Support for a criminal justice system for Marin County that is responsive to community needs at both the county and city levels with a separate system for handling juveniles. Support for consistency in misdemeanor sentencing. Support for the county’s responsibility for the physical well-being and safety of its prisoners.
Objectives:
- Encouragement of the use of a centralized recordkeeping system to ensure efficiency and cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
- Monitoring of the sheriff’s department by an independent group.
- Training of the jail staff, either deputy sheriffs or other career category, in such skills as counseling, evaluation, defusing violence, and ensuring the physical safety of prisoners.
- Exploration of the feasibility of establishing a County Department of Corrections to oversee operations of the jail and the honor farm.
- Establishment and use by all local jurisdictions of a centralized recordkeeping system for juveniles, to include local diversion information.
- Use of adequately trained juvenile diversion officers with countywide training and guidelines to ensure consistency in handling of juveniles.
- Training of juvenile probation officers to include learning disabilities, nutritional deficiencies, And psychological problems for referral to appropriate agencies.
- Continuation of the system in which most juvenile hearings are conducted by a qualified court Commissioner, with the right to appeal to the Superior Court Juvenile Judge.
- Recognition that the jail should be reserved for those accused and convicted of crimes and not For those who are homeless, mentally ill, and chemically dependent.
Adopted 1978, Revised 1992
(Local position)