Economics

New Plan Could Permanently Close San Francisco’s Juvenile Hall

Published

5 years ago

May 29, 2019

A group of San Francisco Supervisors are threatening to shut down the city’s juvenile hall, saying it makes “economic and social sense.”

They’re introducing legislation Tuesday at the board meeting that would close the 150-bed facility.

Some 200 people gathered for a rally outside City Hall to shut down the 150-bed facility in Diamond Heights on Tuesday.

Six of 11 San Francisco supervisors have declared their support for a measure that will be introduced at Tuesday’s board meeting.

It’s a measure that will close the facility while launching a task force to come up with secure and supportive alternatives for young offenders.

As a young man, Supervisor Shamann Walton was incarcerated in a juvenile detention facility for armed robbery and other crimes. He says the changes in his life were all through mentorships. “Education exposure, quality after-school programs. It has never been because of time spent in juvenile hall,” he said.

Among speakers on Tuesday was youth activist Fernando Madrigal, who spent time at San Francisco juvenile hall for robbery when he was 13.

“I was locked in my cell for one month straight. One month straight. Thirty minutes out in the morning. Thirty minutes out in the night shift,” Madrigal remembers.

He said the incarceration made him angry and depressed.

Those who want juvenile hall shut down say its population has dropped dramatically, leaving 70 percent of the facility empty.

They also point to the cost of incarceration — about $250,000 dollars per young person.

Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Allen Nance credits the drop in juvenile crime to the city’s progressive programs.

“Are there opportunities for further reforms? Absolutely,” he says. “Although I would like to have those reforms in place before there is a commitment to shutting down the existing juvenile hall.”

Rev. Amos Brown, head of the city’s NAACP, is also against the shutdown. “You have young people who are not reared by parents, who need discipline who need structure. They need a quality facility such as juvenile hall,” he says.

So far, supporters of the legislation say they have six of the 11 supervisors on the Board. But to be safe, they need eight votes to override a mayoral veto.

And Mayor London Breed has said she does not support the legislation in its present form.

She wants to appoint a blue ribbon committee to look into alternatives first before considering closing the facility.

Vic Lee (KGO)

Posts by Vic Lee (KGO)

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post

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Business

Black Business Summit Focuses on Equity, Access and Data

The California African American Chamber of Commerce hosted its second annual “State of the California African American Economy Summit,” with the aim of bolstering Black economic influence through education and fellowship. Held Jan. 24 to Jan. 25 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, the convention brought together some of the most influential Black business leaders, policy makers and economic thinkers in the state. The discussions focused on a wide range of economic topics pertinent to California’s African American business community, including policy, government contracts, and equity, and more.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Toks Omishakin, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CALSTA), answers questions from concerned entrepreneurs frustrated with a lack of follow-up from the state. January 24, 2024 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, Lost Angeles, Calif. Photo by Solomon O. Smith

By Solomon O. Smith, California Black Media

The California African American Chamber of Commerce hosted its second annual “State of the California African American Economy Summit,” with the aim of bolstering Black economic influence through education and fellowship.

Held Jan. 24 to Jan. 25 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, the convention brought together some of the most influential Black business leaders, policy makers and economic thinkers in the state. The discussions focused on a wide range of economic topics pertinent to California’s African American business community, including policy, government contracts, and equity, and more.

Toks Omishakin, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CALSTA) was a guest at the event. He told attendees about his department’s efforts to increase access for Black business owners.

“One thing I’m taking away from this for sure is we’re going to have to do a better job of connecting through your chambers of all these opportunities of billions of dollars that are coming down the pike. I’m honestly disappointed that people don’t know, so we’ll do better,” said Omishakin.

Lueathel Seawood, the president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of San Joaquin County, expressed frustration with obtaining federal contracts for small businesses, and completing the process. She observed that once a small business was certified as DBE, a Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, there was little help getting to the next step.

Omishakin admitted there is more work to be done to help them complete the process and include them in upcoming projects. However, the high-speed rail system expansion by the California High-Speed Rail Authority has set a goal of 30% participation from small businesses — only 10 percent is set aside for DBE.

The importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in economics was reinforced during the “State of the California Economy” talk led by author and economist Julianne Malveaux, and Anthony Asadullah Samad, Executive Director of the Mervyn Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute (MDAAPEI) at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Assaults on DEI disproportionately affect women of color and Black women, according to Malveaux. When asked what role the loss of DEI might serve in economics, she suggested a more sinister purpose.

“The genesis of all this is anti-blackness. So, your question about how this fits into the economy is economic exclusion, that essentially has been promoted as public policy,” said Malveaux.

The most anticipated speaker at the event was Janice Bryant Howroyd known affectionately to her peers as “JBH.” She is one of the first Black women to run and own a multi-billion-dollar company. Her company ActOne Group, is one of the largest, and most recognized, hiring, staffing and human resources firms in the world. She is the author of “Acting Up” and has a profile on Forbes.

Chairman of the board of directors of the California African American Chamber of Commerce, Timothy Alan Simon, a lawyer and the first Black Appointments Secretary in the Office of the Governor of California, moderated. They discussed the state of Black entrepreneurship in the country and Howroyd gave advice to other business owners.

“We look to inspire and educate,” said Howroyd. “Inspiration is great but when I’ve got people’s attention, I want to teach them something.”