To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): District Attorney
Staff Name and Phone Number: Shane Lewis 565-3150
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
District Attorney’s Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution Grant Program
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Board Resolution to authorize the Sonoma County District Attorney or their designee to sign a contract with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to continue participation in the Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program and accept $202,545 in funding for the term January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.
end
Executive Summary:
Board approval and authorization is requested to allow the District Attorney or their designee to accept the State of California Office of Emergency Services: Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution Grant Award of $202,545 for the term January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. Matching funds from the General Fund in the amount of $67,515 contribute to the total project cost of $270,060. Funds were included in the FY 2022/23 budget for the District Attorney’s Office.
In 2013, the California Office of Emergency Services began a Violent Crimes Against Women grant program to encourage and support counties’ adoption of a vertical prosecution model for the handling of violent crimes against women, including the most egregious domestic violence and sexual assault crimes. The purpose of this grant program is to improve conviction rates and minimize victim trauma. Sonoma County has had a successful vertical prosecution unit since 2013 when the grant program began. Under Sonoma County’s true vertical prosecution unit one attorney and one victim advocate work collaboratively to handle these cases from beginning to end. Sonoma County is being awarded this grant for a tenth year to continue this successful program.
Discussion:
The purpose of the grant is to support the Vertical Prosecution model endorsed by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women, which provides the State Formula Grants to the California Office of Emergency Services in support of this program. With this funding, the District Attorney’s Office, with resources leveraged by the Family Justice Center, established a true vertical prosecution and victim advocate program for a specialty caseload involving serious felony domestic violence and sexual assault crimes. The specialized prosecutor along with the assigned bilingual Victim Witness Advocate and Investigator, are co-located at the Family Justice Center to receive and handle each referral to the specialty caseload from case inception to conclusion. The vertical prosecution model yields better victim service, intake, referral, and court service outcomes for victims, and provides a higher level of coordination between law enforcement agencies and prosecution staff.
Grant funding is used toward the salary and benefits of the Deputy District Attorney IV.
We request Board authorization for the District Attorney or their designee to sign a contract with the California Office of Emergency Services to accept the grant award of $202,545 for the term January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
Cal OES has awarded this grant to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office for the past nine years, beginning in FY 2013-14, and the Board has authorized the award acceptance each year. The most recent grant award was accepted on February 08, 2022.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 22-23 Adopted |
FY23-24 Projected |
FY 24-25 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$135,030 |
$135,030 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$135,030 |
$135,030 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
$33,758 |
$33,757 |
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State/Federal |
$101,272 |
$101,273 |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$135,030 |
$135,030 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Continuation of the Sonoma County Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program for the 2023 calendar year will cost $270,060 with an award from Cal OES of $202,545 and a required match of $67,515 from the General Fund. Expenses and funding of $135,030 for FY22-23 are included in the current budget. The remainder of funds, $135,030 will be included in the FY 23-24 budget.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
No staffing impacts.
Attachments:
Program Resolution
Grant Award Document
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A