[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6316569,"mediaKeyId","2376619-3dc7d68ec59dd9cebcc953a9bdc9cac0","parentId",2376619,"title","County pitches reentry, 'doors' sites, youth programs and economic supports — JCOD and partner departments seek continued funding","audioSeconds",216,"startMs",17054000,"endMs",17270000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2376619-3dc7d68ec59dd9cebcc953a9bdc9cac0&start=17054&end=17270","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2376619-3dc7d68ec59dd9cebcc953a9bdc9cac0/thumbnail_17054000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6316569/Los-Angeles-County/California/County-pitches-reentry-doors-sites-youth-programs-and-economic-supports-JCOD-and-partner-departments-seek-continued-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316569-5a41a8854015647f9e941683850b0bf0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182446&Signature=CXWzQz73KBi4ms6dRDuw-yZVYRuSHfM9Oswo2FqmPmw3tPs1Ti3UTaOnDgBBIajuCZmqwSqq-RXZrTyumRktiM8lKiWJ8BSjAp9whPWS0FJjyrobQ0p42134gaMCT3UOPf5c66Cg899tlp42BGfY30oLYQXHDO4TMyGPAkUd8oRa8Pcg7wQBrAI8hDCq1LbCZ1rm7HwpugR4S4KCnB5mHFtqquOp~qZ42jD2e7IvNnuRrSTPE1AIxUpiVMQGEN9RfYLH8II3TwYsMFeEVYRjksc0fDYqr20zIpwuitMaTF54xA9bfWcEXLBaneBUpL793qVipnOMuTCStgOV~r6pTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Los Angeles County CA","date","2025-02-21T23:57:30Z","article","A cluster of presentations on Feb. 21 focused on reentry, community‑based youth development, workforce supports and local economic programs and asked the board to preserve and extend one‑time funds as federal and state grants shift.

Judge Sonia Armstead, director of the Department of Justice Care and Opportunities (JCOD), outlined reentry and diversion programming including the Justice Connect support center (a 7‑day call center), reentry intensive case management (RICMS), CareFirst Community Investment (CFCI) grants to local organizations, and plans for warm‑landing services adjacent to Men’s Central Jail. Armstead said JCOD must convert one‑time ARPA and other funds into more sustainable support to maintain home locations (Doors sites) in South Los Angeles and the Antelope Valley and to launch a Long Beach site.

Armstead said the department is developing a warm‑landing center and had secured a parcel across from Men’s Central; construction and capital financing were noted as outstanding gaps. She also described the Los Angeles County Training Center (a reentry fire‑camp pathway), reporting early success — including more than 50% of one cohort receiving Cal Fire employment offers — and said additional funding would sustain workforce pipelines and expand an all‑female cohort. JCOD asked for NCC to stabilize ongoing operations and capital costs.

The Department of Youth Development and the Department of Probation described linked prevention and in‑facility programming. Youth Development requested positions to place staff full‑time inside juvenile facilities to coordinate community‑based organizations, expand diversion outreach (school‑based ambassadors), and build data and transition‑age youth supports. Probation described workforce reclassification (safety and security specialists) and juvenile realignment positions tied to state DJJ transitions.

Economic Opportunity Director Kelly Lobianco briefed the board on the department’s work to support small businesses, the Youth at Work and LA RISE programs, and the economic mobility initiative; she flagged the impending sunset of ARPA/plan‑funded programs (noting about $38.7M plan‑z still encumbered) and urged restoration of critical workforce and small‑business programs now facing federal and state funding pressure.

Community organizations and program operators spoke in support during public comment. Multiple supervisors asked how short‑term funds would be sustained and whether revenue‑generating options (including Medi‑Cal for some case‑management services) could be expanded; JCOD and partners said they are pursuing federal/state grants, philanthropic matches and billing opportunities but asked the board to consider transitional NCC support to maintain services while revenue streams are established.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Meeting 2/21/25","oneSentenceSummary","Judge Sonia Armstead (JCOD), Youth Development and the Department of Economic Opportunity described programs aimed at reentry, warm‑landing sites, fire‑camp workforce pathways and youth diversion. Leaders asked supervisors to sustain one‑time funds and restore programs that face sunset or federal uncertainty.","taxTitle","Los Angeles County, California","taxId",2588,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6316571,"Public Defender and Alternate Defender press for more trial attorneys, social workers and paralegals as filings rise",2226,8628000,10854000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2376619-3dc7d68ec59dd9cebcc953a9bdc9cac0&start=8628&end=10854","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2376619-3dc7d68ec59dd9cebcc953a9bdc9cac0/thumbnail_8628000.jpg","/articles/6316571/Los-Angeles-County/California/Public-Defender-and-Alternate-Defender-press-for-more-trial-attorneys-social-workers-and-paralegals-as-filings-rise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316571-d44e4c52cf35ca911b209b5797bbbda5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182446&Signature=ognqJuSkb6xaTa18NFUC4DhFP1ovtCcd2I2GKYqm2daFOX~haKz~y1I~b0FUMDmu0n8blzJtd-7rVlXkW4sFbQNqC7qIsDD3Nr04LAv3UC2tJjrwCJok0g~esic1vwdTjh1fOoGP7IBLpbXfDRyl~xMIpUAeQoqwTYP1mzl41ThqdZJXwTAjA85DgYmyLCgfbbxbNDru64dreE1yYXSu1d~7mrU5u2ioh-byNXHboUFA0YoGA-gXGAX97uFgliSGhRZRf-Xlozeawzc9LdEE0vynlmPEnK7n0BFUBsFraGjsCZ~iOcQPXjA1oKRhZc0EMoePrrPzWYs8NKZtXSJqHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Los Angeles County’s public defender Ricardo García and Alternate Public Defender Erica Swarkey told the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 21 that both offices need additional experienced trial attorneys, psychiatric social workers and legal support staff to meet rising caseload complexity and statutory requirements.

Ricardo García, public defender, said the office requests 10 additional felony trial deputy public defenders, 18 psychiatric social workers (including two supervisors) and 16 paralegals, plus IT and accounting support. He told the board that the public defender’s workload is changing because of legislation and local prosecutorial policy shifts — including renewed capital filing and sentencing enhancements — and that these changes increase the number of complex trials and post‑conviction matters requiring experienced counsel.

García emphasized that social workers are essential under current practice to conduct mental‑health, substance‑use and trauma assessments and to prepare mitigation plans for court; he said social‑work services cannot be delegated in full to external agencies because of confidentiality and attorney‑client privilege concerns. He also said the office has reduced dependency on NCC from 95% to 86% through other revenue but still relies heavily on county funding; a pilot post‑conviction relief program funded by the state will sunset in 2025‑26 and would need replacement funding.

Alternate Public Defender Erica Swarkey described extraordinary pressures on conflict‑case counsel — her office reported about 340 pending murder charges and said many felony trial attorneys are carrying three or more homicide cases in addition to a general caseload. Swarkey asked for four additional senior attorneys for violent case work, a Neurocognitive Disorder Team (attorney + psychiatric social worker) to identify diversion opportunities for defendants with cognitive disabilities, and a dedicated Racial Justice Act attorney to handle the rising number of RJA motions (pretrial and post‑conviction filings have grown substantially).

Supervisors asked about vacancies, the ability to recruit experienced staff, and existing funding for care‑court representation; the defenders said promotional timing and grant schedules affected vacancy counts and that hiring pipelines, internships and internal training help recruit new attorneys. Both offices warned that without more senior trial counsel and support staff, case backlogs and risk of ineffective‑assistance claims could rise.","The county’s public defender and alternate public defender presented unmet needs: more felony trial attorneys (DPD4), psychiatric social workers and paralegals to handle rising homicide, capital‑eligible and Prop‑36‑related cases and to provide mandated mitigation and diversion assessments.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6316572,"Sheriff outlines wide‑ranging 2025 needs: CAD replacement, custody staffing, vehicles and helicopter maintenance",265,4387000,4652000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2376619-3dc7d68ec59dd9cebcc953a9bdc9cac0&start=4387&end=4652","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2376619-3dc7d68ec59dd9cebcc953a9bdc9cac0/thumbnail_4387000.jpg","/articles/6316572/Los-Angeles-County/California/Sheriff-outlines-wideranging-2025-needs-CAD-replacement-custody-staffing-vehicles-and-helicopter-maintenance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316572-56c97727fe4736ca347fd32dd00ec35a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182446&Signature=nkksb2fhFVFINvfJ-FH~Nq-crpe1HVB4v06Q2f-DGHGGugc2MZW8YJD-OLJhikK5x63vLI6ZklmDhl4Wt~k8ZU8wEqj-M58L9soP18KO~1VgcZ4SaPfWAptHO39qJkCINqQrSdjAV9sS4gUyh~vZ8gqXGkBk2qT9oHFpaqvIS~qMV1SexHlKgZsN3gEYjt45ijWzsGCq1Pw8o0sWioeXvErvCDjzoL2W-4mkzV0ZuABkb686uid1-V0KgibHt1iJm-NqNH49VIBSKhFnXzhrlEG~L5q2FpJpeaGUOTMyH03aC1gCj~kNoYiTfsBnk0O5fpFjTIzg5p5C3rGgc6lVHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheriff Robert Luna and senior department staff told the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 21 that the Sheriff’s Department is operating with roughly three quarters of its authorized personnel and faces critical shortfalls in custody staffing, dispatch technology, vehicles, and facility‑related training.

Assistant Sheriff Gerardo Pineda described a three‑track procurement and testing process for computer aided dispatch (CAD) replacement after multiple system crashes since New Year’s Eve; the department seeks an expanded capital project for a centralized CAD facility plus staff reclassification and funding beyond the county ITIB allocation. He said absent additional support a new CAD could be rolled out by the end of the calendar year.

Pineda and Luna listed the department’s highest immediate needs: 396 positions including 225 deputy recruit trainees, augmentation requests totaling several hundred million dollars for fleet and equipment replacement, 641 additional vehicles, $11.3 million to accelerate bus fleet replacement (58 of 80 buses were out of service in January), and funding to replace antiquated records (RMS) and custody (Aegis) systems built decades ago.

The sheriff flagged litigation exposure tied to training and equipment deficiencies; he and deputies told supervisors that investments in TASER 10 devices, body cameras and training reduce use‑of‑force risk and potential judgments. They recommended investments in perishable‑skills training, a closed firing range to replace the Biscoluse site, and stronger civilianization of positions to free sworn staff for patrol duties.

Supervisors asked for clarification on projected judgments and damages, worker’s compensation impacts and the bus replacement timeline; the sheriff’s office said those figures were estimates based on pipeline cases and that additional training and equipment would reduce litigation risk over time. The department also reported a 23% unavailability rate among sworn staff (vacant posts plus leave/impairment) and said employee wellness, workplace injuries and competition from neighboring agencies are worsening retention challenges.

Sheriff Luna described the county’s aircraft fleet as past its safe service life and said only nine of 18 helicopters are fully operational without maintenance backlogs. The department requested additional mechanics and aeronautical maintenance funding.

The presentation bundled near‑term operational asks (buses, Taser/bodycam sustainment, training) and longer‑term capital/technology projects (CAD, RMS, Aegis, centralized facilities) and proposed a mixture of NCC and external funding sources; supervisors pressed the department for measurable timelines and for follow‑up detail on projected liability costs and mitigation steps.","Sheriff Robert Luna and Assistant Sheriff Gerardo Pineda told supervisors the department faces chronic understaffing and aging technology and fleets. The presentation requested new positions, major IT projects (CAD, RMS, Aegis), more buses, vehicle replacement, TASER/bodycam upkeep and funds to meet custody compliance.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6316573,"Los Angeles County district attorney outlines tech investments, diversion support and crackdown on illegal cannabis in 2025 budget briefing",142,922000,1064000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2376619-3dc7d68ec59dd9cebcc953a9bdc9cac0&start=922&end=1064","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2376619-3dc7d68ec59dd9cebcc953a9bdc9cac0/thumbnail_922000.jpg","/articles/6316573/Los-Angeles-County/California/Los-Angeles-County-district-attorney-outlines-tech-investments-diversion-support-and-crackdown-on-illegal-cannabis-in-2025-budget-briefing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316573-73cbe9d01a661d8223c9606fc3e76295/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182446&Signature=mtxtsdpE7yNofnLc~usdUkI6ifgjdbapiLwq3P5lvYv3hEzfqXYUtBvZCiTI3tMKzN2tR8BLlx7A-lUlktCILxSQylWenBQA5jR3jBjNgyO8a8txJETXfcTCXcHCGCWEnW40t7veCBArum9dJkS1x6vuznWWEOAd7oiPjAS7nCKsR9985E8xkc6s6MN8f9hyUCVWo~I0yMoGoapmXM1kJyx~ghXICwSsd--qqFdu61BVLELNmpKVths~oMyoJahr6sl~ZCZWhZPBqNJValy~43-sawd1zRYvOdlym5j4e5Km9r3Lkh~vuJdPERt-dKScsGicup~smIgCfBQLGsvZcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District Attorney Nathan Hoffman told the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 21 that his office’s 2025 budget priorities include new technology to support charging decisions, recruitment to replace lost prosecutors, and stepped-up enforcement against illegal cannabis operations.

Hoffman said the office will implement a race‑blind charging pilot — a system that removes race/ethnicity identifiers from an investigative report so a deputy district attorney can make charging decisions without that information, then compare results after the details are reinserted. The Yolo County pilot, Hoffman said, showed a change in charging decisions in fewer than 5% of cases; he said the county has selected a vendor and expects the system to be live by the end of the month, with licensing costs in the neighborhood of $580,000.

The DA described recruitment as urgent: he said the office is down roughly 200 deputy district attorneys (about 20% of the workforce) and is hiring part‑time, experienced prosecutors to fill gaps while pursuing full‑time hires. He also told the board the office will prioritize support for victims following recent federal cuts to Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding and that the Bureau of Victim Services currently has 14 open positions.

Hoffman also briefed the board on diversion and alternatives to jail for people with serious mental illness. He said he supports diversion into locked treatment facilities for some defendants rather than long jail stays, noted the county jails hold more than 4,000 people, and urged the board and state or federal partners to fund locked mental‑health facilities that can provide sustained care.

On juvenile alternatives, Hoffman described Pine Grove — a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation/Cal Fire fire camp program — as a promising option for some young people, but said eligibility limits (SYTF designation) and voluntary participation constrain referrals. He urged collaboration among prosecutors, public defenders and probation to increase use where appropriate.

On illegal cannabis, Hoffman called the market a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar county problem and said the DA will prioritize enforcement that includes civil asset forfeiture and following criminal proceeds; he also warned about fentanyl being mixed into illicit cannabis products. He said the office will work with cities, state and federal partners and with licensed cannabis businesses to identify and prosecute illegal operators.

Several supervisors pressed Hoffman on mental‑health diversion capacity, Pine Grove eligibility, victim services funding, and the application of new technologies. Hoffman said grants will be pursued to backfill VOCA and other lost funding, and that the office intends to produce evaluation metrics for the race‑blind charging rollout.

The presentation detailed operational constraints — the attrition figure the DA cited, technology licensing costs and grant shortfalls — and left policy decisions about building locked treatment capacity and related funding to future board actions.

Hoffman closed by reiterating the office’s commitment to public safety balanced with due process and to expanding services for victims and diversion where appropriate.","District Attorney Nathan Hoffman told supervisors his 2025 budget request centers on technology (including race‑blind charging), rebuilding staff after attrition, prosecution of illegal cannabis operations, and support for mental‑health diversion — while warning of federal cuts to victim services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County pitches reentry, 'doors' sites, youth programs and economic supports — JCOD and partner departments seek continued funding

Public Defender and Alternate Defender press for more trial attorneys, social workers and paralegals as filings rise

Sheriff outlines wide‑ranging 2025 needs: CAD replacement, custody staffing, vehicles and helicopter maintenance

Los Angeles County district attorney outlines tech investments, diversion support and crackdown on illegal cannabis in 2025 budget briefing