From: Kim McGill <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Urgent Action Needed to Impact LA County Probation Department
On Tuesday morning, the LA County Board of Supervisors will make a final decision on the appointment of a new Probation Department Chief. Three candidates are being considered. One of those candidates is the Acting Chief, Paul Higa. PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TODAY TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS URGING THEM TO APPOINT PAUL HIGA AS THE NEW CHIEF OF PROBATION IN LA COUNTY! We need everyone from LA, and funders, advocates and juvenile injustice activists fro other regions and states to make tihs happen! AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS E-MAIL, YOU WILL FIND THE LETTER THAT THE YJC SENT ALONG WITH THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR EACH OF THE SUPERVISORS. PLEASE FAX YOUR LETTERS IN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THEM BEFORE TUESDAY. YOU CAN ALSO SEND E-MAIL COPIES BY ACCESSING EACH SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE ON-LINE, BUT FAXES WILL BE GIVEN MORE ATTENTION. WHY THE YJC IS SUPPORTING PAUL HIGA: Since December, the YJC has been meeting with Paul Higa in our work to push for changes inside juvenile halls, camps and communities. Prior to that, we were meeting with the Probation Department under Chief Shumsky. Since Higa's been in the position as Chief, we have accomplished more in three meetings than we did in two years under different leadership. For example, Higa has agreed to support our recommendation to close camp beds and use camp space as local alternatives to CYA, to increase youth and family involvement in the work of the Ombudsman's office that has oversight of misconduct and conditions, to meet with the YJC on reducing disproportionate confinement and to address LA's overuse of detention -- he even agreed that we could invite the Annie Casey Foundation and Heyward Burns Institute into LA to help make this happen --, to consider people as volunteers who were rejected because of their records, to have his staff participate in a planning process on alternatives to detention/incarceration in LA, including offering to pay the cost of travel for Probation staff to see other programs, to serve on a countywide task force we are pushing for to address LA's massive incarceration rates. These are just a few of his commitments. HE HAS A PROGRESSIVE VISION. HE TREATS US WITH RESPECT. AND HE BELIEVES THAT YJC MEMBERS AND OTHER YOUTH HAVE A VOICE WORTH HEARING AND A FUTURE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. Higa's also been at Probation for a long time, so he knows LA's system, knows how to negotiate LA's politics and is respected by the current Probation staff. The two other candidates are coming from outside LA. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! THIS COULD MAKE SO MUCH DIFFERENCE FOR YJC MEMBERS AND FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER YOUTH IN LA COUNTY who are in juvenile halls, Probation camps, Probation schools, placements or on Probation in the community; AS WELL AS FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ADULTS WHO ARE ON PROBATION!!!!!!! CONTACT INFO FOR THE SUPERVISORS: FIRST DISTRICT Gloria Molina 856 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration 500 West Temple Street LA, CA 90012 (213) 974-4111 fax: (213) 613-1739 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SECOND DISTRICT Yvonne Burke 866 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration 500 West Temple Street LA, CA 90012 (213) 974-2222 fax: (213) 680-3283 THIRD DISTRICT Zev Yaroslavsky 821 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration 500 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 974-3333 fax: (213) 625-7360 FOURTH DISTRICT Don Knabe 822 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration 500 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 213-974-4444 fax: 213-626-6941 FIFTH DISTRICT Michael Antonovich 869 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration 500 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 213-974-5555 fax: 213-974-1010 YJC LETTER: Honorable ____________ Address Zip Dear Supervisor _________________; On behalf of the youth membership of the Youth Justice Coalition and our allied organizations, we are writing to recommend that you appoint Paul Higa to the position of Chief of Probation. There are several reasons why we are requesting your action on this matter: (1) We have worked very closely with the LA County Department of Probation over the past three years. During that time, we have been impressed with the improvements that Probation has made to the care, rehabilitation and progress of young people including increased access to mental health services; improved education, conflict mediation, recreation and youth development activities; and improved relations between Probation staff, youth and parents. According to what we have personally seen, reports from other organizations in our Coalition, and the comments made to us by Probation staff, much of this progress is due to the leadership and vision of Paul Higa. (2) Paul Higa has served the Department of Probation for many years. He knows Los Angeles, he is respected by Probation staff, and he is trusted by the community based organizations that work within Probation facilities. He is in the best position to unite L.A. in a way that will best serve Probationers, communities and the County. (3) Paul Higa has a creative vision for the future of Probation, and also has the humility and leadership needed to listen to new ideas. In his position as Acting Chief, he has already taken bold steps to increase safety for communities while expanding opportunities and fair treatment for Probationers. (4) As young people who have been directly involved with Probation, Acting Chief Higa has made himself and his staff available to meet with us, and has taken seriously our concerns as well as suggestions. For youth in the system to progress, we need system professionals to respect us and to believe in our abilities to succeed. Paul Higa has proven to us that he is such a leader. Thank you for your attention to this matter. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact us. Noe Orgaz, Brandon Jackson, Robert Reese, Frank Alvarez, Rodrigo Vazquez, Sylvester Tellez, German Guerrero, Kim McGill, Cassandra Gonzalez, Eli Flores, Juan Cuevas, Hugo Muratalla, Sheila Hillier and Robert Hernandez Organizers Youth Justice Coalition ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. 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