To: Board of Supervisors
From: Public Defender
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
Professional Services Agreement with Cisco Lassiter Investigations for Investigative Services related to California's Public Defense Pilot Program in the Amount of $85,025
RECOMMENDATION(S):
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve, and authorize the Chair of the Board to execute, the attached professional services agreement with Cisco Lassiter Investigations in the amount of $85,025; and
2. Authorize the Public Defender, or a designee thereof to execute any and all subsequent amendments to the attached professional services agreement with Cisco Lassiter Investigations, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administrative Office; and
3. Direct the Clerk of the Board to return one fully executed original copy of the attached professional services agreement with Cisco Lassiter Investigations to the Public Defender.
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board's Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Safe & Healthy Communities
Strategic Plan Category: 1001 -Support and sustain partnerships between public safety and partner agencies to enhance public safety in our communities.
DISCUSSION:
The California County Resentencing Pilot Program was established to evaluated and promote a collaborative approach to prosecutorial discretion in resentencing. Each participating county involves key stakeholders, including the district attorney's office, the public defender's office, and community-based organizations. The program's primary objective is to reduce incarceration costs by facilitating the release of individuals who have served lengthy sentences and no longer pose a risk to public safety.
In October 2021, the Humboldt County Public Defender's Office (HCPD) received $240,000 in funding for the program. Identifying eligible resentencing candidates requires comprehensive interviews with incarcera...
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