REPORT OF THE CHIEF LEGISLATIVE ANALYST

DATE: July 15, 2008

TO: Honorable Members of the Rules and Government Committee

FROM: Gerry F. MillerW)JJ~p Council File No: 08-0002-SlOO Chief Legislativg Analyst Assignment No: 08-07-1216

SUBJECT: Resolution (Perry-Cardenas) to OPPOSE Elimination of Funding for the Crime and Violence Prevention Center in the 2008-09 State Budget.

CLA RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the attached Resolution (Perry-Cardenas) to include in the City's 2007-2008 State Legislative Program, OPPOSITION to the elimination of funding in the 2008-09 State Budget for the Crime and Violence Prevention Center, which would promote the City's goal of reducing and preventing crime and violence.

SUMMARY The Resolution (Perry-Cardenas), introduced July 8, 2008, advises that the California Attorney General's Crime and Violence Prevention Center (CVPC) creates and promotes effective policies and strategies for law enforcement and communities to build a safer state for children, families, and communities. Between 2003 and 2006, the CVPC spearheaded the establishment of successful multi-agency Safe Passage Partnerships at eleven Los Angeles area high schools to prevent violence against students traveling to and from schools in gang-infested neighborhoods. The multi-agency Safe Passage Partnership Strategy has proven so successful that it has been adopted as an essential component in several recent school safety initiatives latmched by the City and County of Los Angeles. Funding for the CVPC is currently subject to elimination in the 2008-09 State Budget. The Resolution further advises that opposing the elimination of funding for the CVPC in the 2008-09 State Budget would promote the City's goal of reducing and preventing crime and violence. The Resolution therefore recommends that the City oppose the elimination of funding for the Crime and Violence Prevention Center in the 2008-09 State Budget.

BACKGROUND The California Attorney General's Crime and Violence Prevention Center (CVPC) creates and promotes effective policies and strategies for law enforcement and communities to build a safer state for our children, families and communities. The CVPC provides: • Cutting-edge prevention programs; • Training in effective prevention strategies; • Community outreach and assistance; • Policy development and advocacy; • Grant funding; • Publications, videos, and other multimedia resources. ·,JUL \ 6 2008 RULES & GOVERNMENT 1 The Safe Passage Partnership is a multi-agency effort committed to providing enhanced security for students at specific times, on specific streets, at bus stops, and on bus lines around the campuses. The program helps 30,000 students at eleven high schools in the Los Angeles area who travel to and from school through territories of over 60 violent gangs. Below is a list of the participating high schools, their location, and when each joined the program:

High School Location Year Started Safe Passage Partnership Washington Preparatory High School Near CD 8 September 2003 Ellington Continuation High School CD 15 September 2003 CD 15 August [004 Fremont High School CD9 December 2004 Jordan High School CD 15 February 2005 Jefferson High School CD9 May 2005 Santee Education Complex CD9 May2005 CD 10 February 2006 CD9 June 2006 Dorsey High School CD 10 June 2006 CDS June 2006

The CVPC's original role in the Safe Passage Partnership was facilitating meetings with the participating agencies to review the progress of the different program elements (student travel routes, agency deployment, hot spot identification, etc.). Currently a few schools have assumed the role of meeting facilitator but the CVPC remains involved at varying levels across the eleven campuses.

In June 2008, the Senate Budget Committee voted to eliminate funding for the CVPC, among other executive programs under the Department of Justice. The current version of the State Budget does not contain funding for the CVPC.

DEPARTMENTS NOTIFIED Commission for Children, Youth, and Their Families

BILL STATUS 7/8/08 Passed out of Budget Conference Committee ar0!2P Alexa Daniels-Shpall Analyst

Attachment: I. Resolution (Perry-Cardenas)

2 RULES & GOVERNMENT JlJL 0 S Z.ll~ RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, any official position of the City of Los Angeles with respect to legislation, rules, regulations or policies proposed to or pending before a local, state or federal governmental body or agency must have first been adopted in the form of a Resolution by the City Council with the concurrence of the Mayor; and

WHEREAS, the California Attorney General's Crime and Violence Prevention Center ( CVPC) creates and promotes effective policies and strategies for law enforcement and communities to build a safer state for children, families and communities; and

WHEREAS, between 2003 and 2006, CVPC spearheaded the establishment of successful multi-agency Safe Passage Partnerships at eleven Los Angeles area high schools to prevent violence against students traveling to and from schools through gang-infested neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, the multi-agency Safe Pa1inership Strategy has proven so successful that this model has been adopted as an essential component in several recent school safety initiatives launched by the City and County of Los Angeles; and

WHEREAS, funding for the CVPC is currently subject to elimination in tl1e 2008 State budget; and

WHEREAS, the proposed elimination of CVPC funding will hinder the State's efforts in promoting effective crime prevention policies and strategies; and

WHEREAS, opposition to the elimination of CVPC would promote the City's goal of reducing and preventing crime and violence;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, with the concurrence of the Mayor, that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Los Angeles hereby includes in its 2007-2008 State Legislative Progr= OPPOSITION to the elimination of funding for the Crime and Violence Prevention Center in the 2008-09 State budget.

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