Minutes 06/28/2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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June 28, 2022 Motion by Ms. Lucas-Burke, and seconded by Mr. Barnes, to adopt the following ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote: “ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 10-96 OF CHAPTER 10 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA (2006), AS AMENDED, TO CHANGE THE VOTING LOCATION FOR PRECINCT NUMBER 10 FROM THE PORT NORFOLK RECREATION CENTER TO THE MOUNT HERMON PRESCHOOL CENTER, LOCATED AT 3000 NORTH STREET, AND TO FORMALLY CHANGE THE NAME OF PRECINCT NUMBER 10 TO “MOUNT HERMON PRESCHOOL CENTER”.” Ayes: Barnes, Battle, Lucas-Burke, Whitaker, Woodard, Glover Nays: Moody 22 - 193 - Adoption of an ordinance accepting a grant in the amount of $584,189 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and appropriating said funds in the FY 2023 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:  The primary function of pretrial services (PTS) is to provide judicial officers with crucial defendant background information so they may make more informed release decisions. PTS officers compile a risk assessment and court report based on the information collected during an investigation and interview. This report is presented to the Court before a defendant's first court appearance. Pretrial supervision is available for qualified individuals awaiting trial. Through appropriate and least restrictive supervision, PTS strives to reduce failure to appear rates and provide defendants with services necessary to ensure their appearance in court for trial. PTS officers screened 457 defendants and conducted 265 defendant investigations during the first six months of FY2022. PTS officers completed 265 pretrial risk assessments during the same timeframe. In addition, PTS officers conducted 186 criminal history reports on defendants who could not be interviewed; this because they refused to interview, were debilitated, or released on bond before an interview could be conducted. The total number of pretrial supervision placements during the first six months of FY2022 was 147. In addition, there were 55 placements transferred in from other localities. The PTS Appearance Rate (defendants that complete supervision who do not have a capias issued for failure to appear in court) for the first six months of FY2022 was 88%. The PTS Public Safety Rate (defendants that complete pretrial supervision who do not have their bail revoked due to a new arrest) for the same period was 90%, and the Compliance Rate (defendants that complete pretrial supervision who do not have their bail revoked due to a violation of conditions) was 89%.