ARE REALLY
ONLY ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
CALIFORNIA HAS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THIS COUNTRY
ON FINES AND FEES.
THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION THE
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE
LEGISLATURES THE NATIONAL
COUNCIL OF JUVENILE AND FAMILY
COURT JUDGES AND THE US CIVIL
RIGHTS COMMISSION HAVE ALL
WAITED IN.
AND THEY ALL AGREED THAT WE MUST
ELIMINATE AND REDUCED FINES AND
FEES.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO LIVE UNDER
THE ILLUSION THAT MAKING FEES
AND FINES PROPORTIONATE TO THE
ALLEGED CRIME OR RIGHT SIZING
PAYMENT IS ANYTHING BUT
EXACERBATING PERPETUATE EXISTING
RACIAL INEQUITIES.
BY INTRODUCING MONEY INTO THE
JUSTICE SYSTEM WE'VE PERVERTED
OUR CONCEPTION OF WHAT IT MEANS
TO HELP BE HELD RESPONSIBLE.
AND AS A RESULT WE ONLY WHITE IN
THE REGION IMPACT OF OUR JUSTICE
SYSTEM TO INCLUDE MORE PEOPLE
AND MORE LONG LASTING COLLATERAL
CONSEQUENCES AND CONSEQUENCES
WHICH IS ONLY FURTHER THE
JUSTICE SYSTEMS RELEGATION OF
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES TO A
SECOND CLASS STATUS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I'D
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
OR MEET WITH ANY OF THE MEMBERS
AND THEIR STAFF.
THANK YOU MIX [inaudible]
THE MORNING.
MY NAME'S BRANDING GREEN I'M A
CLINICAL SUPERVISOR THESE BAKING
LAWCENTER WHERE I LEAD A
PRACTICE AROUND
DECRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY.
THESE MAKE ME LAWCENTER WAS A
FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE BACK ON
THE ROAD COALITION THAT HAS DONE
A LOT OF THE WORK AROUND TRAFFIC
WHICH I THINK IS INSTRUCTIVE --
OFTENTIMES THESE ISSUES OR
SPOKEN ABOUT AS FINANCIAL
JUSTICE ISSUES I'M GLAD FOR THE
INVITATION TO SPEAK ABOUT THESE
IS RACIAL JUSTICE ISSUE.
THE BACK IN A ROW COALITION
PUBLISHED TWO REPORTS NOT FIND
ARRESTED AND NOT TO FORGET SOME
PROBLEM WHICH WERE THE
HIGHLIGHTED HOW DRIVERS AYE
SUSPENSIONS FOR INSTANCE ARE
ACTUALLY ON THE MANIFESTATION OF
RACIALIZED POLICING SO YOU EIGHT
WE ARE ABLE TO MATCH SQUARELY.
RACE ETHNICITY AND POVERTY IN
SHOW WHERE THE HIGHEST INCIDENCE
DRIVERS I SUSPENSIONS --
OCCURRED --
BOTH IN CALIFORNIA AND IN OTHER
PARTS OF FOR INSTANCE BLACK
FOLKS DON'T DRIVE WORSE THAN
WHITE FOLKS AND ALMOST
EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY BY
FOLKS SUFFER FROM DR AYE
SUSPENSION THE DISPROPORTIONATE
RIGHT.
LOSS AND I WAS A PUBLIC DEFENDER
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY AND WHEN I
LEFT THERE TO START THIS PEOPLE
ASK WHY DID IT.
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T REALLY SEE A
DRIVER'S LICENSE BUSINESS
TRAFFIC ISSUES CRIMINAL JUSTICE
ISSUES BUT WE KNOW THE TRAFFIC --
ISSUES ARE ACTUALLY ON RAMPS TO
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM SO A
DRIVER'S LICENSE PENSION IS THE
MANIFESTATION OF A POLICE DOT
WHICH USUALLY RESULT IN OTHER
FORMS OF CRIMINALIZATION SO
DRIVERS AYE SUSPENSIONS FOR
INSTANCE CAN EITHER BE --
CHARGE IS A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE
IN A FRACTION RIGHT.
ON WE BOTH LET THAT WORK --
AIN'T RECENTLY OR LAST YEAR --
WHEN THE LEDGE WEIGHT WHEN THE
GOVERNOR --
PUSHED IN DRIVES AYE SUSPENSION
FOR FAILURE TO PAY FOR INSTANCE --
WE ARE ABLE TO PUSH ALAMEDA
COUNTY COURT TO PER CALL OVER
AND EIGHTY THREE THOUSAND
DRIVERS AYE SUSPENSIONS MAKING
ALAMEDA COUNTY THE FIRST COUNTY
TO DO SO --
ALSO IN NETWORK --
WE WERE ABLE --
TO ADVOCATE IN HAVE ABILITY TO
PAY BE SOMETHING EXISTS IN EVERY
SUPERIOR COURT IN CALIFORNIA --
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT WORK WHY
ABILITY PAY --
IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE OR EFFICIENT
SOLUTION SO CURRENTLY YOU GET A
TRAFFIC TICKET IN THEORY EVERY
COUNTY COURT IN CALIFORNIA SO
SEVEN ABILITY PAY PROCESS LOOKS
EXTREMELY DIFFERENT FROM COUNTY
TO COUNTY.
SO ALAMEDA COUNTY --
BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO ADVOCATE
ON THE GROUND WE OWE TO PUSH
ALAMEDA COUNTY --
TO HAVE A OF PAY ME PROCESS
WHERE IF YOU QUALIFIED YOU GOT A
50% REDUCTION FOR MOST PEOPLE TO
A 50% REDUCTION STILL NOT ENOUGH
FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY THE TO BE
TO MAKE PAYMENTS.
ON THAT ABILITY PAY PROCESS WAS
ACTUALLY BASED ON A 125% OF THE
FEDERAL POVERTY LINE WHICH IS
ROUGHLY TWELVE THOUSAND FIVE
HUNDRED DOLLARS PER YEAR --
FOR REFERENCE THE AVERAGE MEDIAN
INCOME ALAMEDA COUNTY IS ABOUT A
HUNDRED TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS AND
FOR BLACK FOLKS IN PARTICULAR
IT'S UNDER THIRTY THOUSAND
DOLLARS.
SO LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO
PUSH THE COURT TO ADOPT THE HOOD
STANDARD WHICH IS THE CLOSEST
THING -- TO
AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND COST --
UNFORTUNATELY THE COURT ON THE
ADOPTED THE EXTREMELY LOW INCOME
STANDARD BUT THAT WAS
APPROXIMATELY TEN THOUSAND
DOLLARS MORE THAN THE FEDERAL
POVERTY LINE SO THAT WOULD BRING
MORE PEOPLE.
INTO THIS ABILITY PAY PROCESS
WILL STILL IS AN INDICATION OF
JUST HOW BROKE IN IT IS --
IN OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTY CONTRA
COSTA COUNTY WE HAD CLIENTS WHO
CAME TO OUR CLINIC WHO WERE
APPROVED FOR THE ABILITY TO PAY
PROCESS AND FOR INSTANCE WERE
GIVING COMMUNITY SERVICE --
IN OUR OPINION COMMUNITY
SERVICES ACTUALLY INDENTURED
SERVITUDE BECAUSE WHILE THE
ASKING --
POOR FOLKS TO PERFORM COMMUNITY
SERVICE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO
CANNOT PAY BECAUSE THIS IS A
MANIFESTATION OF RACIALIZED
POLICING --
WE'RE MOSTLY TALKING ABOUT LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIS OF COLOR WHO
ARE BEING ASKED TO USE THEIR
LABOR TO PAY FOR THINGS --
THIS ONE PARTICULAR CLIENT WAS
GIVING EIGHTY HOURS OF COMMUNITY
SERVICE.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT THAT.
WEEKS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE
BECAUSE HE CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY
A TRAFFIC TICKET --
FOR ME THAT IS --
STRIKING PROOF THEY BOTH ABILITY
TO PAY BECAUSE IT LOOKS
DIFFERENT FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY
AND COMMUNITY SERVICE ARE NOT
ADEQUATE SOLUTIONS.
NUMBER IS MAKE ME LAWCENTER IS
PART OF THE BACK OF THE WORLD
COALITION WAS ALSO ON THE THE
LEADERS IN THE WORK AROUND
PARKING TICKET OR FORM --
PRIOR TO THE BILL TWO YEARS
PRIOR TO THAT WE ISSUE PUBLIC
RECORDS ACT REQUEST --
FOR THE EIGHT LARGEST CITIES IN
ALAMEDA COUNTY AND WE COULD SHOW
THAT FOR INSTANCE IN OAKLAND THE
PHASE OF TICKETS MATT SQUARE THE
OVER THE OUTSTANDING DEBT --
WE HAD CLIENTS WHO CAME MAIN WHO
COULD NOT PAY THEIR PARKING
TICKETS AND THEREFORE THEIR DMV
REGISTRATION WAS WITH HAIL WHICH
AGAIN BECAUSE THE WAY THAT --
POLICING HAPPENS MEANT THAT
THOSE FOLKS WERE ALSO --
AT RISK FOR GOING TO AN ON RAMP
TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
IF YOU DON'T HAVE REGISTRATION
YOUR VEHICLE BE PULLED OVER YOU
COULD END UP IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM OR HAVE YOUR VEHICLE TOLD.
MOST RECENTLY --
OR RATHER THE THE SUCCESS --
MOST RECENTLY WAS IN ALAMEDA
COUNTY BEFORE BUT THAT WORK WAS
ACTUALLY THREE YEARS IN THE
MAKING SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED
IT.
THESE BACON LAWCENTER I WAS
HANDED A BUNCH A CASE FILES FOR
WE'RE NO LONGER ON PROBATION BUT
STILL OLD OUTSTANDING DEBT AND
WERE EITHER CURRENTLY OR THREAT
OF BEING --
HAVING THEIR WAGES GARNISHED BY
THE FRANCHISE TAX BOARD HAVING
THEIR TAXES INTERCEPTED ACCEPT
OR I'M TO ARRANGE A PUBLIC
RECORDS ACT REQUEST WILL WE GET
A LOT OF DATA FROM ALAMEDA
COUNTY AND WERE ABLE TO SHOW
JUST HOW ABILITY PAY --
WAS BROKEN SO LUCKILY FOR
CLIENTS IN ALAMEDA COUNTY AND
THEY WERE ABLE TO EXIT PROBATION --
WHILE STILL ALLOWING THE SEAS
BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO PAY
THESE FEES SO THEIR LIVES WERE
NOT ABLE TO CHANGE.
MOST RECENTLY --
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS --
APPROVED ADD TO THE THE
ELIMINATION THESE FEES WILL
ELIMINATE A HUNDRED SEVENTY
EIGHT THOUSAND ACCOUNTS AND
FORTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN
DEBT.
THAT WAS AMAZING MAKING ALAMEDA
COUNTY THE SECOND COUNTY IN THE
COUNTRY TO DO THAT --
BUT JUST TO SHOW HOW THAT WAS --
NOT ENOUGH --
MOST RECENTLY WE HAD CLIENTS
COME IN WHO HAD THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS REMOVED BECAUSE OF THE
PUBLIC DEFENDER REPRESENTATION
FEE PROBATION FEE XTERRA BUT
STILL OLD THESE FEES FROM --
THAT CRIMINAL.
FINES FEES ONE PARTICULAR CLIENT --
OLD APPROXIMATELY FOUR THOUSAND
DOLLARS HE WAS ABOUT TO BE
GARNISHED FOR THE FRANCHISE TAX
BOARD -- HE
MAY TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS
A YEAR HIS RENT WAS ALSO TWO
THOUSAND DOLLARS PER MONTH --
WHICH MEANT THAT HE HAD NO MONEY
LEFT TO BE TO PAY FOR THESE
FUNDS IF FEES AND HE WAS HAVING
APPROXIMATELY 15% OF HIS CHECK
GARNISH EACH MUCH BUT ACTUALLY
WE MADE HIM.
LATE -- ON
HIS RIGHT BECAUSE YOU CAN PAY
THE TOTAL AMOUNT.
WE ARE NOW --
FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE DEBT
FREE JUSTICE CALIFORNIA --
COALITION WHICH IS A COALITION
WHICH IS COMPRISED OF LAWYERS --
BASE BUILDING A MOVEMENT --
ORGANIZATIONS POLICY FOLKS X.
CENTER -- IN
ALAMEDA COUNTY WORK YOU ALL
SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF OUR REPORT --
RIGHT WHICH REALLY GOES INTO
DETAIL ABOUT --
HAVE ALAMEDA COUNTY NGUYEN CAME
TO BE -- HOW
THERE WAS ONLY APPROXIMATELY 4%
OF -- FEES
BEING COLLECTED HOW FOR INSTANCE --
FOLKS WERE NOT GETTING AN
ABILITY TO PAY PROCESS EITHER AT
THE BEGINNING OR AT IN PRIOR TO
EXITING --
PROBATION --
AND AS I SAID EVEN THOUGH FORTY
FOUR MILLION DOLLARS HAS BEEN
FOR GIVING NOW --
THAT IS STILL NOT ENOUGH FOR
FOLKS ACTS OUT ALSO NOTED FOR
INSTANCE TO SHARES WORK
ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM IS A PROGRAM
THAT WE DON'T KNOW --
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE UNABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN BECAUSE IT WAS
ONE THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY UP
FRONT?
SO IF YOU COULD PAID UP FRONT
SINCE THE ALTERNATE
INCARCERATION YOU JUST WENT TO
JAIL -- SO
NOW WILL HAVE MORE NUMBERS
HOPEFULLY ON HOW MANY PEOPLE
ACTUALLY BEEN A BEING ABLE TO
BENEFIT FROM THAT --
SO I WON'T BE LABOR --
WITH OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES BRING
IT WAS ACCEPT RESPECTABLE OUT
BUT I THINK AGAIN THE TRAFFIC
SPACE THE PARKING SPACE --
ARE INSTRUCTIVE IN TERMS OF WHY
ABILITY PAY WILL NOT WORK --
IT'S BROKEN INEFFICIENT AND IT
ACTUALLY ENDS UP SERVING TO HARM
PEOPLE SO THE LAST THING I WOULD
SAY IS THAT IN ALAMEDA COUNTY WE
GET REPORTS FROM THE COUNTY
SUPERIOR COURT.
IN EVERY MONTH APPROXIMATELY 50%
OF PEOPLE OR MORE WHO WE PRESUME
WOULD ORDINARILY OR ARE
AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR BILLY
TO PAY ARE BEING DENIED --
ALAMEDA COUNTY.
THANK YOU THANK YOU.
NEXT.
GOOD MORNING MISTER CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE MY NAME
IS SHELLY CURRENT I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SERVICES OFFICE FOR THE JUDICIAL
COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA --
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING --
TO SHARE SOME PERSPECTIVES FROM
THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL ABOUT THE
SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN
CALIFORNIA RICK RICK --
RIGHT NOW RELATED TO CRIMINAL
FINES AND AS HAS BEEN NOTED BY
PREVIOUS SPEAKERS ESPECIALLY THE
LA ALL THE SYSTEM HAS EVOLVED
SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE COURSE OF
THE LAST TWENTY YEARS.
AND THE RESULT IS --
FINES AND FEES THE AMOUNT THAT
INDIVIDUALS AND UP PAYING --
IS MORE THAN IT WAS TWENTY YEARS
AGO AND THE REASON THAT THAT HAS
HAPPENED IS BECAUSE IT DECISIONS
HAVE BEEN MADE BY PRIOR
LEGISLATORS. TO FORM --
INPUT TO TO FUND IMPORTANT --
GOVERNMENT SERVICES THROUGH THE
IMPOSITION OF FINES AND FEES.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE
PURPOSES OF PUNISHER OF OF
SENTENCING ON MAY THINK ABOUT
PUNISHMENT OR DETERRENCE
REHABILITATION REPARATIONS?
AND SOME OF THE FINES AND FEES
ARE INCLUDED RIGHT NOW --
IN IN THE SYSTEM GO TO THAT TO
THE BASE FIND SOMETHING THEY
BECAUSE COULD BE CONSIDERED
PUNISHMENT OR RESTITUTION COULD
BE.
REPARATIONS BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT
AT THE IMPORTANT SERVICES LIKE
VICTIMS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN
INJURY.
OR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
CONSTRUCTION OF COURT HOUSES --
OFFSETTING OTHER FINES AND FEES
THOSE AREN'T DIRECTLY RELATED TO
THE THE BOMB PURPOSES OF
PUNISHMENT THAT ONE THINKS OF
INITIALLY WHEN THERE'S OR
SENTENCING WHEN THEY'RE THINKING
ABOUT --
PUNISHMENT AND SO THAT'S JUST AS
YOU ALL GOING TO THESE
CONVERSATIONS AND DELIBERATIONS
ABOUT THE BEST WAY OF
APPROACHING SOME OF THESE
IMPORTANT PUBLIC POLICY
DECISIONS.
I THINK IS MISS LEE POINTED OUT --
COURT FILINGS HAVE GONE DOWN
SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE COURSE OF
THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS --
THERE BEEN DIFFERENT POLICY
REASONS FOR THAT HAVING HAPPENED
AND I'LL I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE
IN A MINUTE --
BUT I THINK IT'S IT'S IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THAT --
BECAUSE OF THAT THE COLLECTION
OF FINES AND FEES HAS HAS ALSO
BEEN IMPACTED BY --
BY THE REDUCTION IN THESE COURT
FILINGS --
AND SO AS A RESULT FUNDING FOR
SOME OF THESE IMPORTANT
GOVERNMENT SERVICES THAT THAT WE
ALL RELY UPON --
HAVE ALSO GONE DOWN AND AND
THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT THAT
WE ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER
AS YOU'RE TACKLING THIS
IMPORTANT ISSUES.
SO SOME OF THE POLICY CHANGES
THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OR
THINGS LIKE PROPOSITION FORTY
SEVEN THAT WENT INTO EFFECT
SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND THAT
CHANGED A LOT OF FELONIES TO
MISDEMEANORS.
THAT HAD IMPLICATIONS ON ON
FELONY FILINGS AND AND EVEN MOST
RECENTLY MISDEMEANOR FILINGS AND
AGAIN THE IMPACT OF THAT ON
FINES AND FEES.
THE TRAFFIC MNESTY PROGRAM
WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS
ENACTED THE COUPLE OF YEARS AGO
BY THE LEGISLATURE ALSO REDUCE
THE SOME OF THE BRANDS --
ON LOW INCOME DEFENDANTS AND
OTHERS --
RELATED TO FINES AND FEES AND
THEN ALSO RE THAT ADDRESS
PENSION OF DRIVERS --
FORCE ALL OR TRAFFIC IN FRONT
ALSO IT'S FINES AND FEES --
WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT
ESTIMATES ON HOW MUCH THIS IS
GOING TO HAPPEN ALL OF THOSE
HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY RECENT AND
SO WE'LL GET WILL PAY ATTENTION
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT
COUPLE OF YEARS. TO SEE WHAT
IMPACT THOSE THOSE CHANGES IN
LAWS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
HOUSE ONE HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF
THINGS THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL HAS
DONE OF LATE TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THESE SOME OF THESE ISSUES. ONE
IS IN OCTOBER --
TWENTY SIXTEEN WE APPLIED FOR A
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE GRANT TO CONDUCT ABILITY
TO PAY DETERMINATIONS FOR
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE RECEIVED --
TO TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS AND OTHER
LOW LEVEL IN FACT INFRACTIONS
WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE I
HOPE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
WEEKS WE'RE GOING TO GO ONLINE
AND OUR FIRST TWO QUARTS.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS INDIVIDUALS
IN THOSE TWO COUNTIES IN THE FOR
OUR FIRST TWO COUNTIES ARE ARE
SHASTA AND TULARE INDIVIDUALS
CAN GO ON A AND USE AN ONLINE
TOOL?
IF THEIR RECIPIENTS OF PUBLIC
DEFENDANTS UP PUBLIC BENEFITS
EXCUSE ME THE AUTOMATICALLY
RECEIVE --
AT LEAST A 50% REDUCTION THAT
WILL BE THE RECOMMENDATION TO
THE TOOL THAT A THAT A JUDICIAL
OFFICER WILL CONSIDER AND THEN
IN IN OTHER COUNTIES THE AMOUNT --
THE AMOUNT WILL GO UP I ALSO
WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IN THE
LAST YEAR'S BUDGET --
THE LEGISLATURE INCLUDED AND
GOVERNOR INCLUDED ADDITIONAL
FUNDING --
TO EXPAND THAT PILOT TO THREE
MORE COUNTIES AND SO OUR HOPE IS
THAT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR WE
WILL BE UP AND RUNNING WITH THE
ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO JUST GO
ONLINE.
AND GET AN ABILITY TO PAY
DETERMINATION THOSE COUNTIES ARE
CHEST AND TULARE AS I MENTION
SAN FRANCISCO VENTURA SANTA
CLARA MONTEREY ELDORADO AND
FRESNO.
SO SIGNIFICANT REPRESENTATION OF
THE STATE --
AND THEN ALSO A COUPLE OF
COUNTIES THAT HAVE PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT POVERTY LEVELS AND
SO WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL BE FAR
REACHING.
TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES
THAT THAT MANY HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT
THIS MORNING --
ANOTHER ANOTHER BILL THAT I WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WAS ENACTED
LAST YEAR THAT'S GOING INTO
EFFECT --
WENT INTO AFFECTS HIS MADE TO BE
NAMED JANUARY'S INCREASING THE
AMOUNT THAT PEOPLE RECEIVE A
CREDIT FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND
SO ACROSS THE STATE WILL NOW BE
TWENTY TWO DOLLARS.
A MINUTE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS
WILL BE A BIT MORE CONSISTENCY
ACROSS THE STATE TO MAKE THAT A
MORE VIABLE OPTION --
FOR PEOPLE WHO WHO ARE IN A
POSITION TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE.
AS YOU MOVE FORWARD IN THESE
CONVERSATIONS I JUST HIGHLIGHT A
COUPLE OF THINGS --
THAT WE ARE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
AND THINK ABOUT IT AT THE
JUDICIAL COUNCIL --
ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE IMPAIR
APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY FOR
JUDICIAL OFFICERS YOU KNOW IF IF
THIS YOU KNOW A COUPLE PEOPLE
EARLIER MENTIONED --
COURT CONSTRUCTION FEES RIGHT WE
WANT TO WE WOULD LIKE TO AVOID A
SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT
THINK THAT.
A CERTAIN FINE OR FEE IS BEING
IMPOSED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE
OF A BENEFIT THAT THE TRIAL
COURT'S MIGHT SEE SO THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO
TO TO AVOID GOING --
GOING FORWARD --
ALLOCATION COLLECTION AND
DISTRIBUTION OF FINES AND FEES
IS IS EXCEPTIONALLY COMPLEX --
AGAIN A COUPLE PEOPLE HAVE
MENTIONED THAT BEFORE --
AND IT IT SAYS A DOCUMENT THAT
IS CALLED THE TRIAL COURT
REVENUE DISTRIBUTION GUIDELINES
IT'S ISSUED BY THIS STATE
COMPTROLLER EVERY YEAR --
THE IT'S OVER A HUNDRED PAGES IT
HAS THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY
FIVE CODE SECTIONS --
WITH HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT
VIOLATIONS SO IT IS
EXCEPTIONALLY COMPLEX WHEN YOU
BEGIN TO TO PEEL THE ONION TO
SEE WHAT IT IS THAT THESE FINES
AND FEES --
ARE ARE --
PROVIDING THE IMPORTANT
GOVERNMENT SERVICES THAT ARE
BEING PROVIDED --
THROUGH THESE FINES AND FEES.
ANOTHER CONCERN --
THAT'S BEEN RAISED AT THE AT THE
JUST FOR COUNCIL IS THE TOTAL
COST OF FINES AND FEES --
AS I NOTED BEFORE WE'VE TAKEN
SOME ACTIONS --
AT THE COUNCIL IN IN THE TRIAL
COURTS IN ORDER TO MITIGATE SOME
OF THE IMPACT OF THESE FINES AND
FEES PARTICULARLY ON LOW INCOME --
DEFENDANTS AND SO THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WE ARE
ALSO GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT --
THE EXPANSION OF NON MONETARY SO
PEOPLE ANOTHER VIABLE OPTION
THAT THEY CAN HAVE --
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT
THAT I WOULD I WOULD WANT A HOT
HIGHLIGHT IS JUST THIS LOOK THE
IMPORTANCE OF OF WHO IS AT THE
TABLE AS THESE DECISIONS ARE
BEING MADE RIGHT AS I AS I NOTED
AT THE BEGINNING AND AS OTHER
PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED --
IMPORTANT LOCAL STATE JUDICIAL
SYSTEMS ARE BEING FUNDED BY
THESE FINES AND FEES AND SO AS
YOU AS AS THESE CONVERSATIONS
ARE BEING HAD IN THESE DECISIONS
ARE BEING MADE.
HOPE THAT THAT MANY VOICES ARE
HEARD IN THAT ALONG ALONG WITH --
PEOPLE PROVIDING VOICES FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THESE
THESE HIGH FINES AND FEES --
FUNDING THAT IS DECREASED OR
ELIMINATED FOR ALL OF THESE
VITAL IMPORTANT A GOVERNMENT
SERVICES.
NEED TO BE BACK FILLED IN
ANOTHER WAY RIGHT SOUL IS SO
IT'S ONE THING TO SAY WE'RE
GONNA CUT THESE FINES AND FEES
AND IF THE FINES AND FEES ARE
CUT FOR IMPORTANT PUBLIC POLICY
REASONS THAT YOU ALL MIGHT MAKE.
WE STILL NEED TO KEEP THE COURTS
UP AND WE STILL NEED EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICES WE STILL NEED
THESE IMPORTANT THINGS --
THAT ARE HAPPENING IN
COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW THAT
CALIFORNIANS EXPECT FROM FROM
OUR GOVERNMENT.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I WOULD
HIGHLIGHT IS --
ON A CALL YOUR ATTENTION --
TO THE NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON
FINES FEES AND BAIL --
CALIFORNIA PURCHASE WITHIN THAT
ARE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR
MARTIN HOSHINO PARTICIPATED IN
THAT AND IT WAS A GROUP OF
NATIONAL CORD EXECUTIVE LOOK AT
SOME OF THESE ISSUES BECAUSE
CALIFORNIA IS NOT UNIQUE.
WHEN IT COMES --
TO IMPLICATIONS OF OF HIGH
CRIMINAL FINES AND FEES AND SO
DOES WHAT I CALL YOUR ATTENTION
TO THAT DOCUMENT TO THAT MIGHT
BE A RESOURCE THINKING.
GOOD MORNING THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC I
AM MERRY BLOWER I AM THE
ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE
OFFICER FOR NAPA COUNTY.
FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK MISTER ROBLESS FOR SHARING
HIS STORY.
HIS GUTS TO GET UP HERE AND
SPEAK TODAY BUT EVEN MORE
IMPORTANTLY HIS COURAGE OF
OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES THAT
HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF HIM FOR
HIS WHOLE LIFE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK BRIEFLY
ABOUT THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY
COUNTIES WHICH ARE IN SMALL PART
FUNDED BY THE FINES AND FEES
THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING HERE
TODAY.
THESE INCLUDE NOT ONLY COURT
ORDERED FINES AND PENALTIES BUT
CASA SUPERVISION CHARGE MY
PROBATION DEPARTMENTS AND FEES
FOR LEGAL SERVICES FOR THOSE
REPRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC
DEFENDER.
WHICH ARE BASED ON THE ABILITY
TO PAY AN ARE SET BY COUNTY
BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS. TO GIVE
YOU AN EXAMPLE NAPA COUNTY
PROBATION AVERAGES ABOUT ONE
HUNDRED FORTY THOUSAND PER YEAR.
IN REVENUE FROM COURT FINES AND
SUPERVISION PHASE WHICH IS 1% OF
OUR PROBATION BUDGET.
A PUBLIC DEFENDER HAS ABOUT TWO
HUNDRED THOUSAND PER YEAR OF
REVENUE OR 3% OF THEIR ANNUAL
BUDGET.
REVENUE SOURCE WHICH HAS
REMAINED STAGNANT WALL THE
EXPENSES CONTINUE TO GROW.
CAN NAPA COUNTY FOR EXAMPLE THE
PUBLIC DEFENDER AND CONFLICT
CANCEL SERVICES BUDGETS WHICH
COVERS FOUR LEVELS OF CONFLICT.
COSTS SIX POINT ONE MILLION
DOLLARS THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WITH THIS WE PROVIDE QUALITY
DEFENSE COUNSEL SERVICES FOR
ADULT AND JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS.
AS WELL CIVIL PROCEEDINGS SUCH
AS CHILD SUPPORT HEARINGS.
WE ALSO HAVE HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES CASE MANAGEMENT STAFF
EMBEDDED WITHIN THE PUBLIC
DEFENDER'S OFFICE. TO ENSURE
THAT THE CLIENTS GET START
GETTING THE APPROPRIATE
PROGRAMMING AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE
WITHIN THE PROCESS.
OUR PROBATION DEPARTMENT NOT
ONLY PROVIDES PRE SENTENCE
INVESTIGATION AND SUPERVISION OF
INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED TO
PROBATION.
THEY ALSO PROVIDE EVIDENCE BASED
PROGRAMS KNOWN TO ADDRESS
COMMITTED GENIC FACTORS WITH THE
GOAL OF REDUCING RECIDIVISM.
THIS INCLUDES FUNDING FOR IN AN
OUTPATIENT TREATMENT SERVICES
FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDERS.
AS WELL AS COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL
THERAPY MORAL RECOGNITION
THERAPY PARENTING SUPPORT
VOCATIONAL TRAINING GED
CERTIFICATION AND OTHER PROGRAMS
PROVEN TO SUPPORT THE CLIENTS
AND REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
DESPITE INCREASING POPULATIONS
AS A WHOLE COUNTIES IN
CALIFORNIA HAVE NOT INCREASED
CAPACITIES ARE LOCAL JAILS
SIGNIFICANTLY.
INSTEAD WE HAVE FOCUSED OUR
LIMITED RESOURCES ON PROVIDING
TREATMENT AND SERVICES THAT
SUPPORT REHABILITATION AND
REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
AS THE SAFETY NET PROVIDER WE
ARE MANDATED TO SUPPORT OUR MOST
VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AND WE KNOW
THAT FOCUSING ON COMPREHENSIVE
SERVICES FOR OFFENDER POPULATION.
ALLOWS THESE INDIVIDUALS TO
OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES AND
BECOME PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR
SOCIETY.
WE HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE
ABSENCE OF THESE COMPREHENSIVE
SERVICES.
LEADS TO INCREASES ON THE DEMAND
FOR OUR SAFETY NET SERVICES.
LAST WEEK NAPA COUNTY WAS JOINED
BY CONGRESSMAN MIKE THOMPSON
SENATOR BILL DODD AND ASSEMBLY
WOMAN CECILIA AGUIAR-CURRY TO
CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF OUR
NAPA COUNTY REENTRY FACILITY.
THIS IS THE FIRST FACILITY IN
THE STATE WHICH IS JOINTLY
OPERATED BY CORRECTIONS A
PROBATION DEPARTMENTS.
AND A TRULY INTEGRATED SYSTEM A
CARE IN IN.
ENVISIONED TO SMOOTH THE
TRANSITION FROM INCARCERATIONS
COMMUNITY WITH INDIVIDUAL GLIDES
CASE PLANS FOR EACH RESIDENT.
WELL STATE LEASE REVENUE BONDS
FUNDED THROUGH SET SB TEN TWENTY
TWO OR SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF
CONSTRUCTION FUNDING.
THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO FROM
THE OPERATE NO FUNDING PUBLIC
SAFETY REALIGNMENT FUNDS
APPROXIMATELY TWO AND A HALF
MILLION A YEAR.
IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF OUR
COMMITMENT TO REDUCING
RECIDIVISM AND PROVIDING QUALITY
SUPERVISION AND TREATMENT
SERVICES.
ANY CHANGES IN THE REVENUE
SOURCES TO THE COUNTY HAVE THE
POTENTIAL OF IMPACTING OUR
ABILITY TO PROVIDE THESE
SERVICES THAT LEAD TO STRONGER
AND HEALTHIER INDIVIDUALS AND
THEREFORE STRONGER COMMUNITIES.
THE SYSTEM OF COURT FEES AND
FINES AS WELL AS THE SUPERVISION
FEES COUNTIES CAN CHARGE FOR
BOTH ADULT PROBATION SERVICES.
ARE A SMALL PIECE OF A MUCH
LARGER PUZZLE AND AS SUCH ANY
CHANGES TO THIS FUNDING
STRUCTURE MUST BE CAREFULLY
CONSIDERED.
THE COURT FEES AND FINES ARE A
KEY COMPONENT OF THE TRIAL REAL
COURT TRIAL COURT REALIGNMENT
PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN NINETEEN
NINETY SEVEN WITH THE GOAL OF
CREATING AN EQUITY AMONG THE
VARIOUS COURTS IN THE FIFTY
EIGHT COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA.
THERE USED TO SUPPORT THE
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF
TRIAL COURTS BOTH DIRECTLY TO
THE COURTS AS WELL AS THROUGH
COUNTY MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT AND
COURT FACILITY FEE PAYMENTS.
IN ADDITION TO DIRECTLY
SUPPORTING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THESE FUNDS ALSO WERE
SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED FOR
TRAINING OF LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT DETENTION OF
PROBATION STAFF.
THROUGH PEACE OFFICER STANDARDS
AND TRAINING TRUST FUND AND THE
STANDARDS AND TRAINING FOR
CORRECTIONS TRUST FUNDS.
BOTH OF WHICH HAVE FAILED TO
MEET THE COUNTY COSTS FOR THESE
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR
SEVERAL YEARS.
THE COUNTIES CONTINUE TO
SUBSIDIZE THIS TRAINING.
ALL THESE FEES PLAY A VITAL ROLE
IN SUPPORTING OUR SYSTEM OF
JUSTICE THE COLLECTION OF THESE
FEES IS NOT AGGRESSIVE.
AS WE'VE HEARD RESTITUTION IS
THE FIRST PRIORITY.
THE PROBATION SUPERVISION FEE
CHARGED BY NAPA COUNTY IS TWO
HUNDRED AND FORTY DOLLARS PER
YEAR.
AND NOT ONLY DO THEY SUPPORT THE
STAFF TIME BUT THE DIRECT COSTS
SUCH AS CHEMICAL TESTING AN
ELECTRONIC MONITORING.
THE INTENT OF THESE FEES IS NOT
TO RECOVER THE COST OF THE
SERVICES.
BUT AS ONE TOOL IN HOLDING THE
OFFENDER FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
NON PAYMENT OF FEES ARE FIND IS
NOT GROUNDS FOR A VIOLATION OF
PROBATION.
NAPA COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO
PROVIDING QUALITY SERVICES TO
ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS INCLUDING
THOSE INVOLVED IN THE JUSTICE
SYSTEM.
AS PARTNERS WITH THE STATE IN
THIS JUSTICE SYSTEM COUNTIES
NEED TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN
ANY CHANGES THAT IMPACT THE
CONVOLUTED SYSTEM OF FEES AND
FINES.
AS IT WILL IMPACT THESE VERY
CRUCIAL PROGRAMS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MISSED CALL MARKET OF I JUST
WANTED TO SORT OF RESPOND TO A
SOME STATEMENTS THAT MS KARAN --
MENTION HE I THINK IT WOULD BE A
FALSE CHOICE TO SUGGEST THAT
CUTTING FINES AND FEES ALSO
WOULD EQUATE CLOSING COURT --
AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT EXACTLY
WHAT YOU SAID BUT THERE WAS AN
INFERENCE --
YOU KNOW I DON'T KNOW THAT THE
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY IN THE
MANAGERIAL EFFICIENCY OF COURTS
SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
DEFENDANTS.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT AS WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE --
YOU KNOW FINDING OTHER VIABLE
OPTIONS FOR FOLKS TO PAY --
FOR THE FACT THAT THEY'VE DONE
TIME FOR THEIR CRIME.
ALSO BECOMES KIND OF CONCERNING.
BECAUSE IN MANY INSTANCES WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE
POOR WHO MAY BE MENTALLY FRAGILE.
AND WHO ARE INDIGENT AND THEN
BACK COMMUNITY SERVICE BEGINS TO
CREEP SLOWLY.
OR GO QUICKLY TO INDENTURED
SERVITUDE --
TWENTY NINETEEN STYLE SO I THINK
WE ALSO HAVE TO BE VERY
CONSCIENTIOUS OF HOW ARE ALSO
TRYING TO PRESCRIBE.
COMMUNITY SERVICES WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
OKAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH
[inaudible]
FOR SUPPORT [inaudible]
JEFF -- OR
OVERDRAWN BANK AND YOU SEE THAT.
ARE.
FIRST I WANT TO THANK THE UC
REPRESENTATIVES FOR DOING A
GREAT WORK YOU DO ONE MORE
REASON WHY WE'RE SO LUCKY TO
HAVE YOU SEE HERE --
SECOND -- SO.
JUST LISTENING TO MISS BOWER'S
TESTIMONY IT SOUNDED AS IF THERE
MIGHT BE AN INTEREST IN NAPA
COUNTY AND JUST.
A LIMóN --
EIGHTEEN THESE VARIOUS FEES IS
THERE [inaudible]
I'M.
SO ARE COUNTY HAS NOT TAKEN THIS
UP AS A AS A POLICY ISSUE OVER
ALL BUT GENERALLY.
WE WE ARE COMMITTED TO QUALITY
PROGRAMS AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE
TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
IF WE CAN SIMPLIFY THIS FEE
STRUCTURE WITHOUT HURTING OUR
RESOURCES TO DO THAT WE'RE
CERTAINLY INTERESTED IN BEING
PARTIES IN THAT CONVERSATION
OKAY BUT THE THE TWO PREVIOUS
CANDIES ALAMEDA AND SAN
FRANCISCO JUST ELIMINATING THEM --
SO WOULD YOU REQUIRE THE STATE
TO REIMBURSE YOU OR HOW WHICH TO
HOW WOULD THAT WORK. FOR FOR THE
PROBATION IN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER
FEES WHICH ARE UNDER THE BOARD'S
CONTROL.
THOSE ARE NINE WOULD NOT BE SUCH
SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS THAT WOULD
BE A COUPLE OF POSITIONS IN OUR
COUNTY THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO
PICK UP FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
IN WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THAT
CONVERSATION WITH OUR BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS.
THE LARGER CONVERSATION OF THE
THE FEES AND FINES THAT HELP US
PAY OUR AMMO WE REQUIREMENTS TO
THE COURTS AND SOME OTHER COSTS
ARE MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT.
AND THAT'S HE PART OF
RESTRUCTURING WE WOULD BE MOST
INTERESTED IN I SEE SO THESE ARE
THE STATE.
MANDATED --
ARTS OF THE FINE IS THAT WHAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO TO THE THE FINES AND THE FEES
GO TO THE SOME COME TO THE
COUNTY REVENGE COST SHARE SOME
OF THAT BACK TO THE STATE SOME
ARE KEPT BY THE COUNTY BUT WE
HAVE A STATUTORY MOE REQUIREMENT.
THAT WAS PART OF TRIAL COURT
REALIGNMENT WE HAVE COURT
FACILITY FEE PAYMENTS THAT ARE
PART OF THE TRIAL COURT
REALIGNMENT STATUTES.
SO WE PAY A SIGNIFICANT PORTION
OF THAT REVENUE BACK TO THE
COURTS.
AND AND YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING
TO TAKE AWAY OUR REVENUE THAT
PAYS FOR THAT THEN ARE YOU ALSO
GOING TO TAKE AWAY THE EXPENSE
THAT GOES WITH THAT.
THAT'S A QUITE IT THAT'S
QUESTION THAT'S A REQUEST THAT I
ANTICIPATED --
SO DOES --
ON MISS CURRENT ON YOUR
TESTIMONY --
DOES THAT.
REFLECT THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OR
JUST -- THE
SECTION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SERVICES.
I I WORK FOR THE JUST COUNCIL SO
YES THE JUST THE JUDICIAL
COUNCIL.
IF WE WERE TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF
THESE.
FINES AND FEES THAT THE STATE
MANDATES WHAT WOULD THE COURTS
NEED TO REMAIN WHOLE.
I WOULD NEED TO GO BACK AND HAVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PEOPLE IN
OUR FISCAL SHOP --
TO TO COME UP WITH A A SPECIFIC
NUMBER OKAY BUT IT'S NOT ZERO
IT'S NOT ZERO KNOWN ON A
PROBABLY MANY MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS YES OKAY AS MANY
MILLIONS OF DON'T KNOW THE SAID
THIS.
BRINGS UP THE THE ISSUE THAT
THAT I'M MENTION WHEN I FIRST
GOT HERE --
SO I MEAN THIS IS DIFFICULT THIS
IS NOT EASY INVOLVES A BUDGET
REQUEST.
I'M CERTAINLY WILLING TO DO THAT
BUT I THINK WE HAVE.
TO IF WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD
ON THIS WE REALLY NEED TO DO A
BUDGET REQUEST.
THAT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT --
OTHERWISE THIS A PROBABLY JUST
DIE IN APPROPRIATIONS IN THE
ASSEMBLY OR SENATE --
UNLESS WE CAN.
SHOW THAT WE CAN REPLACE SOME OF
THESE NECESSARY FUNDS --
ARE WE GOING TO BE SEEING BILLS
COMING FORWARD YOU KNOW MISTER
CHAIR NO I HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T
HEARD OF ANYTHING IN THE PURPOSE
OF THIS HEARING.
IS GONNA GENERATE CONVERSATION --
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY THEIR OF
THEIR WE'RE AND TAKE THIS
INFORMATION AND THEN HOPEFULLY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY --
HERE.
FROM THE EXPERTS HERE AND THEN
THEY CAN MAKE UP TO MY WERE THAT
THEY WERE TO MOVE FORWARD --
HOPEFULLY --
TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO TESTIFIED
BEFORE THEY THEY MAKE A DECISION
ABOUT MOVING ON WITH THEY WITH
THE BILL NOT I'VE GIVEN EXAMPLE --
BEFORE WE ARRIVED HERE IF YOU IF
YOU REMEMBER MISTER QUIRK DURING
THE HARD TIMES IT DIFFICULT
BUDGET TIMES --
THE GOVERNOR MADE A DECISION TO
REALLY HAMPER THE CONSTRUCTION
FUND AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS WERE TAKING OUT OF
THAT.
AND I'M NOT SURE TO STAY FOR WAS
EVER.
REPLENISHED --
I'M GONNA ASSUME WE DIDN'T.
WE DID LIVE UP TO OUR PROMISE
THAT WE WOULD GET REACHED MAKE
YOU WHOLE AGAIN.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SUCH A
BIG CHASM IN IN BUNDY RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE THE DURING HARD ECONOMIC
TIMES DECISIONS WERE MADE THAT
WERE ADVERSE TO THE JUSTICES SO
I'M I'M VERY SENSITIVE. TO
MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER WE
COME UP WITH A WHATEVER COMES TO
OUR COMMITTEE THAT WE WE DON'T
HAMPER ANY PART OF THE PUBLIC
SAFETY APPARATUS.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
POINT AND IT SHOWS THAT WHILE I
WOULD SAY THAT.
CERTAINLY FIND TO TO HIGH WHAT
THE RIGHT LEVEL IS I'M NOT SURE
AND CERTAINLY --
THESE FEES --
WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT THEM.
AND BUT IT'S IT'S SOMETHING THAT.
IS GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF
TIME AND EFFORT WORK WITH THE
GOVERNOR IT CETERA --
I THINK IT'S WORTH WHILE FOR
THOSE OF US IN THIS COMMITTEE.
ARM TO THINK ABOUT --
WHAT WE SHOULD DO WHAT THE
BUDGET ASKED WITH DATE BE --
TO AND WHAT YOU --
IN RELATION TO HAVING THE
COUNTIES NOT UP HERE SCREAMING
BLOODY MURDER.
AND THE COURTS IT CETERA SO
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF WORK TO DO
AND I'M CERTAINLY WILLING TO
PARTICIPATE.
THANK YOU CAN JUST AS A NEW
MEMBER HERE YOU KNOW I WASN'T
PART OF THESE DEBATES YEARS
PRIOR -- BUT
I THINK TODAY HAS ILLUMINATED
FOR ME WHAT I THOUGHT GOING IN --
BUT IS GIVEN MORE CONTEXT TO THE
THE DISCRIMINATION AROUND THE
FINES AND FEES IN PARTICULAR
IMPACTING LOW INCOME.
COMMUNITIES IN COMMUNIIES OF
COLOR AND IT'S NOT MAKING OUR
STREETS SAFER AND IT'S NOT
ACTUALLY IT SEEMS GOOD FISCAL
POLICY --
FOR FOLKS ARE TRYING TO RECOUP
THESE FEES RIGHT SO I WANT TO BE
A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND WORKING
WITH ADVOCATES MOTHERS TO FIGURE
OUT HOW WE FIX THE PROBLEM BUT I
UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES BUT I
THINK.
IT FROM MY FINANCING COMPONENTS
TO FIGURE OUT THE SOLUTION TO
THIS.
AND I THINK WE CAN.
WITH ALL THE MINES COME TOGETHER
AND I I WOULD DEFINITELY --
IMPLORE --
SOME WITH THE EXPERTISE LIKE MR
LACKEY FROM THE CALIFORNIA
HIGHWAY PATROL ACTUALLY KNOWS --
PROBABLY GIVEN A TICKET OR TWO
IN HIS LIFETIME DIDN'T.
THAT KNOWS.
THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT AND AND
HOW.
IT IMPACTS INEFFICIENT WAY AND
SO WHAT BY AT I THINK THE GREAT
THING ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE.
IS WE HAVE A LOT OF MINES DEBT
THAT HAVE SOME EXPERTISE AND WE
CAN.
PROBABLY LOWER BEFORE WITH THEIR
WITH A WELL THOUGHT OUT ANSWER.
OKAY.
SO THANK YOU.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
PUBLIC COMMENT [inaudible]
OR NOT.
BUT THEM MIKE IS OPEN --
DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE
COME UP.
IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE NAME AND
ORGANIZATION [inaudible]
AS SOARING TO NAME AN
ORGANIZATION BECAUSE OF GET ON
UP JUST A CITIZEN --
WELCOME FOR NEW.
AND AND THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS
THAT IF YOU REALLY LOOK BACK AT
BOOK [inaudible]
AB. TWO THIRTY THREE OKAY
ENACTED IN.
NINETEEN NINETY SEVEN IT WAS THE
TRIAL COURT FUNDING ACT.
IT WAS REALLY ON CONSTITUTIONAL
CONSTITUTIONAL NOW.
BECAUSE IT ENACTED --
SIX EIGHT OKAY WE WILL YOU HAVE
TIME FOR THAT THE ISSUE IS THAT
WHEN YOU WOULDN'T.
THE TRIAL COURT FUNDING --
CREATED.
TO CALIFORNIA TRIAL COURT TRUST
FUND WHICH PAYS THE SALARY THE
VERY SALARY OF THE JUDGE AND THE
BENEFITS THAT HERE'S THE QUE.
QUE SO WILL KNOWLEDGE WILL LOOK
INTO THAT SIR.
WELL I MEAN THAT'S THE PROBLEM
YOU HAVE A WAS A REAL YOU
RESTING IS TO THAT APOLOGIZED
BUT WE WERE WERE LIMITED IN TIME.
SO PROVISIONAL COUNCIL THEN.
WHAT HAS YOU NATIVE BURNING CUT?
THANK YOU.
WE GET YOUR POINT.
NAME AN ORGANIZATION LET'S TRY
IT THIS TIME.
GOOD ARE I SHOULD SAY GOOD
AFTERNOON --
SEARCHER MEMBERS DANIEL SANCHEZ
WITH THE CHIEF PROBATION
OFFICERS OF CALIFORNIA I'M JUST
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON THIS
REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC WE
CERTAINLY HAVE SOME MORE
DISCUSSIONS WE'D LIKE TO HAVE ON
SOME OF THE IMPLICATIONS AND
I'LL STOP THERE BUT WE LOOK FOR
TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
AND DISCUSSION THANK YOU AND
YOUR INTRICATE PART IN THE
DISCUSSION AN INTEGRAL PART IN
THE SOLUTION I CAN GUARANTEE YOU
THAT.
GOOD MORNING MY NAME AS WELL OF
BIRDS I WORK FOR ALL OF US AND
ON OUR PROJECT LEGAL SERVICES.
AND RIGHT NOW MY OUT ON BAIL AND
I'M PAYING. FOR TWENTY EVERY TWO
WEEKS FOR JEEP UNTIL COUNTY NOT
CONVICTED OF A CRIME.
THEY DON'T HAVE A PRE TRIAL
DETAINEE PROGRAM SO I WAS MADE
TO PAY.
THIS MONEY --
I WAS IN THERE EIGHTEEN MONTHS
WHEN I GOT OUT OKAY THAT'S GOING
TO WORKING. FOR LEGAL SERVICES
IF I DON'T HAVE A JOB I WAS
STILL BE SIT DOWN THERE.
AND I HAD TO SLEEP IN MY CAR AND
GO EAT AT CHURCHES AND OTHER
COMMUNITY SERVICES. TO FIND
SOMETHING TO EAT AND I DON'T
THINK IT'S GONNA JUST FOR ME TO
BE ABLE TO PAY THIS TYPE OF
MONEY AND BAIL ON TOP OF IT OKAY
THANK YOU.
YEAH HI --
GOOD AFTERNOON I THINK.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT SINCE IS ONLY
YOU THREE OUT GIVE ME A MINUTE.
ALL RIGHT GO. TO MY NAME IS A
MISTER WAY.
WHEN YOU CAN CALL ME DAVID MY
FRIENDS THOUGH --
I AM MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY
COALITION.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE
IMPACT THAT THE CRIMINAL.
JUSTICE SYLLOGISM.
AND ABOUT THE FINES FEES HAVE
HAD.
ACCOUNT IS A MYSELF ON A KIND OF
A KIND LIST.
OTHERS.
I'M A NATIVE OF SOUTH LA.
AND THEY GREW UP IN THE THE ANTI
POVERTY.
I KNOW I KNOW PERSONALLY --
I GREW WITH THE LACK OF A
QUALITY EDUCATION --
LACK OF JOBS AN OVER POLICING
WHICH HELPED CREATE THE CRIME
ADDICTION THE VIOLENCE IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD SO MY COMMUNITY.
I'M I GREW UP SURROUNDED BY ALL
THOSE NEGATIVE THINGS.
AND IT WAS EASY FOR ME THROUGH --
MAKE CONTACT WITH THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AT A YOUNG AGE SEVERAL TIMES IN
MY LIFE --
THAT'S RIGHT IS THAT OTHERWISE I
WILL FORGET.
ABOUT TWENTY SIX GO FORTH SO ANY.
CONTENDING WITH THE NEED.
OF HAVING TO MAKE A CHOICE OF
EITHER --
PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY.
OR PAYING FOR THE FINANCING FEES --
AN EVEN AFTER FIFTY FIFTEEN
YEARS.
IN PRISON.
I'M STILL TRYING IN THERE ARE
STILL ALL THAT MONEY --
SHE'S MY LIVE. FOR THE BETTER I
BELIEVE.
AND I'M DOING THE WORK.
I THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO
TRANSFORM MY COMMUNITY IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD --
BUT AS TO HEALTH MAJOR DEBTS --
OVER MY HEAD.
IS THE TWENTY SECOND IDEA OKAY
THANK YOU GAVE ME A MINUTE.
OKAY OKAY --
WAS DONE.
DESERVES SO COULD YOU WRAP IT UP
AND IF YOU CAME A LONG WAY FROM
MEDICAL ASIAN AND LA YES YES YES
I KNOW YOU CAME A LONG WAY.
AMERICA YOU COME BY MY OFFICE
WERE CLOSE.
OKAY I LOVE MY COMMUNITY.
SODA WHY.
I'M GLAD YOU DO LEADS THE AND I
FIND THE WITHIN ME TO DO A GOOD
JOB.
BUT THOSE FINES AND FEES.
MAKE GIVE THEIR ARE HARDER TO TO
THRIVE -- I
SPEAK A WE HAVE A MYSELF AND
CARE.
AND COUNTLESS OTHERS --
THANK YOU THANK YOU --
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE MY NAME IS
GILBERT JOHNSON I'M AN ORGANIZER
WITH COMMUNITY COALITION I WANT
TO THANK MY COMRADE DAVID THIS
IS FIRST TIME SPEAKING --
IN A SETTING LIKE THIS --
BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO ECHO ON
HIS STORY AND THE STORY OF
ANTHONY --
BECAUSE ANY SYSTEM THAT IS
CAPITALIZING OFF THE MISERY OF
POOR PEOPLE --
NEEDS TO BE DIMINISHED ARM AND
COMPLETELY OVERHAULED SO
COMMUNITY COALITION IS STANDING
IN SOLIDARITY --
AN AGREEMENT WITH THE DEBT FREE
CALIFORNIA --
COALITION AROUND COMPLETELY
ELIMINATING EVERY FAMILY
REPEALING OF THESE FILES OF FEES
ARE MYSELF WAS IMPACTED BY THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AT THE
AGE OF FIFTEEN WAS PUT ON
PROBATION --
EXPELLED FROM A VERY --
AFFLUENT SCHOOL BECAUSE OF A THE
CONVERSATION AROUND MARIJUANA OF
AND I REALLY JUST SET ME ON A
TRAJECTORY.
OF DAY AND POVERTY AND FIGHTING
TO GET OUT OF THAT OVERCOME ON
LUCKILY I WAS RELEASED IN TWO
THOUSAND AND NINE INTRODUCED TO
COMMUNITY COALITION.
THEY GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY AND
A SECOND CHANCE TO PAY A LOT OF
THOSE FINES AND FEES BUT I WAS
REALLY AT A POINT OF GOING BACK
TO WHAT I KNEW HOW TO DO.
ON WHICH WAS ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY.
OR STEEL CONTINUE TO FLY RIGHT --
AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND SO
THAT'S THE TYPE OF THAT'S WHAT
THEY'RE THESE FILES ARE FEES ARE
IMPOSING ON OUR COMMUNITIES AND
SO I ALSO SPEAK FOR COUNTLESS
OTHERS IN LA.
ON THAT SUPPORTS THE REPEALING
OF THESE FILES AND FEES AND SO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THANK
YOU IN IT AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES
IN MY DISTRICT CONSERVE GREAT
ORGANIZATIONS THANK YOU FOR
COMING UP THANK YOU BOTH.
GOOD MORNING MARK --
GEORGE FOR THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC
DEFENDERS ASSOCIATION I JUST
WANTED TO BRING UP ONE COSTS%
THAT I DON'T THINK ANYONE
ADDRESSED.
THAT IN MY OVER THIRTY YEARS AS
A PUBLIC DEFENDER MANY TIMES I
SAW CLIENTS WHO WOULD ON TO
SPEAK UP FOR INCARCERATION TO
STAY IN JAIL RATHER THAN BE
SADDLED WITH.
ADDITIONAL FINES AND FEES SENATE
KNOW THE LEGISLATURE HAS
INCREASED THE RATE AT WHICH THEY
GET CREDITED FOR THOSE FINES AND
FEES BUT THIS IS A COST. TO THE
COUNTIES IT'S A COST TO SOCIETY
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF
THE DISCUSSION.
ON ABOUT HOW TO ABOLISH THESE
FINES AND FEES AND STILL FUND
OUR GOVERNMENT INCLUDING THE
PUBLIC DEFENDER'S.
THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENT GOODS TO KEEPING SOMEONE
OVER NIGHT FOR THREE NIGHTS
MIGHT BE.
COST PROHIBITIVE. TO TO THE
COUNTY SAN SO WE NEED THAT
AFFECTED AT AND SO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENT.
I AM WITH.
THAT THERE ANY NO MORE QUESTIONS.
THIS.
THIS HEARING STANDS ADJOURNED