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County reports progress on gender‑responsive custody reforms; advocates urge attention for detained girls and facility activities
Summary
The sheriff’s office presented a semiannual update on gender‑responsive custody practices and progress implementing Moss Group recommendations. Advocates praised steps taken for women in custody but urged attention to juvenile females in secure youth treatment and parity in services such as access to libraries.
The Public Safety & Justice Committee received a semiannual report on gender‑responsive practices in county custody settings and progress on recommendations from the Moss Group.
Supervisor Cindy Ellenberg called the report “excellent” and asked staff to include, in future updates, a chart that pairs Moss Group recommendations with completed and in‑progress actions so the committee can clearly see implementation status. County and sheriff’s representatives described reforms and acknowledged additional work remains.
Victoria Burton Burke, a retired deputy public defender and juvenile justice commissioner, praised strides for adult women but urged the committee to ensure girls placed in secure youth treatment programs receive programming comparable to other detained youth. Paul Sloot, a resident with lived experience, said he supported gender‑responsive reforms and urged similar services for men—particularly access to libraries, which he described as rehabilitative hubs.
Committee members praised progress, noted a downward trend in custody populations due to fewer felony bookings and better trial processing times, and agreed to continue monitoring implementation. The committee voted to receive the report; the vote was recorded in the affirmative by Vice Chair Lee and Chair Ellenberg.
Why it matters: The county’s commitment to gender‑responsive policy affects programming, classification and treatment of people in custody. Advocates asked the committee to ensure services for detained girls and continued improvements across custody operations.
What’s next: Staff will include a recommendation‑tracking chart in the next update and the sheriff’s office will return to PSJC in August with responses to the Oakland grievance recommendations.
