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JACKIE LACEY: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SUPERVISOR. AND I MUST GIVE CREDIT TO THE TEAM. THE TEAM, I'VE NEVER WORKED WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE THIS COMMITTED, THIS TALENTED AND THIS KNOWLEDGEABLE. AND WE FREQUENTLY WILL START A MEETING WITH TALKING ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL CASE THAT WE FIND TROUBLING. AND AS OF AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT ENDING UP IN A JAIL MENTAL HEALTH WARD COULDN'T HAPPEN TO ANY OF OUR FAMILY OR OUR FRIENDS, THE FACTS PROVE OTHERWISE. THIS IS A NONPOLITICAL, NON PARTISAN WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO? WHAT ARE THE RIGHT CHANGES TO MAKE IN OUR SYSTEM GROUP AND IT'S VERY DIVERSE. TO SEE THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE L.A. COUNTY POLICE CHIEFS SITTING NEXT TO THE ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER AND DISCUSSING WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN DO BETTER TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I NOW HAVE ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND TO SEE ITEM 18 ON THE AGENDA, BECAUSE WHAT THAT MEANS CHIEF SMITH AND OTHERS WILL HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE. NO LONGER WILL THE MOST ATTRACTIVE ALTERNATIVE BE TAKING SOMEONE TO JAIL. THEY WILL HAVE OTHER URGENT CARE CENTERS WHERE THEY CAN TAKE SOMEONE WHO IS MENTALLY ILL AND LEAVE THEM THERE AND KNOW THAT THEY WILL FIND TREATMENT AND THEY WILL FIND HOUSING AND THEY WILL FIND SOLUTIONS. FOR BILL AND I TO BE TRAVELING TO PLACES LIKE MEMPHIS AND MIAMI DADE AND EVEN MY OWN BACKYARD AND SEE AND LEARN ABOUT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE MENTALLY ILL AND KNOW THAT, GEE, HERE WE HAVE A MODEL THAT'S ALREADY WORKING AND WE CAN EXPAND IT IS AN EYE OPENER. AND IT IS THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SEE WHO ARE UNJUSTLY CAUGHT UP IN A JAIL SYSTEM AND WHO ARE SICK. NOT BY ANY FAULT OF THEIR OWN. THAT PROVIDES A MOTIVATION FOR US TO KEEP GOING. SO I'M HONORED THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH RESPOND TO THE CALL WHEN WE ASK. AND THEY ARE. THEY'RE VERY COMMITTED. I THINK THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THE MEETING TO BE SET. AND WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY. BUT I DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE STEPS HAVE TO BE MODEST. IT IS NOT L.A. COUNTY IS A COUNTRY UNTO ITSELF. AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO REALLY FIX THIS ISSUE. BUT I DO BELIEVE WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY. THANK YOU.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE TEAM. APPRECIATE IT. BY THE WAY, JACKIE, I DID RECEIVE A LETTER FROM THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IN SUPPORT OF YOUR PROGRAM, AS WELL, TOO.
JACKIE LACEY: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS SIGNED UP ON THIS ITEM. YOU WILL GET A MINUTE. OKAY. EZRA GALE. JESSICA FARRIS, PATRICIA RUSSELL. AND REVEREND LARRY FOY WILL BE THE FIRST FOUR SPEAKERS. IN THE QUEUE, THERE IS SOME ROOM IN THE FRONT, REVEREND PETER LARMAN, MARSHA TEMPLE, JOSEPH MAIZLISH AND TANISHA DENARD WILL BE THE NEXT FOUR.
EZRA GALE: GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERVISORS, MY NAME IS EZRA GALE WITH THE ESSENTIAL CITY ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES. WE REPRESENT MORE THAN 450 BUSINESSES COLLECTIVELY EMPLOY 350,000 PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE LOS ANGELES AREA. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES IS HOME TO THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. A CRITICAL CONTRIBUTOR TO HOMELESSNESS IS INADEQUATE TREATMENT FOR THOSE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. WITHOUT PROPER TREATMENT, THESE INDIVIDUALS REGULARLY FIND THEMSELVES CAUGHT IN A VICIOUS CYCLE OF CRIME, ARRESTS, INCARCERATION, RELEASE AND HOMELESSNESS. C.C.A. AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY STRONGLY SUPPORTS DISTRICT ATTORNEY LACEY'S EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS CHARGED WITH NONVIOLENT, NON-SERIOUS AND NONSEXUAL OFFENSES. DIVERTING MOVES INDIVIDUALS AND PROVIDING THEM WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH. TREATMENTS CAN CUT RECIDIVISM BY AS OF AS 50 PERCENT. CURRENTLY THERE ARE MORE THAN 1,100 OF THESE INDIVIDUALS IN COUNTY FACILITIES. AND WE BELIEVE THAT SERVING THEM WITH MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT WILL HELP THEM AND HELP OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT?
JESS FARRIS: HELLO. MY NAME IS JESS FARRIS. POLICY AND ADVOCACY COUNSEL AT THE A.C.L.U. OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. WE URGE THE BOARD TO CONTINUE TO MAKE FUNDING DIVERSION FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS THE PRIORITY IT SHOULD BE AND TO AGGRESSIVELY APPLY TO THE BOARD OF STATE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS FOR GRANTS FROM THE PROP 47 SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS AND SCHOOLS FUND. ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 63 PERCENT OF VOTING ANGELINOS SUPPORTED PROP 47 AND IN DOING SO, THEY PROVED THAT THEY ARE TIRED OF THE OUTDATED AND OVERLY SIMPLISTIC VIEWS LEGISLATORS HOLD OF THEM. INCORRECT VIEWS ABOUT APPETITES FOR INCARCERATION FUELED BY FEAR AND A DESIRE TO PUNISH. ANGELINOS PROVE THAT THEY THINK THE PATH TO A BETTER, SAFER, HEALTHIER CALIFORNIA IS SHORTER SENTENCES, MORE PREVENTION, MORE SERVICES AND MORE TREATMENT. IN SHORT, ANGELINOS WANT A NEW AND BETTER APPROACH TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION IS JUST THAT. 65 PERCENT OF THE SAVINGS GENERATED BY PROP 47 WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT AND DIVERSION PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. SO WE URGE YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PROP 47 FUNDS AND GIVE D.A. LACEY'S COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH PLAN ITS BEST CHANCE FOR SUCCESS. THANK YOU.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: WE JUST HOPE THERE'S PROP 47 FUNDS. NOTHING HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED YET. NEXT.
REV. LARRY FOY: REVEREND LARRY W. FOY. I'M IN FAVOR OF S-1. AS A MEMBER IF THE CLERGY I SHARE THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES FROM NOT ONLY THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY BUT ALSO FROM THE JEWISH, BUDDHIST THE AND MUSLIM FAITH COMMUNITIES, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO NEGLECT THE MISTREATMENT AND MAL TREATMENT OF PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. WE NEED A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THESE PERSONS BESET BY MENTAL ILLNESS. THEY ARE THE LEAST OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND AS SUCH, THEY HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED, MISUNDERSTOOD, MISTREATED AND MAL TREATED. AND IN SHORT, THEY, TOO, ARE VICTIMS. L.A. COUNTY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THIS SORDID HISTORY AND ABUSE AND NEGLECT BY EMBRACING THE DIVERSIONARY PROGRAM THAT BRINGS TOGETHER MENTAL HEALTH, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND THE FAITH COMMUNITY TO RESTORE HUMAN DIGNITY TO THESE PERSONS WHO NEED IT MOST.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT?
REV. PETER LAARMAN: THANK YOU. I'M REVEREND PETER LAARMAN FROM THE JUSTICE NOT JAILS COALITION. I WANT TO PICK UP FOR A MOMENT ON MR. YAROSLAVSKY'S COMMENT ABOUT POLITICAL WILL. TO QUOTE THE PLAY BY THE DISTINGUISHED AUGUST WILSON, YOU HAVE TWO TRAINS RUNNING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT. AND THE LITTLE TRAIN THE HOPEFUL TRAIN IS THE ONE WE JUST HEARD ABOUT. FIRST STEPS TOWARDS DIVERSION. THE BIG TRAIN, UNFORTUNATELY, REMAINS THE COMMITMENT TO AN EXPENSIVE AND IN OUR VIEW UNNEEDED AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE VAST NEW JAIL FACILITY. THOSE TRAINS ARE IRRECONCILABLE AND AND IN THE NEW YEAR WHEN NEW MEMBERS ARE SEATED ON THIS BOARD YOU WILL HEAR FROM A LOT MORE OF US ON THE FACT THAT AT THIS POINT THE JAIL PLAN THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED HERE IS REALLY NULL AND VOID. IT'S SORT OF LIKE THAT PARROT IN THE MONTY PYTHON SKETCH. IT'S DEFUNCT, KAPUT, FINI. IT SHOULD BE ABANDONED AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS WITH A WHOLE DIFFERENT LENS WHERE WE DIVERT AGGRESSIVELY ACROSS-THE-BOARD. THANK YOU.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE.] NEXT?
PATRICIA RUSSELL: MY NAME IS PATRICIA RUSSELL AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING ON JACKIE LACEY'S TASKFORCE AND IT HAS BEEN AMAZING TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTIES COME TOGETHER AND BRAINSTORM AND FIND OUT NEW INFORMATION THAT THEY NEVER KNEW BEFORE AND HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO SHARE IT AND BREAK UP THE SILOS. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF NAMI. AND WE REPRESENT THE FAMILIES' POINT OF VIEW. AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL THAT THE FAMILIES' POINT OF VIEW IS BEING INTERJECTED DURING THESE PROCESSES. I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION ABOUT CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS. MY SON WAS IN THE DIVISION 50 PROGRAM. HE HAS CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS OF BIPOLAR, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND O.C.D. THE EXPECTATION IS THAT HE REMAIN TOTALLY CLEAN AND SOBER AT ANY TASK, AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT RIGHT OUT OF JAIL. AND HE WAS THEN KICKED OUT OF HIS HOUSING. HE HAS NOWHERE TO LIVE RIGHT NOW. SO I SUGGEST THEY DO A DIFFERENT KIND OF LIKE HARM REDUCTION RATHER THAN ALL OR NOTHING.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT?
JOSEPH MAIZLISH: MY NAME IS JOSEPH MAIZLISH, GOOD AFTERNOON. I PROVIDED COUNSELING PEOPLE WHO WITNESSED A MURDER AT THEIR WORKPLACE LISTENING TO THEIR DESCRIPTION ITS IMPACTS ON THEM AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY NEEDED TO ADVANCE THEIR RECOVERY. OF COURSE I APPRECIATE SUPERVISOR ANTONOVICH AND THE BOARD WORKING ON IMPROVEMENT OF VICTIMS' SERVICES. IF WE HAD MORE OF THAT, WE MAY ACTUALLY HAVE LESS PERPETRATORS, BECAUSE AS I'VE TOLD YOU ESPECIALLY, CHILDREN DEVELOP THESE COME FROM SOMEWHERE, PSYCHOLOGIST DON MIKENBAUM SAID "HOW DOES ONE GET FROM BEING BORN TO KILLING MELISSA," THAT'S THE PERSON WHO IS NOW NAMED, HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO AT ONCE? I DO FEAR THAT 119 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE CURRENT LOW FIGURE FOR THE BIG JAIL PROJECT PLUS THE OVERRUNS PLUS A COUPLE OF HUNDRED MILLION MORE PER YEAR TO THAT'S GOT TO BE INVESTED IN RUNNING IT ABOVE CURRENT RUNNING EXPENSES WILL DISABLE HOW FAR WE REALLY ARE ABLE TO GO WITH THE INNOVATIONS. WE DON'T KNOW THOSE LIMITS YET. AND YOU DON'T, EITHER. LET'S DEVELOP THEM.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT? I'D ASK PACARA CUTI, EVAN BUNCH, SHEILA PINKEL, AND SOPHIA KEONIS TO JOIN US, PLEASE.
MARSHA TEMPLE: GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM MARSHAL TEMPLE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE INTEGRATED RECOVERY NETWORK. I THANK DISTRICT ATTORNEY LACEY FOR HER REPORT. I WOULD POINT OUT, HOWEVER, THAT THE GOAL SHOULD NOT NEARLY BE TO PUT MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE SOME PLACE SAFE THAT ISN'T JAIL. THE GOAL SHOULD BE TO HELP THEM GET WELL. FOR THAT, THEY WILL NEED HOUSING, HEALTHCARE AND JOBS. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE INTEGRATED RECOVERY NETWORK HAS CREATED 157 JOBS FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES AND A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND. CRISIS STABILIZATION IS JUST THAT. IT WON'T GET PEOPLE WELL AND, THEREFORE, IT WON'T KEEP THEM OUT OF JAIL FOR LONG. THANK YOU.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: NEXT?
TANISHA DENARD: GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS TANISHA DENARD. I'M WITH THE YOUTH JUSTICE COALITION. WE'VE BEEN FUNDING JAILS AND PRISONS FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AND IT HAS NOT BEEN WORKING. SO FOR THOSE REASONS I WOULD URGE YOU GUYS TO LOOK INTO ITEM S-1. AND ALSO WE CANNOT REHABILITATE ANYBODY INSIDE OF A CELL, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISORDERS. A LOT OF TIMES THESE JAILS CAUSE THEM TO COME OUT WITH MENTAL DISORDERS JUST BASED ON BEING INSIDE. SOME PEOPLE GO INSIDE WITH NO PROBLEMS AND COME OUT WITH PROBLEMS JUST BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT THEY ARE IN. TO ARE THOSE REASONS AND THE REASONS STATED I WOULD URGE YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT ITEM S-1. THANK YOU.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT?
KRUTI PAREKH: HI, GOOD MORNING GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KRUTI PAREKH AND I'M AN ALL WITH THE YOUTH JUSTICE COALITION. I'M A SOCIAL WORKER AND A MOTHER. AND I WANTED TO REITERATE THAT PRISONS ARE IN INCUBATOR OF VIOLENCE. AN INCUBATOR OF VIOLENCE AND MENTAL DESTRUCTION. IT INFILTRATES A MIND, A BODY AND SLOWLY DETERIORATES THE SPIRIT. SO I REALLY APPLAUD WHAT JACKIE LACEY AND THE TEAM ARE DOING. I WANT TO REITERATE THAT ANY COUNTY PROJECT LED BY IMPORTANT LEADERS BECOME REAL WITH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP. SO I'D REALLY ENCOURAGE AS THINGS UNFOLD, PLEASE HIRE, HIRE, HIRE, CREATE MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY JOBS REALLY MAKING THIS REAL AND IMPLEMENTING IT IN A WAY THAT UPLIFTS COMMUNITIES AND SPIRITS. I ALSO DEDICATE THIS DAY TO EVA FORD AND JOHNNY MARTINEZ WHO WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SHOT AND KILLED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT HAD THEY HAD THE TRAINING. THANK YOU.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: NEXT?
EVAN BUNCH: MY NAME IS EVAN BUNCH AND I WORK WITH DIGNITY AND POWER NOW. I AM HERE BECAUSE I SUPPORT ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF JAILS. THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES WHICH WILL REDUCE THE JAIL POPULATION RIGHT NOW, STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES AND SAVE THE COUNTY OVER A BILLION DOLLARS AND THIS PLAN TAKES AN IMPORTANT STEP TO RECOGNIZE THIS. JAILS ARE NOT REHABILITATIVE FOR ANYONE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. THIS DIVERSION PLAN IS A FIRST STEP TO RECOGNIZING THIS. THIS DIVERSION PLAN SHOULD MAINTAIN A FOCUS ON PROVIDING SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AS VOLUNTARY, COMPREHENSIVE AND CONTINUED CARE IN ONE'S COMMUNITY AND A PROVEN DIVERSION AND TREATMENT PLAN FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. WE DID DO NOT SUPPORT THE BOARD USING THIS PLAN TO SUPPORT LOCKED MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES FOR THE USE OF LAURA'S LAW TO FORCE PEOPLE INTO TREATMENT. THESE ARE NOT A VIABLE DIVERSION STRATEGY. WE URGE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER AND SUBSTANTIALLY INVEST IN FURTHER DIVERSION STRATEGIES AND TO CONSIDER THE JAIL PLAN IN LIGHT OF DIVERSION AND STOP ALL EXPANSION PLANS.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. I'D ASK MARY SUTTON, KWAZI NKRUMAH, JADA RASPBERRY, AND JAS WADE TO JOIN US. GO AHEAD.
SHEILA PINKEL: GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MY NAME IS SHELIA PINKEKM I'M WITH CURB. I SUPPORT DISTRICT ATTORNEY JACKIE LACEY'S PROGRAM TO CREATE MENTAL HEALTH PROCESSING AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS. AND I ALSO SUPPORT HER IDEA OF EXPANDING THAT FOR WOMEN AND FOR VETS. THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT PRISON HARMS WOMEN MORE THAN MEN. THE MAJORITY OF INCARCERATED WOMEN ARE NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS WITH POOR EDUCATION, LITTLE EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE AND MULTIPLE HISTORIES OF ABUSE FROM CHILDHOOD THROUGH ADULTHOOD. IT IS THEIR CHILDREN WHO SUFFER FROM MOTHERS INCARCERATION AND BECOME THE NEXT GENERATION OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE. THERE ARE NEW PROGRAMS SUCH AS WOMEN IN RECOVERY THAT PROVIDES ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON FOR WOMEN WHO ARE SENTENCED FOR FELONY CRIMES LINKED TO ALCOHOL OR DRUG ADDICTION. THERE IS STILL TIME TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF MIRA LOMA JAIL AND ALLOCATE FUNDS TO COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS THAT WILL ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE LIVES OF WOMEN AND HAVE A GENERATIVE IMPACT ON THEIR FAMILIES.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT?
MARRY SUTTON: HI, MY NAME IS MARY SUTTON, I'M WITH THE NO MORE JAILS COALITION CURB AND CRITICAL RESISTANCE. LOS ANGELES COUNTY'S LOCKING UP ALMOST 3,000 PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. WE HAVE THE LARGEST JAIL POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY. WE ALSO HAVE THE LARGEST HOMELESS POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY. SO THE QUESTION IS THE MAJORITY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR. WHO ARE THE VICTIMS? THESE ARE VICTIMS OF LOS ANGELES POLICIES THAT HAVE EXTRACTED HUMAN CAPITAL AND HUMAN SERVICES FROM THE POOREST COMMUNITIES OF L.A. COUNTY. WE MUST REINVENT THAT CYCLE AND PUT A.B.-109 DOLLARS BACK INTO THE COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT MENTAL ILLNESS. PEOPLE ARE MENTALLY ILL BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR LEADERS IN L.A. COUNTY.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: YEAH, RIGHT. OKAY. NEXT?
KWAZI NKRUMAH: MY NAME IS KWAZI NKRUMAH, I'M THE COCHAIR OF THE MARTIN LUTHER KING COALITION OF GREATER LOS ANGELES. WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THE NO MORE JAILS COALITION AND CURB AND ALSO I JUST WANTED TO SAY IT'S KIND OF REFRESHING TO HEAR THIS KIND OF CONVERSATION IN A RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC BODY. IN THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES, OUR SOCIETY SEEMS TO BE MOVING HEADLONG IN A DESTRUCTIVE TREND OF THROWING AWAY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. WE ARE A SOCIETY THAT IS MOVING FURTHER AND FURTHER INTO A DICHOTOMY BETWEEN A VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE MORE MONEY THAN THEY CAN EVER PROPERLY USE AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FALLING FURTHER AND FURTHER AND FURTHER DOWN THE SCALE. AND THE ANSWER TO THESE DISPARITIES SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MORE REPRESSION THAN ANYTHING ELSE. AND WHAT WE NEED IS WE NEED SOME REAL HUMAN POLICIES TO TAKE CARE OF HUMAN BEINGS. SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. I HOPE YOU'LL ACT ON IT.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. JERILYN DEITRICK. ERIC PREVEN, STEVE ROGERS AND BRANDY BROWN WILL BE THE NEXT FOUR? GO AHEAD, MA'AM. GO AHEAD.
JADA RASPBERRY: MY NAME IS JADA RASPBERRY AND I WORK WITH DIGNITY AND POWER NOW. I SUPPORT FULLY FUNDED COMPREHENSIVE DIVERSION PLAN AND URGE THE PRIORITIZATION OF FUNDING NOT TO BE USED FOR LOCKED MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES OR THE ENFORCEMENT OF LAURA' LAW TO FORCE PEOPLE INTO TREATMENT. INSTEAD COMMIT TO PRIORITIZING THIS MONEY THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. I FURTHER MORE SUPPORT ITEM 18 TO APPROVE THE USE OF A STATE GRANT OF 40 MILLION FROM S.B.82 FOR EXPANSION OF MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES THAT WILL RESULT IN FOUR CRISIS STABILIZATION UNITS, 54 CRISIS STABILIZATION BEDS AND FOUR REDUCED CRISIS MOBILE VEHICLES. JAILS HARM OUR COMMUNITIES. EXPERTS STUDIES AND COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT LOCKING PEOPLE UP CAUSES MORE PROBLEM THAN IT THOUGHT. PEOPLE LOSE JOBS, HOMES, CHILDREN, MENTAL AND MEDICAL HEALTH ARE HARMED THROUGH NEGLECT AND VIOLENCE. FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY OF THE POOR AND PEOPLE OF COLOR MISS THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THOSE WHO WITH PROPER SUPPORT PROGRAMS COULD BUILD THEIR COMMUNITIES. INVESTING IN COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS NOT MORE JAILS AND FULLY FUND DIVERSION.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT?
JAS WADE: GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JAS WADE AND I WORK WITH DIGNITY EMPOWER NOW AND I AM HERE TO SUPPORT FULLY FUNDED DIVERSION PROGRAM. I URGE ALSO URGE THE PRIORITIZATION OF FUNDING NOT TO BE USED FOR LOCKED MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES OR THE ENFORCEMENT OF LAURA'S LAW AND INSTEAD COMMIT THIS FUNDING TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVED TO BE EFFECTIVE. I WANT TO ALSO URGE THE STOPPING OF CONSTRUCTION OF NEW JAILS INCLUDING THE PROPOSED $2.3 BILLION JAIL PLAN. THIS PLAN IS BASED ON FALSE PROJECTIONS AND CRIMINALIZED BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE AND WOMEN. JAILS ARE PROVEN TO TRAUMATIZE OUR LOVED ONES AND PRODUCE CHRONIC ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, P.T.S.D. AND BIPOLAR DIAGNOSES AND THESE PROPOSED FACILITIES WILL CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE THIS STATE INDUCED TRAUMA. THE L.A. SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST MENTAL HEALTH EMPLOYERS OF THE COUNTY AND SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES SHOULD NOT BE TREATING OUR LOVED ONES. AND THIS PROPOSED JAIL PLAN WILL MAKE INVISIBLE THE CURRENT CRISIS IN INCARCERATING BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AND FULLY SUPPORT DIVERSION.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT?
ERIC PREVEN: YES COUNTY RESIDENT FROM DISTRICT 3. AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN CONTEXT TODAY WHAT SUPERVISOR YAROSLAVSKY WAS DISCUSSING WHICH HAS TO DO WITH THE $2 BILLION JAIL PROPOSAL THAT IS EXCEEDINGLY HIGH AND OUTRAGEOUS. AND THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S LOVE FEST NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY MONITORED. WE ARE TRYING TO DIVERT MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS FROM THE JAIL SYSTEM AND THEREBY REDUCING THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE PROJECT THAT MR. KREIMANN, MR. FUJIOKA, A.E.C.O.M. AND MANY OF THE SUPERVISORS HAVE BEEN DILIGENTLY WORKING TO ERECT WHILE THE PUBLIC PROTESTS. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TAKE CARE OF OUR MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE. WE WANT TO PURSUE CRIME APPROPRIATELY BUT SUPERVISOR ANTONOVICH IS SCHEDULING THE VICTIMS' MEETING TODAY IS VERY, VERY PERPLEXING AND CONFUSING FOR THE PUBLIC BECAUSE TODAY WAS THE DAY WE WANTED TO HEAR CONCRETE STEPS ABOUT HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM. YOU GOT TO GIVE ME 10 SECONDS BACK THAT'S INTERRUPTING.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: I HAVE TO GIVE YOU ANYTHING.
ERIC PREVEN: I'M TRYING VERY HARD TO MAKE A COMMENT AND YOU'RE INTERRUPTING ME. HOW IS THAT APPROPRIATE? IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE, OKAY. NOW THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, HANG ON. [APPLAUSE.] NO APPLAUSE, FOLKS. NO APPLAUSE HERE IN THE BOARDROOM. IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK JACKIE LACEY FOR TAKING A SERIOUS LOOK AT THIS. BUT WE HAVE TO DO MORE. IT WAS OCTOBER 2011 THAT SOME OF THESE REPORTS CAME OUT. WE HAVE A CONSENT DECREE BEING NEGOTIATED. WE HAVE OUR FORMER LAWYER SITTING ON THE --
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT?
SUP. ANTONOVICH: PLACING THE VICTIMS OF CRIME AT THE BACK OF THE BUS IS VERY INSENSITIVE. AND I'M VERY APPALLED THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER VICTIMS OF CRIME HAVING NO PLACE AT THIS FORUM ON IMPORTANT ISSUES OF THE DAY. I'M REALLY APPALLED AT YOUR COMMENT ABOUT VICTIMS OF CRIME. PERHAPS HAD YOU BEEN A VICTIM OF A CRIME YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND THERE IS A NEED FOR ATTENTION. WHEN YOU CONSIDER 45,000 VICTIMS OF CRIME, ONLY 20,000 HAVE BEEN HAVING ANY TYPE OF ASSISTANCE, THAT NEEDS CORRECTION NOW.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT? YOU'RE NOT COMMENT. NOBODY ASKED FOR COMMENT. NEXT? NEXT? SIR, YOU'RE DONE. YOU DO IT ALL THE TIME. NEXT?
JERI DEITRICK: HI, MY NAME IS JERI DEITRICK AND I'M WITH L.A. NO MORE JAILS. I SUPPORT THE COMPREHENSIVE DIVERSION PLAN AND URGE THE PRIORITIZATION OF FUNDING NOT TO BE USED FOR LOCKED MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES OR ENFORCEMENT OF LAURA'S LAW BUT TO FORCE PEOPLE IN TREATMENT INSTEAD COMMIT TO PRIORITIZING THIS MONEY TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. THE EXTREME VIOLENCE IN THE L.A. JAILS SHOULD BE A REASON TO SHRINK THE JAILS NOT EXPAND THEM. EVEN OVERCROWDING CANNOT BE USED AS A REASON TO EXPAND JAILS. THE NEED IS NOT FOR MORE JAILS BUT FOR NEW ATTITUDES AND A PRIORITIZATION TOWARDS DECARCERATION EFFORTS TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF JAILS. THE A.B.109 MONEY FOR INSTANCE IS 70 PERCENT OF THE MONEY IS, SORRY. $90 MILLION OF THE FIRST YEAR WILL GO TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WHO HAVE NOT HAD ANY -- OKAY. THE STATE HAS 70 PERCENT RECIDIVZATION RATE I'M SORRY, I'M GETTING SCREWED UP TALKING.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. DAVON WILLIAMS. PASTOR CUE JNMARIE, DIANA ZUNIGA AND ARNOLD SACHS. GO AHEAD, SIR, OR MA'AM, WHOEVER'S NEXT?
STEVE ROGERS: MY NAME'S STEVE ROGERS, I'M AN ORGANIZER FOR DIGNITY AND POWER NOW. LOOK, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CAUSES MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, BUT WE KNOW THERE ARE PROBLEMS OUT THERE. WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM IT HERE IN LOS ANGELES. ANOTHER THING WE KNOW IS THAT IT'S BEEN HANDLED POORLY. WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE IN JAIL. A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE BEING NEGLECTED. A LOT OF TIMES THESE PEOPLE BEING ABUSED, MISMANAGED. WE APPRECIATE THAT JACKIE LACY IS SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I DO SUPPORT THAT. AND I DO SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THERE THAT NEEDS TO BE WORKED ON. I DON'T THINK THE ANSWER IS, YOU KNOW, MORE DEPUTIES, MORE JAIL, MORE BEDS TO PUT PEOPLE IN WHILE WE TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO HANDLE IT. I THINK A BETTER WAY IS TO WORK WITH THE STAFF THAT WE DO HAVE AND THE SPACE THAT WE DO HAVE AND TRY TO AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO HANDLE THESE PROBLEMS, HOW TO RETRAIN THESE PEOPLE BEFORE WE LOOK TO EXPAND AND ACTUALLY BRING IN MORE PEOPLE.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: GOOD, THANK YOU. NEXT?
BRANDY BROWN: MY NAME IS BRANDY BROWN AND I'M WITH THE YOUTH JUSTICE COALITION. I'M SUPPORTING JACKIE LACEY PLAN AND SEE THE NEED TO EXPAND COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER AS A KID. NOW I'M A MOTHER AND IT IS HARD OUT HERE ON THE STREETS TO RAISE MY DAUGHTER AND DON'T HAVE THE PROPER RESOURCES OUT HERE ON THE STREETS. SO JUST SOMEONE BEING IN JAIL, THEY WILL HAVE IT EVEN HARDER THAN ME. SO I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PLAN. I HOPE THAT LIKE TO SEE NO MORE JAIL EXPANSION BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER IS THE FUTURE. AND THAT PLAN WILL AFFECT MY DAUGHTER YEARS ON DOWN THE LINE. SO LIKE I JUST ASK THE YOU GUYS TO REALLY LOOK INTO WHAT'S GOING ON AND SEE WHO IS GOING TO AFFECT. IT IS GOING TO AFFECT OUR KIDS IN THE LONG RUN. I DON'T WANT TO SEE MY DAUGHTER IN JAIL. I WOULD RATHER SEE HER IN COLLEGE. SO, PLEASE.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU HAVE PETER ELIASBURG.
DEVON WILLIAMS: HELLO. MY NAME IS DEVON WILLIAMS. I'M A YOUTH ORGANIZER WITH THE YOUTH JUSTICE COALITION. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY JACKIE LACEIS'S DIVERSION PLAN. I AM PRIORITIZING THAT THE FUNDING OF THIS PLAN BE FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE A MORE POSITIVE AND EFFECTIVE CONNECTION AND COMMUNICATION WITH PEOPLE FROM LOCKUPS AND I SAY THAT AS A PERSON FROM LOCKUP MYSELF, SO I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE IN BETWEEN COMMUNICATION AND HOW YOU'RE TREATED WITH THE PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND IN LOCKUP. SO I DEMAND THAT A.B.109 MONEY IS INTO THE COMMUNITY AND NOT TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU.
SUP. KNABE, CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU. NEXT? NEXT?
PASTOR CUE: HELLO, I'M PASTOR Q. I PASTOR THE CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS ON SKID ROW. AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE S.C.L.C., SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, AND ALSO CLUE CLERGY UNITED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE. THERE IS A REVOLVING DOOR BETWEEN SKID ROW AND L.A. COUNTY JAILS AND PRISONS. SINCE THE MENTAL CLINICS WERE CLOSED, WE HAVE IGNORED THE MENTALLY ILL WHO LIVE ON THE STREETS OF SKID ROW, MANY OF WHICH ARE VETERANS. BY DOING THIS, WE HAVE CREATED A SITUATION IN WHICH OFFICERS DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CRIMINAL AND A MENTALLY ILL PERSON. THUS, WE MADE SKID ROW A CONTAINMENT ZONE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL. WE CAN TRAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, BUT CAN WE TEACH THEM COMPASSION? AND IF WE BUILD A $2 BILLION JAIL, I'M CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME WILL CONTINUE TO BE LOCKED UP. MY ANXIETY AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS SYNDROME HAS JUST HIT THE ROOF YOU TELL ME $2 BILLION WHERE WILL THEY GO FIND THE PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY?

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