HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1973/05/22 Item 12
AGENDA ITEM N0. [ 12 )
CHULA VISTA CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF:
TTF.M TTTLF.:
INITIATED BY:
RAC'Kf;RnTTNTI
May 22, 1973
Resolution - Approving Application for
Juvenile Counseling, Education and
Investigation (C.E.I.) Unit Grant
Grant Number 1227 - Second Year
Chief of Police~(,~
Commencing September 1, 1973 we will be starting the second year
of our Juvenile Counseling, Education and Investigation Unit.
(Youth Diversion Program). During the first year of this program
the following has taken place:
Two uniformed police Agents have been assigned to the twenty (20)
elementary schools and they will devote their time in presenting
positive programs in safety, citizenship and drug abuse and serve
as consultants to the school staff. Eight (8) plainclothes Agents
have been assigned as the representative of each Jr. & Sr. High
School and are responsible for the investigation of all delinquent
or potentially delinquent incidents occurring in his assigned area.
The Agents will provide preliminary counseling of pre-delinquents
and early delinquents to identify individual problems and will make
referrals to the Youth Counselor or appropriate governmental or
community agencies.
The Counselor has identified twelve (12) community resource agencies
for use by the bureau; a program will be established with the SATORI
project. The Counselor has placed two juveniles in the project; and
the YMCA is currently considering programs that will be complementary
to the bureau. Most juveniles who are referred to the Youth Counselor
are having both attitude and family problems. Three students from
Southwestern Jr. College are currently assisting the Youth Counselor
by acting as "Big Brothers" to many of the youth.
(Continued)
ATTACHED: Resolution [X] Ordinance [ ] Agreement [ ]
See EXHIBITS [X] No
Financial Statement:
Commission-Board Recommendation:
Department Head Recommendation: Recommends Approval
City Manager Recommendation: Concur with Department Head
Plat [ ]
1
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Page 2 of Background
AGENDA ITEM N0. 12
The results of the project to date have been encouraging. For
the first time in ten years, the Department has experienced a
decline in juvenile arrests - juvenile arrests are down 14~ in
1972 as compared with 1971; referrals to the Probation Department
are down 25g and the juvenile recidivism rate is down by 30,
while referrals to other agencies are up by 90~. In comparing
the first four months of 1973 with the same period in 1972, we
have experienced a 25g decrease in arrests, 23~ decrease in
referrals to the Probation Department, a 20 decrease in
recidivism, and an increase of 93o in referrals to other agencies.
The initial feedback from juveniles and their parents indicates
that the counseling has been well received. Additionally, some
of the. referral agencies have been sending some of their
juvenile contacts to the Department for counseling.
During the first six months of the project, the Youth Counselor
has been increasingly overloaded with counseling activities.
This workload has been brought about throug~i the increasing
activity of the agents, referrals to the Counselor from
community agencies, and an increasing number of "walk-ins.°' TYie
use of students from Southwestern Jr. College has partially
relieved the situation.
Each member of this Juvenile Unit received 40 hours of special
training from the California Youth Authority in i•~odern Juvenile
Processing Techniques.
In this second year of the program tine total Grant Request is
$89,792. The City will receive $45,000. from the Grant.
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