COMMISSION ON RACIAL AND ETHNIC FAIRNESS
IN THE
CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM
DECEMBER MEETING MINUTES

The State Capitol
Governor's Board Room
Salt Lake City, Utah
Wednesday, December 12, 2001
11:30am - 1:30pm

 

MEMBERS PRESENT: CMSN STAFF:

Ed McConkie and Susan Burke (Meeting Co-Chairs) Sandra Kinoshita

John Adams Haruko Moriyasu Jah-Juin Ho, Intern

Christina Barrera John Nielsen

Daniel Becker Jerry Cook, 

MEMBERS EXCUSED:

Paul Boyden for Brad Slater Paul Boyden

Mike Chabries Anthony Smith Cmsnr Bob Flowers

Kal Farr Joan Smith Brent Johnson

Sid Groll Judge Bill Thorne Joe Tafua

Keith Hamilton Deidre Tyler

Vivian Patterson, for John Hill Rep. Lamont Tyler FACILITATORS

Dan Maldonado Carolina Webber Kathy Elton

Judge Tyrone Medley Michael Zimmerman Bev Klungervik

 

1. WELCOME, REVIEW OF MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING, & AGENDA REVIEW: (Ed McConkie)

Ed McConkie called the meeting to order and Camille Anthony (Director of CCJJ) welcomed everyone to the Capitol. The minutes from Meeting #3 were approved without amendment. Lunch was served and the agenda reviewed.

2. PRESENTATION ON THE JUVENILE JUSTICE BOARD/CCJJ IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS:

Please see the first portion of the PowerPoint presentation handout. In addition, there were pamphlets ("Do the Write Thing") and newsletters ("For the Record") distributed at the meeting and mailed to those not present.

Noted from the PowerPoint presentation:

much of CCJJ's charge is the administering of grant monies, see newsletter for funded projects/programs

The Utah Crime Reduction Plan was borne from a two-day summit attended by sheriffs, chiefs, and law enforcement leaders

Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC) issues are of high importance to CCJJ. To date in Utah, it has been studied, existence confirmed, and now programs are in place to counteract and correct disparities. It is a priority area for grant funding

Workforce Response (p. 4): EEO Plan requirements-applicable grant requesting agencies must submit community demographics and workforce demographics along with an EEO plan to address disparity and how they will affect change in this area. No one is monitoring if there is actually implementation of the EEO plan

Administration Responses (p.6): the pre/post tests help to measure behavioral changes and impact of funded programs; all data is in one database through the Research Consortium; time intensive at approximately 1 hour per survey

Data Response (p. 7): UBJJ's Risk and Protective Factor survey started in July 2001

3. PRESENTATION ON THE SENTENCING COMMISSION'S IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS:

Please see the second portion of the PowerPoint presentation handout. Noted from this document:

There is membership overlap amongst the various commissions

The Research Consortium conducts the research and there are delays with the nation's universities tightening of Institutional Review Board processes; delay progress

On the Utah Sentencing Commission, the governor has appointed Steve Kelley from the federal courts to be the designated seat to "exhibit sensitivity to the concerns of ethnic composition of the population"

Adult Sentencing & Release Guidelines are available at: www.sentencing.state.ut.us

USC Research Plan (p.11): the blind study is just starting now. When the random sample case files are doctored to ensure confidentiality (eg. Removal of names, race, etc), coded language will also be removed

the researchers welcome input, suggestions, etc. Please contact Ed or Susan.

Discussions surrounded:

  • Rep. Duane Bourdeaux's efforts with the racial profiling bill and lack of data. Discussion further branched to whether Rep. Bourdeaux should be working with the Commission in these efforts

  • contact people for the Research Consortium are Russ Van Vleet and Mike Haddon

  • voluntary submission of racial data on driver's licenses, as recommended by the Task Force: a DMV worker guesstimates approximately 50% fill out their racial/ethnic identity; confusing application where the information is centered near the voter registration section and may be easy for people to overlook; only SLC and St. George Police Departments are voluntarily providing racial data

  • concerns were raised about the Research Consortium and the researchers used to conduct the studies (eg. Do researchers of color collect data, perform interviews, etc). Support of research and researchers was voiced by Commission members. Ed McConkie also suggested that the names of the researchers employed be available to those interested.

    4. MISSION STATEMENT DISCUSSION (Kathy Elton & Bev Klungervik)

    Kathy Elton reviewed the handouts: the draft mission statement developed by Haruko Moriyasu, Susan Burke, and Dan Becker, the brainstorm results from the Orientation, and the prioritization of the brainstorm results from the Second Commission Meeting. We broke into small groups of four people to discuss:

    What to keep

    Amonitor results"

    keep in present state

    exerting our influence to force change in system

    collective and individual responsibility

    Aequality and justice for all people..."

    Aengaging all people"

    What to change

    jump from aspirations to action-separate philosophy from actions to be taken

    make it achievable

    Apromote research" instead of "sponsor research"

    What to add

    more legislative involvement; add words to promote legislative involvement

    more community involvement

    Areport and disseminate information", distribution of results

    Aeducate the public of the nature and purpose of its member agencies" within the last sentence

    General Comments

    a. Key players in the Criminal Justice System have to be committed to the implementation of Task Force Recommendations

    b. accountability = public accountability

    c. Lack of political power to give the Commission teeth (eg. Sanctions for not implementing)

    Kathy identified four themes

    a. Collaboration among agencies; sharing

    b. Communication between agencies and with public

    c. Identifying and sharing best practices

    d. Overseeing implementation

    Format of Mission Statement

    Philosophical statement followed with a list of actions

    Next steps:

    a. Subcommittee #2 (Haruko Moriyasu, Carolina Webber, Joan Smith) will edit the current draft to reflect today's discussion

    b. The second draft will be emailed to Cmsn members for review and comment prior to the January Commission meeting

    5. ADJOURNMENT: (Ed McConkie)

    There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 1:00 p.m.

    Special thank you to Susan Burke, Ed McConkie, and Camille Anthony for their hospitality and informative presentations.

    NEXT MEETING - WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2002:

    at the Law and Justice Center from 11:30am - 1:00pm. Both the Utah State Bar and the Utah Chiefs of Police Association will present their implementation efforts to date and future plans. Lunch will be provided, compliments of the Utah State Bar.