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County Unveils Pilot Program to Combat Sex Trafficking

Los Angeles County is moving forward to strengthen the safety net for children who have been victims of sex trafficking. After two years of work, county departments are working together to provide wraparound services for these young people.

“It is our job to protect our children,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “And we will not empower sick unscrupulous pimps and johns who buy and sell children on our streets to criminalize our children as prostitutes. Our children are victims needing our support.”

1MZ_0150The Supervisor joined Board Chairman Don Knabe and representatives of multiple county departments to unveil the first Los Angeles County pilot program to establish a first responder protocol for sex trafficking victims.

Where once young people picked up on sex-related charges were treated as “prostitutes,” both supervisors, emphasized that no child should be given the label.

“Changing the culture, especially in government, can be very difficult, as we all know,” Supervisor Knabe said, adding “but these girls, who may be a neighbor or may be a relative are being tortured with physical and sexual abuse.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that Los Angeles is one of the nation’s 13 high intensity child prostitution areas, and it is estimated that, 3,000 children in the region are victims of trafficking. T average age these young people are forced or coerced onto the streets is between 12 and13 years-old, and increasingly, sex trafficking is a highly lucrative business run by gangs.

1MZ_0141With the new protocol in place, it is the county’s goal to see that underage victims of sex trafficking no longer are arrested, detained and released in what is often an unending cycle. With the paradigm shift, it is the goal of law enforcement, mental health officials, child protection agencies to surround the victim with care and treatment, ensuring, for example, that they are placed in a safe housing, enrolled in school and given proper physical and mental health services. And the program is only the first of many steps that will be coming to help these children.

The board of supervisors will receive quarterly updates on the results of the new system.

“The pilot is an important first step that establishes a strong response team that will be individualized—treating the needs of each victim, one child at a time,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “What we truly hope is that it creates a bond of trust between these children and the adults who do care about their welfare and have their best interests at heart. With trust, these children can heal. As they heal, they can begin to rebuild their young lives.”

Life Saving App Now Available

Everyday Heroes Needed

Roslyn de la Torre was on her way to work when she saw a crowd gathered around a man who had collapsed of an apparent heart attack on the sidewalk. A registered nurse, de la Torre got out of her car and immediately began giving the man CPR. Within 4 minutes, the paramedics arrived but it may well have been de la Torre’s quick actions that saved Elbert Kirby’s life. With a person suffering a heart attack, the first two minutes can determine life or death.

“It’s amazing that CPR is the reason I am here today,” said Kirby, a 50-year volunteer with the American Red Cross.

This narrow window of timing in which life can hang in the balance, is why Los Angeles County officials have launched PulsePoint, the “AMBER alert for cardiac arrest victims.”

When a person is in cardiac distress and a call is made to 911, one of the five public safety communications centers in the county activates the app which sends an alert on the phone and gives a GPS location at the same time that local fire and emergency responders are notified.  It was developed by PulsePoint Foundation, a San Francisco based organization that is building applications for public safety agencies, and supported by the Wireless Foundation, a nonprofit that includes several wireless provider companies that support wireless innovation and initiatives

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Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby, Mrs. Elbert Kirby, Mr. Elbert Kirby, Roslyn de la Torre, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas at the event.

Celebrating its launch, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and Fire Chief Daryl Osby joined de la Torre and Kirby as well as the app founder in Inglewood joined together for the official release.

“Simply put, this app is really a life-saving opportunity,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “Now qualified responders can do their part to help a heart attack victim. It is a great resource for all county residents.”

The app, which is free, is available for both iPhone and Android phones. More than 13,000 people in the county have already downloaded PulsePoint but county officials hope more residents take part.

“Mobile technology can help us build and safer, more resilient community,” said Chief Osby.

Added de la Torre, who is now friends with Kirby and his wife, “A few minutes can make a difference in saving someone’s life.”

For more information on CPR classes throughout LA County, residents can call (323) 881-2411 or email info@fire.lacounty.gov.

Civilian Oversight Delayed, Not Denied


In a show of strong support for the creation of a citizen’s oversight commission, hundreds of people attended Tuesday’s board of supervisor’s meeting to demand a civilian role in reforming the department.

In often moving testimony, many residents spoke of their personal experiences of abuse at the hands of deputies and urged the supervisors to create a forum where their concerns and insights could be heard. No such outlet exists today, and the newly constituted office of the inspector general is no substitute, they said. Incidents of wrongdoing by deputies and department leaders, which have only become public in recent months, some testified, had long been known to people in neighborhoods throughout the county.

DJA_0073“A board, even an advisory committee can provide the community with an avenue; the [inspector general] isn’t the community,” said Patrisse Cullors of the Coalition to End Sheriff Violence. “ When my brother was brutalized our family had nowhere to go.”

Greg Akili of Black Community Clergy and Labor Alliance, told the board that unwarranted shootings and abuses by deputies had created a profound lack of trust in many neighborhoods akin to the ill will that once existed between the Los Angeles Police Department and some communities.

“It took many years of struggle; it took a federal consent decree to finally move the LAPD… let’s stop moving from crisis to crisis,” Akili said.

Despite overwhelming testimony in favor of a commission, only Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Gloria Molina voted in favor of the motion they sponsored to create one.DJB_0295

“No two ways about it, I am disappointed – disappointed that the board did not listen to the vote of the people,” Supervisor Ridley-Thomas said. “So yes, I’m disappointed but not disheartened. Disappointed but, may I say, undeterred.

“Police commission structures exist in Oakland; Long Beach, CA; San Diego; San Francisco; New York City,” the supervisor continued, so we are not talking about something new. This isn’t a novel innovation; frankly, civilian oversight is just considered a best practice across the nation.

“The people of Los Angeles County deserve to have a say with regard to their Sheriff’s Department and I am confident that they will get it. If not now, then sooner rather than later,” he said.

Treatment vs. Incarceration: $20 Million Proposed for Mental Health Programs

Los Angeles County incarcerates the largest population of mentally ill people of any county in the nation. District Attorney Jackie Lacey, jail reform advocates, fiscal watchdogs, and the supervisors all have voiced concerns about the County’s inhumane and expensive system, which repeatedly cycles mentally ill people in and out of custody.

The supervisors unanimously have acknowledged this circumstance, and in recent months the board has committed to exploring methods of redirecting mentally ill offenders to treatment instead of jail. At present, however, the county has set aside about $3 million.

That’s not enough to make a meaningful effort at diversion. That’s why Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas is asking the Board to start to demonstrate its financial commitment by setting aside an amount that is the equivalent of 1% of the $2 billion already set aside for jail construction and renovations.

The results from successful diversion programs across the country are encouraging. Intensive treatment lowers recidivism, resulting both in fewer new victims of crime and lower incarceration costs. In New York City, the Nathaniel Project saw a reported 70% reduction in arrests over a two-year period and Chicago’s Thresholds program resulted in an 89% reduction in arrests, an 86% reduction in jail time, and a 76% reduction in hospitalization for program participants.

“It is time to stop talking about treating mentally ill people with dignity; it’s time to stop talking about taking a fiscally responsible approach to managing our jail population, it’s time to act,” the supervisor said.

The Supervisor’s proposal, which will return to the Board for a vote in coming days, parallels findings outlined to the Board in a presentation by the district attorney. Lacey, who hosted a summit of 60 law enforcement leaders, mental health workers and community advocates last spring, identified six preliminary goals for the county. They are:

1. Training for all criminal justice professionals.

2. Expanding the capacity for behavioral health treatment for mentally ill offenders.

3. Implementing a data study that examines the types of services needed, the capacity needed for those services and the population(s) most in need of these services.

4. Improving communication/coordination among all system partners to remove silos and implement a shared database.

5. Developing policies and procedures to guide service capacity utilization.

6. Creating crisis alternatives centers/crisis stabilization centers that can be utilized by law enforcement, consumers and families of consumers.

7. Expanding the availability of housing for mentally ill offenders.

Embracing and investing in diversion, however, may not be just a matter of choice. Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice warned the county that its quality of care for mentally ill offenders and the high number of inmate suicides in its jails did not meet constitutional standards.

“There’s a moral question at hand in this process,” Lacey said. Are we punishing people for simply being sick. Public safety should have a priority, but justice should always come first.”

Freedom School Probation Camps Deliver Results

The United States imprisons approximately 70,000 youths nationwide on any given day. Annually, the U.S. spends about $88,000 per juvenile—the costliest and highest youth incarceration rate in the world.

So, the non-profit advocacy organization, Children’s Defense Fund, has created a model program that inspires incarcerated youths to enjoy reading and increase their self-esteem; the goal is to help them reform their lives and stay out of the justice system.  The CDF Freedom Schools program, which originally began as a general school summer camp to prevent reading loss during summer vacation, came to Los Angeles County probation camps last year.

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Anecdotally, the program seemed successful; the joyful enthusiasm of children and their mentors was infectious even to casual onlookers. So, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who has been an advocate and sponsor of Freedom Schools throughout his district, commissioned a study to quantify the results. Evaluators, consultants, CDF-CA staff and Second District staff conducted a total of 75 hours of informal observations at the probation camps which participated in the program.

The results of the study are overwhelmingly positive: the students’ interest in reading grew, behavioral problems—including fights among the juveniles—decreased, and the relationship between staff and students improved significantly. Most importantly, the young students seemed to get the bug for learning.

“What I like most about Freedom Schools is we got teachers who care,” noted one student. “My teacher, she cares, so you gotta respect her. I like her like my grandma.”

The CDF Freedom Schools program is unique:  The sessions begin with Harambee! (A Swahili word that means Let’s Pull Together), a 30-minute activity where participants sing motivational songs, cheers and chants, read aloud, and share a moment of reflection. The curriculum is focused on culturally relevant books that reflect their images and center on the theme “I can Make a Difference.” Everything is dropped for 15 minutes before lunch except reading in D.E.A. R. (Drop Everything and Read) Time. And the kids are treated with respect, including being referred to as “scholars.”

“Freedom Schools helped me with my vocabulary,” said another scholar. “We have a word wall, now I know all of these big words like ‘empathy,’ you know, like ‘bombastic,’ and there are a lot of more difficult words. It’s improved my vocabulary.”

Supervisor Ridley-Thomas noted that the Freedom Schools program is essential in helping all of society in the long run.

“The incarceration of American youngsters in the juvenile justice system has serious consequences for all of us,” he said. “The CDF Freedom Schools program is one very effective way of giving young people a chance to improve their lives.”

Click here for last year’s evaluation report.

Freedom School evaluation team and community leaders during July 3, 2014 release.

A New Way of Life for Former Inmates

Joseph Baddley, 53, became homeless after being in and out of prison. Not having access to medical care, when Baddley became sick, he hit rock bottom. But thanks to a new program to build more supportive housing in Los Angeles County, Baddley has found an apartment to call home. The 43 units, spread over five formerly blighted and foreclosed properties in South Los Angeles, were specifically created for those who were homeless, veterans in need of housing, former inmates re-entering the community, those living with special needs and those with mental health illnesses.

“Many people helped save my life,” said Baddley. “I love my home and I treat it as a gift,” said Baddley.

Recent ribbon cutting for the the Coalition for Responsible Community Development apartments.

The apartments represent the best of what government, the private sector and community organizations can accomplish when they work together. The project was sponsored by the Coalition for Responsible Community Development and involved a successful collaboration among Los Angeles County, Los Angeles City, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, Restore Neighborhoods Los Angeles, Los Angeles Housing Department, California Housing Finance Agency and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health among others. The project was completed in August 2013 at a total development cost of $10.5-million. Ten of the 43 units are specifically designed for the visually, physically or mobility impaired.

“CRCD Apartments, with its support from both the City and the County, is a example of permanent supportive housing that works,” said CRCD Executive Director Mark Wilson, noting that residents will be eligible to receive mental health services, regular health care and an array of social services supported with intensive case management.

Former inmate and resident Yolanda Brown. Photo courtesy of CRCD.

For women who have been incarcerated, the apartments offer an especially important place. Many women who are former inmates have trouble finding jobs and housing and end up on the street, where they are often in danger, explained Susan Burton, executive director of A New Way of Life, one of the organizations responsible for the successful re-entry efforts. A New Way of Life supports these residents by providing therapy and legal assistance at court hearings. Many women residents are mothers with children, Burton said. These mothers also receive job training services and assistance with child care.

Resident and former inmate Joseph Baddley tears up while welcoming Supervisor Ridley-Thomas into his new home.

At the recent grand opening of the apartments, Baddley invited a few guests into his home including A New Way of Life Executive Director Susan Burton and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

“He invited us into his home, held back his tears best he could and told us his story,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “This is the face of reentry.”

Supporting affordable housing has been a focus for the Supervisor since taking office in 2008. Since 2009, the Supervisor has helped to create 1,100 units in the second district representing a total public/private investment of more than $350-million. And 295 additional units are now under construction representing an additional $121-million.

During his public remarks at the grand opening, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas focused on the economic benefits of supportive housing to the county. He noted that building housing costs far less than incarceration.

“Many talk about redemption, recovery and reentry,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “The Coalition for Responsible Community Development is doing it.”

 

Supervisors Back Diversion Plan for County Jails

 

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to include a strong jail diversion program as part of its overall jail master plan.

Acting on a motion authored by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, the board called for a strategy to divert a minimum of 1,000 inmates into mental health and services, analyze the need for more supportive housing, assess the cost savings of this program and include options for funding for staffing and operating a diversion program.

“The reality is that the vast majority of the men and women who are incarcerated suffer from mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “Recent estimates suggest that upwards of 67% of inmates have substance abuse disorders. Not only is this costly for county taxpayers, but the outcomes are unacceptable, unsustainable and do not protect the public, with many simply cycling in and out of the system.”

That the county’s antiquated jail system needs to be modernized is clear, and Men’s Central Jail certainly needs to replaced, the Supervisor said. But he emphasized the Los Angeles County Jail Master Plan, as presented on Tuesday by Vanir Construction Management Inc,. was not comprehensive enough with regard to diversion and that jail construction is only one component of an overall strategy to manage the inmate population. He abstained from the vote on the construction plan.

“Providing appropriate mental health services, substance abuse treatment, job readiness and training as well as permanent supportive housing when it is needed, will likely lead to less homelessness, crime and re-incarceration,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas.

District Attorney Jackie Lacey, who outlined the diversion program her office is currently creating, noted that there are approximately 3,000 inmates who are mentally ill, essentially turning the jail into a psychiatric ward.

“It is clear even to those of us in law enforcement that we can do better in Los Angeles County; the current system, simply put is unjust,” said District Attorney Lacey.

Both District Attorney Lacey and Supervisor Ridley-Thomas cited diversion programs in Florida, Tennessee and Texas as examples where recidivism rates have decreased, resulting in lower crime rates and lower jail costs.

Supervisor Ridley-Thomas’ motion asks that the District Attorney work with Los Angeles County Sheriff and Fire Chief, the directors of the Departments of Mental Health, Health Services, Public Health, Veterans Affairs and several other offices to assess existing county programs and determine the need for services, supportive housing and other services.

Because of overcrowding and other issues in the outdated jail such as bad lighting, locks that don’t work and non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, federal officials will likely intervene if the Board of Supervisors doesn’t act to improve conditions for mentally ill inmates.

 

 

Supervisors Back Diversion Plan for County Jails

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to include a strong jail diversion program as part of its overall jail master plan.

Acting on a motion authored by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, the board called for a strategy to divert a minimum of 1,000 inmates into mental health and services, analyze the need for more supportive housing, assess the cost savings of this program and include options for funding for staffing and operating a diversion program.

“The reality is that the vast majority of the men and women who are incarcerated suffer from mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “Recent estimates suggest that upwards of 67% of inmates have substance abuse disorders. Not only is this costly for county taxpayers, but the outcomes are unacceptable, unsustainable and do not protect the public, with many simply cycling in and out of the system.”

That the county’s antiquated jail system needs to be modernized is clear, and Men’s Central Jail certainly needs to replaced, the Supervisor said. But he emphasized the Los Angeles County Jail Master Plan, as presented on Tuesday by Vanir Construction Management Inc,. was not comprehensive enough with regard to diversion and that jail construction is only one component of an overall strategy to manage the inmate population. He abstained from the vote on the construction plan.

“Providing appropriate mental health services, substance abuse treatment, job readiness and training as well as permanent supportive housing when it is needed, will likely lead to less homelessness, crime and re-incarceration,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas.

District Attorney Jackie Lacey, who outlined the diversion program her office is currently creating, noted that there are approximately 3,000 inmates who are mentally ill, essentially turning the jail into a psychiatric ward.

“It is clear even to those of us in law enforcement that we can do better in Los Angeles County; the current system, simply put is unjust,” said District Attorney Lacey.

Both District Attorney Lacey and Supervisor Ridley-Thomas cited diversion programs in Florida, Tennessee and Texas as examples where recidivism rates have decreased, resulting in lower crime rates and lower jail costs.

Supervisor Ridley-Thomas’ motion asks that the District Attorney work with Los Angeles County Sheriff and Fire Chief, the directors of the Departments of Mental Health, Health Services, Public Health, Veterans Affairs and several other offices to assess existing county programs and determine the need for services, supportive housing and other services.

Because of overcrowding and other issues in the outdated jail such as bad lighting, locks that don’t work and non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, federal officials will likely intervene if the Board of Supervisors doesn’t act to improve conditions for mentally ill inmates.

 

 

Board Pursues Plan to Issue ID Cards to Ex-Offenders

When Julio Marquez was released from Los Angeles County jail, he struggled to return to a normal life. One of the biggest challenges he faced came from the lack of something small a government-issued identification. Without it, he could not drive, readily enroll in school or get a job.

To help Marquez and thousands of other ex-offenders trying to re-enter society seamlessly, the Board of Supervisors this week voted to ask county offices, including the probation and sheriff’s departments, and Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Committee to work with the state Department of Motor Vehicles to develop a process that would provide IDs both to adult and youth ex-offenders.  One potential option would be to place California Department of Motor Vehicles staff at county jail and probation facilities to distribute ID cards. The agencies are to return to the board by early March with a plan that includes proposals on how to fund the program.  County departments already have begun a process to provide birth certificates to ex-offenders.

“How are you supposed to access resources when we don’t even have IDs?” Marquez asked the Board. “If we are about rehabilitation and creating a better society, this could all be averted with IDs. “

More than 19,000 inmates spend their days behind bars in one of eight Los Angeles County jails.  Upon release, these ex-offenders leave jail without an identification card or their birth certificate, making their re-entry into society difficult to navigate, including obtaining the mental health and substance abuse services they need, and increasing the likelihood of failure and recidivism.

“Providing these vital records is fundamental if we are to reduce recidivism and improve public safety,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas, who authored the motion.  “We want low crime rates; we want a low recidivism rate, and we want successful re-entry of ex-offenders. So I applaud the board for supporting a plan that seeks to help this population lead productive lives.”

Angela Chung, policy associate with Children’s Defense Fund applauded the motion.

“This is a common sense solution and real cost effective approach to working with people,” said Chung.

Susan Burton, executive director of a New Way of Life Re-Entry Project and a member of the county’s Sybil Brand Commission for Institutional Inspections, which conducts inspections of jails, probation and correctional facilities in the county, noted that the motion will enhance public safety.

“This is just good public safety,” said Burton.  “ID’s are what everyone needs when they are coming back into the community.”

D’Lita Miller: From Victim to Advocate

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D’Lita Miller stared at a picture of herself at 11, where she smiles proudly, wearing a white dress and pearls as her teacher hugged her on her 6th grade graduation. She was a straight-A student, president of her class, attended church and was all around a good kid.

But only a few months later, her life crumbled around her.

In the fall of that year, she was kidnapped and held against her will for three days by a neighbor and other men who repeatedly raped her. When she was finally able to escape, she ran out of the house, barefoot, to a neighbor who took her to the hospital.

She was never the same.

Miller, now an advocate for young girls who are sexually trafficked, knows “the life” all too well. After the rapes, feeling worthless and lost, she became prey for older men, and ultimately became one of the hundreds of teenage girls that are trapped in a life of prostitution, selling her body to men three times her age.

Now an adult who has been out of the life for 13 years, she works to rescue young victims from the streets, leading them out one at a time.

“I was a victim, then a survivor. Now I am a leader,” she said. “When children are in that situation, they want to be able to relate to someone. I can’t express more strongly, how important it is to have survivor advocates.”

In Los Angeles County, an estimated 3,000 children are trafficked for sex. Some are runaways, others are in the foster care system, others are duped into the trade by pimps and traffickers who pretend to be boyfriends – many have been assaulted and raped early in life, as was D’Lita, and believe they deserve nothing better.

It is an increasingly sophisticated and lucrative trade, run by gangs as part of a criminal enterprise and one that is becoming more profitable than drug dealing.

While much of the trafficking happens online, a great deal of the action occurs along popular “tracks” such as Long Beach Boulevard and Figueroa Street. Along these stretches, in alleys and run-down motels, men pay to have sex with girls as young as 12. On any given weekend night, as many as 1,000 cars line up along Long Beach Boulevard with men waiting to buy sex with girls, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Traffickers are also on site. These gang members and pimps are increasingly violent and have taken to tattooing their victims on the face, neck or legs to further humiliate them and discourage them from running away.

In trainings and presentations she makes throughout the state, Miller helps those working to end sex trafficking — family members, foster parents, case workers, social workers and medical professionals — to recognize the signs of trafficking.

These include: youth who are interested in, or are in relationships with older men; inexplicable tattoos, children who seem depressed, fearful, full of tension or ones who suddenly have access to newfound, unaffordable luxuries such as expensive clothing or jewelry.

Many victims blame themselves for their situation and do not recognize that they are being exploited, she said.

“A young lady I was talking with didn’t consider herself a victim. She wanted to go back to the life. And I said, ‘I’ve been where you are but I know this is not the path set for you.’ In their minds they believe this is their choice. And if they ran away, they believe it is their fault,” she said.

Furthermore, law enforcement traditionally has arrested the girls, charging them with prostitution even if they are minors and cannot legally consent. Because many of their buyers are not arrested, a deep mistrust of law enforcement is created.

“These children watch as the adult man is set free,” she said. “And they are thinking, ‘this is the man who just raped me.’”

Miller remembers those men. Her customers were husbands, fathers, grandfathers, lawyers, politicians and businessmen. They owned homes and were employed. She reflects back on those days and wishes she had received mental health help to deal with her trauma. She longs to address the customers one day in a training session. And what would she tell them? Simply this: “Stop buying girls.”