TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Prosecutor and City Manager to enter into agreements, and any amendments, with Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network and Centro CHA, Inc., to assist with court diversion and alternative sentencing programming as part of the City’s Promising Adults, Tomorrow’s Hope (P.A.T.H.) program, at no cost, for a period of one year, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Prosecutor and City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
In June 2015, the City Council requested the City Manager to work with the City Prosecutor’s Office to help initiate the Promising Adults, Tomorrow’s Hope program (P.A.T.H.). The program began as a pilot program in 2016 in partnership between the City Prosecutor’s Office and Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network (“Pacific Gateway”). Pacific Gateway remains today a most critical partner since it administers the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and other employment and training funds received annually by the City to support job training programs delivered by the Career Transition Center, Harbor Gateway WorkSource Center, and selected community-based organizations assisting local residents in acquiring skills leading to employment.
P.A.T.H. is a court diversion and alternative sentencing program, where 16-24 year-old persons cited or arrested for certain offenses may be offered one-on-one employment and educational assistance in lieu of traditional prosecution. P.A.T.H. participants also attend courses designed to teach life skills and better decision-making. Last year, 93% of those who completed P.A.T.H. received pre-filing diversion, which means the person’s case was never filed in court.
There are several goals associated with P.A.T.H., including: (a) creating better outcomes for those cited or arrested for minor criminal offenses, (b) reducing court congestion, (c) making justice-involved young adults more prepared for employment, and (d) connecting or reconnecting young adults with educational opportunities.
Since its launch, P.A.T.H. has been well-received by program participants as well as advocates for criminal justice reform. Shortly after its initiation in 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice included P.A.T.H. in its Environmental Scan of Developmentally Appropriate Criminal Justice Responses to Justice-Involved Young Adults. More recently, this year P.A.T.H. has been featured at Los Angeles’ Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Committee (CCJCC) and discussed at the “Smart on Crime” Innovations Conference at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.
As P.A.T.H. grows and matures, it is important to make improvements. Two improvements include creating a closer working relationship with community-based partners as well as expanding the list of community-based partners assisting with P.A.T.H. It is specifically envisioned that community-based partners in the future will conduct assessments and meet with P.A.T.H. participants at the City Prosecutor’s Office in order to streamline procedures, improve collaboration, and better achieve the program goals.
In addition to Pacific Gateway, local community-based organization Centro CHA, Inc. is a recipient of U.S. Department of Labor funding and is interested in assisting young adults with employment and other valuable services. If the authorization sought herein is approved by the City Council, the City Prosecutor’s Office would enter into written agreements with Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network and Centro CHA, Inc., on a form to be approved by the City Attorney, for assistance with P.A.T.H. services, including but not limited to, access to available office space in the City Prosecutor’s Office on alternating days.
To fund P.A.T.H., the City Prosecutor’s Office uses funds it has saved from previous fiscal years. Also, Pacific Gateway and Centro CHA, Inc. already receive grant funding for the services and are likely to solicit additional funding from the Department of Labor, so there is no fiscal impact to the City of Long Beach.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Monica J. Kilaita on October 11, 2018.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on October 23, 2018, so that improvements can be made to the Promising Adults, Tomorrow’s Hope (P.A.T.H.) program at the earliest opportunity.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the City of Long Beach. The City Prosecutor’s Office uses savings from its FY17 and FY18 budget to cover CP costs to administer the P.A.T.H. program. Pacific Gateway and Centro CHA, Inc., will use their own funding sources to provide services related to P.A.T.H.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
DOUGLAS P. HAUBERT
CITY PROSECUTOR
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER