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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-01-11 - AGENDA REPORTS - FEDERAL LEGISIATION CRIME BILL (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approy.4& Item to be presei ed by: George Caravalho NEW BUSINESS DATE January 11, 1994 SUBJECT Federal Legislation: Senate Bill 1607 - Crime Bill DEPARTMENT Management Services BACKGROUND In December 1993, President Clinton publicly acknowledged what many U. S. residents firmly believe, when he said 'The crime rate has hit every American community, from our oldest cities, to our smallest towns, to our newest suburbs." This year, 25,000 individuals in the United States will lose their lives to willful homicide. Nearly 4,000 of those people die in California each year. More than 80 percent of reported crimes are committed by males between the ages of 13 and 22. The peak age for property crime is 16, and for violent crime arrests, it is 18. At the beginning of the 1980s, in California there were 22,500 prisoners; 11 years later there were over 100,000. During this same time period in California, homicides increased 43 percent, and gang -related killings increased 400 percent. We, as Americans now imprison more of our people than any other country, both as a gross number of prisoners and as a percentage of our citizenry. The prison population in this country is rising at 7.4 percent a year. The United States criminal justice system sends more than 1,500 people each day Into prison. To keep up with that population growth means building new prisons at a rate of $100 million a week in construction costs alone. Taxpayers pay well over $20,000 a year to keep a prisoner behind bars. That is more than what it costs to send a student to Harvard University for a year. The average offender in prison is male, drug or alcohol dependent, functionally illiterate, with virtually no job history and low self-esteem. He will most likely leave prison still drug dependent and unemployable after years of idleness. In fiscal year 1990/91, state funds spent on kindergarten through twelfth grade Increased 220 percent over the previous 11 years. During that same time period, funds spent on the State Department of Corrections, prisons and parole, and trial courts increased 515 percent. Also during this same time period, funding for libraries, parks, recreation and community services departments, as well as funds for prevention -oriented, non-profit organizations has dwindled dramatically. Adopted: A'I _9, ALTERNATIVES Cities and local school districts should consider extended day education that would greatly reduce the number of children going home to an unsupervised environment. Additional after school programs could be offered; job training, group counseling, athletics and other cultural programming could take advantage of existing facilities and the location of the students. Alternative programs that have proved effective include those that demonstrated an investment in our youth. In 1973, faced with an incarceration rate of 57 per 100,000, Minnesota coupled alternatives to Incarceration with sentencing reform. Now, Minnesota has an Incarceration rate of 73 per 100,000 residents, the second lowest in the nation. Minnesota's efforts have enabled it to maintain its incarceration rate, while incarceration rates for other states have risen dramatically. The Detroit Youth Restitution Program cites that 80 percent of teens entering the program instead of entering jail continue to participate In center activities even after they have met their community service responsibilities. LEGISLATION Senate Bill 1607, authored by Senator Eiden of Delaware, contains the major provisions of crime legislation anticipated to be enacted by the Congress in early 1994. The bill, which has passed the Senate, will be reconciled with the House version by a two house conference committee in early February. Senate Bill 1607 contains over $22.2 billion dollars in appropriations, projected to come from savings In federal employment under a reduction bill previously approved by the Senate. The Biden crime bill emphasizes both punishment of violent criminals and prevention activities which reach out to those who are at risk of becoming an Integral part of the nation's criminal justice system. S.1607 recognizes the positive results gained from prevention programs. Key expenditure provisions of S.1607 are outlined in Attachment A. Programs such as boot camps for young, non-violent offenders which emphasize job training and drug treatment and "Drug Court;' which provides for drug treatment, counseling and job training, are major components of the legislation. Two other prevention areas identified in the bill are gang and drug abuse prevention activities and local school programs focusing on youth -at -risk for gang recruitment. Unfortunately, these last two program areas represent less than one percent of the bill's total appropriation. While the Congress should be commended for its commitment to enacting a comprehensive crime bill, it is reasonable to request the Conference Committee adjust appropriation levels to fund Anti - Gang Enforcement and Prevention activities and Safe School programs at a higher level. The suggested level for each program area is $500,000,000. As previously mentioned above, this bill will be in a conference committee which may result in reduced funding for the bill. We should encourage our legislators to allocate at least 25% of the total appropriation to youth prevention programs along the lines outlined in Senate Bill 1607. The final element which Is critical in any new program expenditure is a method by which success can be measured. The Congress should develop standards by which a baseline can be established and program results measured. This will enable current and future resources to be placed into those programs which clearly have the most significant Impact In addressing our national crime problem. Based upon available Information, it Is believed that successful prevention programs will translate into substantial savings in post crime activities such as prisons, court and probation systems. RECOMMENDATION The City Council adopt Resolution 94-7 In support of Senate Bill 1607, and transmit a certified copy of the resolution to Santa Clarita's Congressional delegation, the Conference Committee slated to consider the crime legislation and Senator Biden. Consider sending copies of agenda report and resolution to each Los Angeles County city. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Outline of Senate Bill 7607 Appropriations Resolution 94-7 CounciVagnd94071spw ATTACHMENT A KEY FUNDING PROVISIONS OF SENATE BILL 1607 - VIOLENT CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 1993 $ 8,900,000,000 Five year Community Policing Program putting 100,000 officers on the street. Up to $1.2 billion may be used for innovative prevention programs. $ 350,000,000 Police Officer Educational Scholarships. $ 3,000,000,000 Construction and operation of boot camps as an alternative to prison for young, non-violent offenders. $ 3,000,000,000 Construction of low or medium security state and local incarceration facilities for non-violent and less serious offenders. 3,000,000,000 Construction and operation of regional prison facilities for federal and state prisoners. $ 500,000,000 Construction and operation of secure facilities to incarcerate violent juveniles. $ 1,800,000,000 Violence Against Women Act including $300 million for battered women's shelters, $200 million for rape education in secondary schools and community education programs. $ 1,200,000,000 Drug Court programs or an alternative to prison providing drug treatment, job training and counseling for non-violent drug offenders. $ 100,000,000 * Gang and drug abuse prevention activities including academic, athletic and cultural after school activities. $ 20,000,000 Federal prosecutors for gang crimes. $ 250,000,000 Rural Anti -Crime efforts.. $ 100,000,000 * Local school and community grants for youth at risk for gang recruitment and in -school programs focusing on prevention of crime, violence and substance abuse. $ 22,222,000,000 Total Identified Allocation $ 22,268,000,000 Total Allocation - S.1607 Consider increasing to $500,000,000 for each program category and make adjustments in other non -prevention categories. RESOLUTION NO. 94-7 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA SUPPORTING SENATE BILL 1607, THE CRIME BILL, AND REQUESTING A MINOR AMENDMENT TO TWO PROGRAM FUNDING CATEGORIES WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1607, The Violent Crime and Law Enforcement Act of 1993, appropriates $22.268 billion for crime and prevention related activities; and WHEREAS, more than 80 percent of reported crimes are committed by males between the ages of 13 and 22. The peak age for property crime is 16, and, for violent crime it is 18 and WHEREAS, the prison population in this country is rising at 7.4 percent a year while 25,000 United States' residents will lose. their lives to willful homicide this year -- 4,000 in California alone; and WHEREAS, in 1980 California had 22,500 prisoners; 11 years later there were over 100,000. During this same time period in California, homicides increased 43 percent and gang -related killings increased 400 percent; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita believes that while maintaining a firm and direct law enforcement posture, we should emphasize a proactive approach and invest resources in measurable preventative programs that would be effective in fostering of positive direction for at -risk youths as well as at -risk families; and WHEREAS, S.1607 recognizes the positive impact of anti -gang, drug prevention and other diversion activities designed to keep our nation's youth out of the criminal justice system; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Santa Clarita City Council that the general concepts in Senate Bill 1607 be supported and commend the Congress of the United States for providing the necessary leadership in dealing affirmatively with crime and violence in our society; and be it further, RESOLVED, that the Conference Committee reconciling the 1993 crime legislation be requested to increase appropriation levels to $500,000,000 each for Anti -gang Enforcement and Prevention activities and Safe Schools programs, and allocate at least 25% of the total crime bill appropriation to youth prevention programs; and be it further, RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be transmitted to Senator Feinstein, Senator Boxer, Senator Biden, Representative McKeon and members of the Conference Committee reconciling the 1993 crime legislation. RESOLUTION 94-7 January 11, 1994 - Page 2 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS DAY OF , 1994 Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) § CITY OF SANTA CLARITA I, Donna Grindey; City Clerk, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the above and foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita at a regular meeting thereof, held on the day of 1994 by the following vote of Council: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: City Clerk MPM/r s94-7.mtc.