177,227 / 60.44% Yes votes ...... 116,008 / 39.56% No votes

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Section 504 of the Charter of the County of Santa Clara provides that the Judge of the Juvenile Court appoint the Chief Adult and Juvenle Probation Officer. The Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Clara proposes amending Section 504 to provide that the County Executive appoint, supervise, direct, suspend, and remove the Chief Adult and Juvenile Probation Officer. The proposed amendment will not affect the Juvenile Justice Commission.

The purpose of the amendment to Section 504 of the Charter is to improve safety and conditions for children at Juvenile Hall based on independent audit recommendations.

If the amendment to Section 504 is approved, the Board of Supervisors will establish a Juvenile Hall Advisory Board which will include one Judge from Juvenile Court; the District Attorney or his or her designee; the Public Defender or his or her designee; the Sheriff or his or her designee; two health professionals designated by the Executive Director of the Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System with expertise in the area of child psychiatry and child development, respectively; one from each of the three employee bargaining organizations in the Probation Department; two persons who were incarcerated at Juvenile Hall and who completed probation successfully; two parents of persons who were or are incarcerated at Juvenile Hall; and others as determined by the Board of Supervisors.

A 'yes' vote is a vote to amend Section 504 of the Charter of the County of Santa Clara.

A 'no' vote is a vote not to amend Section 504 of the Charter of the County of Santa Clara.

Ann Miller Ravel
County Counsel

By: Lisa Herrick
Deputy County Counsel

Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters

• Ballot Pamphlet Information - currently only in .pdf format

Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County

• Pros & Cons of Measure A

Pros & Cons
Thursday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 pm
Saratoga Community Library, Saratoga Ave. at Fruitvale, Saratoga, CA
sponsored by League of Women Voters and American Assoc. of University Women

San Jose Mercury News

• Report: Broad changes needed at juvenile hall - Aug. 28, 2003

Shall Section 504 of the Charter of the County of Santa Clara County be amended to read as follows, and shall the Board of Supervisors upon passage of the Charter amendment establish a Juvenile Hall Advisory Board which shall include the following composition: One judge from Juvenile Court; the District Attorney or his or her designee; the Public Defender or his or her designee; the Sheriff or his or her designee; two health professionals designated by the Executive Director of the Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System with expertise in the area of child psychiatry and child development, respectively; one member from each of the three employee bargaining organizations in the Probation Department; two persons who were incarcerated at Juvenile Hall and who completed probation successfully; two parents of persons who were or are incarcerated at Juvenile Hall; and others as determined by the Board of Supervisors.

Section 504

The County Exective shall appoint, supervise, direct, suspend, or remove the Chief Adult and Juvenile Probation Officer pursuant to Section 404(a) of Article IV of this Charter. Nothing in this section shall preclude the Board of Supervisors from exercising the power granted in Section 302(a) of this Charter.