27 Sep Contra Costa County Seeks Applicants for Racial Justice Oversight Group

(Image courtesy of Contra Costa County)

By Michael J. Fitzgerald

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has put out the call for interested persons to apply to serve on the 18-member Racial Justice Oversight Body. The group has nine open seats representing different organizations and communities.

The RJOB is a multi-agency group that oversees the execution of recommendations that have been made by the Racial Justice Task Force and accepted by the Board of Supervisors. The recommendations are meant to reduce racial disparities in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. The group also reviews local criminal and juvenile justice data to identify and address any racial disparities.

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Appointments are for two years, from Jan. 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2024. The group meets on a quarterly basis. Its members also serve on its three subcommittees, which meet monthly. Members do not receive compensation, stipends, or reimbursement of expenses for serving on the RJOB or its subcommittees.

The RJOB is composed of the following 18 members:

Four ex‐officio members:

• The sheriff or his designee
• The chief probation officer or her designee
• The public defender or her designee
• The district attorney or her designee

Five appointed members:

• A representative from the Superior Court, as a non-voting member
• A representative from a local law enforcement agency, nominated by the Contra Costa County Police Chiefs’ Association
• A representative from the Contra Costa County Office of Education
• A representative from a local school district
• A representative from Contra Costa County Health Services Department

The nine community‐based representatives to be selected and appointed by the Board of Supervisors include:

• Two members of the Contra Costa Racial Justice Coalition
• Two individuals with prior personal criminal or juvenile justice system involvement
• Two representatives from community-based organizations that work with justice-involved populations of any age
• One representative from a community-based organization that works with justice-involved youth
• One representative from a faith-based organization

Applications are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 10. Selected applicants will be invited to a public interview process conducted by the Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee, which consists of Supervisors Candace Andersen in District 2 and Federal Glover in District 5.

Andersen and Glover will recommend applicants for the Board of Supervisors to appoint to the Racial Justice Oversight Body.

The following timeline has been set to fill the nine vacant RJOB seats:

Oct. 10: Final day of the application period, due by 5 p.m.

Oct. 24: Interviews with the Public Protection Committee

Nov. 8: Board of Supervisors appointment

Application forms can be obtained from the clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 655-2000 or from the county’s Boards and Commissions webpage, https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/3418/.

Completed applications should be emailed to ClerkoftheBoard@cob.cccounty.us. Applications can also be mailed to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors Office at 1025 Escobar St., 1st Floor, Martinez, CA 94553.