Minutes 07/16/2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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July 16, 2020 Next Steps Following Council Action:  Finance will complete the necessary budget adjustment. Motion by Mr. Moody, and seconded by Ms. Lucas-Burke, to adopt the following ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote: “ORDINANCE ACCEPTING COVID-19 EMERGENCY FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $40,000 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND APPROPRIATING SAID SUM IN THE FY 2021 GRANTS FUND FOR USE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT OPERATIONAL COSTS OF THE PORTSMOUTH HOMELESS ACTION CONSORTIUM CONTINUUM OF CARE MEMBER AGENCIES.” Ayes: Battle, Clark, Glover, Lucas-Burke, Moody, Psimas, Rowe Nays: None 20 - 172 - Adoption of an ordinance accepting a grant in the amount of $569,286 from the Department of Criminal Justice Services and appropriating said amount in the FY 2021 Grants Fund to provide funding to operate local probation and pretrial services in the City of Portsmouth. Background:  Local community-based probation agencies were created in 1995 by the Comprehensive Community Corrections Act (CCCA, §9.1-173 COV). They were created to provide an alternative to incarceration for persons convicted of certain misdemeanors or non-violent felonies for which sentences would be 12 months or less in a local or regional jail.  In 1995, Pretrial Services Agencies were authorized by statute with the passage of the Pretrial Services Act (PSA, § 19.2-152.2 COV). Pretrial services agencies provide information and investigative services to judicial officers to help them decide whether persons charged with certain offenses and awaiting trial need to be held in jail or can be released to their communities subject to supervision.  State funding enables Portsmouth Community Corrections and Pretrial Services to provide quality supervision to defendants and non-violent offenders in the community and directly impact the jail population. Discussion:  Community Corrections provides a comprehensive array of intermediate sanctions to the local courts as alternatives to incarceration in the city jail. Services include probation supervision, community service work, restitution, substance abuse assessment, testing and treatment, anger education, domestic violence intervention, and other services as requested by the courts. Between July 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020, the program received 96 probationers for supervision. Our officers facilitated the collection of restitution to victims and court costs, and probationers completed 1,763 hours of community service work. Our officers facilitated 171 treatment referrals for services such as substance abuse testing education and/or counseling, batterers intervention, and parenting classes.  Between July 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020, pretrial investigators conducted 664 investigations on defendants held in the city jail. The pretrial appearance rate (defendants that complete supervision who do not have a capias issued for failure to appear in court) was 90%. The pretrial public safety rate (defendants that complete pretrial supervision who do not have their bail revoked due to a new arrest) was 91%. Financial Impact:  There is no local match and no obligation for continued funding from the City of Portsmouth. Recommended Action:  Adoption of the ordinance.