DATE:
February 28, 2023
06
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORIZE A-87 EXCEPTION TO COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT FOR CONTRACT WITH PARTNERS FOR JUSTICE (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
Over five million people cycle through U.S. jails each year - 2 million are confined to prison, and another 4.5 million live within the parole or probation system. Black and Brown people, their families, and communities are disproportionately impacted by this system. The enmeshed penalties-the non-judicial penalties arising from arrests, charges, time spent in jail, and convictions-can be catastrophic. One's housing, employment, parental rights, and educational options, as well as one's ability to borrow student loans, obtain a professional license, vote, or access public benefits/supports, can all be adversely affected by an arrest, not just a conviction.
While current justice reform efforts focus, understandably, on police and prisons, not
enough attention is paid to the value that public defense could provide to address the underlying
causes of crime and increase public safety. Public defenders are the resource most proximate
and available to people most harmed by the criminal legal system. Nearly 80% of people facing
criminal charges depend on public defenders to navigate the legal process and prevent the
worst outcomes of criminal legal system contact1.
On June 23, 2020 (27) the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) created the Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ). One of the roles the Board saw for this newly established office was to collaborate with County departments that administer restorative justice programs to report mutual activities, align best practices, identify barriers and gaps to ensure robust restorative practices throughout our region, and work alongside other jurisdictions in the region that have similar entities to ensure cohesion and avoid duplication of efforts.
Through its collaborative work with community partners, the O...
Click here for full text