DATE: July 10, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Lisa A. Smittcamp, District Attorney-Public Administrator
SUBJECT: Retroactive Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution Grant Application/Agreement
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Retroactively authorize the District Attorney-Public Administrator’s previous submittal of Grant Application to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for the Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program for FY 2018-19 ($270,060).
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Grant Application/Agreement and Certification of Assurance of Compliance for the Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program with the Cal OES, for the period July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019 ($270,060).
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. This program concentrates vertical prosecution efforts toward repeat offender domestic violence defendants, as well as dating violence, stalking and sexual assault defendants, thereby targeting the most serious offenders and reducing the level of domestic violence in Fresno County. To meet the grant filing deadline of June 21, 2018, the grant application was submitted contingent upon your Board’s approval. The application will maintain the Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program. It should be noted that once the Grant Award Face Sheet is approved and executed by the Chairman and Cal OES, the executed documents become the final agreement between the County and Cal OES. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended actions are not approved, the revenue, appropriations and staffing (one Deputy District Attorney IV and one Victim Advocate) associated with this program will be eliminated from the FY 2018-19 District Attorney Org 2860 budget request.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The District Attorney-Public Administrator received notification on May 24, 2018 that the grant Request for Application was available on the Cal OES website with a due date of June 21, 2018. Due to the late notification of the grant’s availability, the Department is coming to your Board with the grant application/agreement and associated agenda item at the first available date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Revenues of $202,545 and required 25% Net County Cost match of $67,515 total $270,060 for the Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program budget and are included in the FY 2018-19 District Attorney Org 2860 budget request.
DISCUSSION:
The Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program funds one Deputy District Attorney IV position to vertically prosecute domestic violence cases from the rural areas of Fresno County. The goal of the program is to concentrate vertical prosecution efforts toward repeat offender domestic violence defendants, as well as dating violence, stalking and sexual assault defendants, thereby targeting the most serious offenders and reducing the level of domestic violence in Fresno County. Fresno County is one of eleven counties that have been successful at competing for these funds since 1998.
The Violence Against Women program also partially funds a Victim Advocate to guide victims through the legal process. The advocate assists the victims during the course of the preliminary hearing and/or trial and is the contact person for victims throughout the case. Additionally, the advocate provides support to victims, keeping them informed, ensuring their input, accompanying them to court, and offering valuable insight to the prosecutor as to the concerns of the victim. The advocate also provides victims with needed referrals to community service agencies and is engaged in outreach programs to serve victims of domestic violence.
As part of this program, the unit prosecutor has created training programs for both advocates and law enforcement officers in rural police agencies. The training classes cover the dynamics of domestic violence, successful approaches to cases with reluctant or recanting victims and community resources for victims.
The recommended actions allow the District Attorney-Public Administrator’s Office to apply for these funds and approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Grant Award Face Sheet and Certification of Assurance of Compliance with Cal OES to continue the Violence Against Women Prosecution program for FY 2018-19. If approved, the executed Grant Award Face Sheet for the application will be forwarded to Cal OES to finalize the application/agreement.
If grant funding for this program is discontinued, all associated positions will be eliminated.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Cal OES
CAO ANALYST:
Jeannie Z. Figueroa