Title
Authorize the Chief Probation Officer and Public Defender to stop assessing and collecting specified administrative fees charged to the families of youth in the juvenile justice system, effective December 5, 2017 in order to implement SB 190.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors authorize the Chief Probation Officer and Public Defender to stop assessing and collecting specified administrative fees charged to the families of youth in the juvenile justice system, effective December 5, 2017 in order to implement SB 190.
SUMMARY:
Under existing law, Monterey County is authorized to assess a variety of fees against the families of minors in the juvenile delinquency system, including fees to recoup the County's costs of detention, legal representation, electronic monitoring, probation or home supervision, and drug testing, subject to evaluation of the youth's parents or legal guardian's ability to pay.
Effective January 1, 2018, SB 190 repeals the County's authority to assess these fees. To further the public policy choice made by the California Legislature, the Chief Probation Officer and the Public Defender recommend that the County stop assessing and collecting juvenile administrative fees effective December 5, 2017.
Current state law allows counties to charge administrative fees to families of youth involved in the juvenile justice system to recoup court and probation-related expenses. Counties are authorized to assess administrative fees for pre-investigation, supervision, out-of-home placement, electronic monitoring, drug testing and representation by public defenders, among other things. As required by law, Monterey County charges these fees only after evaluation and determination of the client's ability to pay; in actuality, a large portion of families do not actually pay these fees, and they are frequently uncollectible.
SB 190-Mitchell repeals the counties' authority to assess administrative fees for youth ...
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