S ANGELES

FINAL REPORT

LOS ANGELES COUNTY GRAND JURY

1991-92

LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

GLORIA MOLINA, FIRST DISTRICT

KENNETH HAHN, SECOND DISTRICT

EDM UND D. EDELMAN, THIRD DISTRICT

DEANE DANA, FOURTH DISTRICT

MICHAEL D. ANTONOVICH, FIFTH DISTRICT

Acknowledgement

The Editorial Committee of the 1991-1992 Grand Jury is indebted to Sara Sproul ofthe Graphic Arts Department ofthe Superior Court for her invaluable contribution in the formatting of this final report. Our applause to Mr. William Harvey, ofHarvey House, who created the report logos and designed the cover page and to the Los Angeles Daily News for providing the cover page photos. Thanks also to Paradise Printing for their excellent production of the Jury's work.

The Grand Jury's special thanks go to Mr. Charles "Chuck" Gibson of Price Waterhouse, our contract auditor, and his dedicated team whose disciplined research and literate composition led to many of the conclusions and recommendations which we were pleased to adopt in those reports for which they were retained.

Table of Contents

1991-92 Los Angeles County Grand Jury ...................................................................................... III

Grand Jury Roster ........................................................................................................................................ IV

Judges ................................................................................................................................................................... V

Grand .Jury Officers and Staff ............................................................................................................... VI

Foreman's Statement .................................................................................................................................. VII

AUDIT COMMITTEE ................................................................................................................................ A report on the process for selecting the Contract Auditor and review and approval of Committee requests for audit services.

1

CHIEF ADMINISTRATION OFFICE COMMITTEE ........................................................... A diagnostic study of the budget and control practices of the Office of the CAO.

5

CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE Investigations and responses to by law enforcement officers.

citizen complaints alleging malfeasance 49

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE .................................................................................................................... An analysis of the editorial and contracting responsibilities required for the timely publication ofthe Grand Jury's Final Report.

57

ELDERCARE COMMITTEE ................................................................................................................. A report on the availability of services for the elderly and recommendations for improvements.

59

EXIT L.A. COMMITTEE An assessment of the Los Angeles County anti-business climate and the resulting exodus of job creators.

65

GANGS COMMITTEE ............................................................................................................................... Research into the deadly gang mentality and the educational programs designed to prevent young children from joining gangs.

91

Table of Contents

JAILS COMMITTEE .................................................................................................................................. Results of the inspection of jails and detention facilities operated by Los Angeles County and affiliated cities.

121

JUVENILE SERVICES COMMITTEE ........................................................................................... A study of Dependency Court legal representation and other associated services available to juveniles.

131

PENSION PLAN COMMITTEE .......................................................................................................... An examination ofthe legality and the cost ofthe recent increases in pension plan benefits for certain County employees.

161

SAVE OUR WATER COMMITTEE .................................................................................................. A review of possible sources and uses of reclaimed water by Los Angeles County and affiliated cities, with the goal to lessen the impact of recurrent periods of drought.

173

SLUDGE DISPOSAL COMMITTEE Recommendations for the disposal of a byproduct of treated sewage.

useful, and possibly marketable, 183

SOCIAL AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE An examination and fiscal estimate of the impact of illegal aliens on the citizens of Los Angeles County.

193

AD HOC COMMITTEE ............................................................................................................................. A limited inquiry into the current training, operational policies and practices of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

215

GRAND JURY SPEAKERS .................................................................................................................... 217

GRAND JURY FIELD TRIPS ............................................................................................................... 221

GRAND JURY RIDE ALONG, FLY ALONG .............................................................................. 223

ii Table of Contents

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HONORABLE RICARDO A. TORRES PRESIDING JUDGE, SUPERIOR COURT

1991-1993

HONORABLE GARY KLAUSNER HONORABLE CECIL MILLS

SUPERVISING JUDGE, SUPERIOR COURT SUPERVISING JUDGE, SUPERIOR COURT

1991 1992

Judges V

GRAND JURY OFFICERS

Left to Right: Elenore Scherck,

Secretary Pro Tem Emma Fuschgbeck,

Parlimentarian

Alice Moore, Sgt. at Arms

Bob Sutton, Foreman Pro Tem

George Ackerman, Foreman

Ian Grant, Secretary

GRAND JURY STAFF

Left to Right: Mary Ann Freeland Tim Fox Jane Rihn Dennis Duarte Kathy Spann Richard Colby Mirtha Hernandez Bob Cohen

VI Grand Jury Officers and Staff

Foreman's Statement

On July 1, 1991, twenty-three diverse citizens of our county were sworn in as members of the 1991­92 Los Angeles County Grand Jury by Honorable Gary Klausner, Supervising Judge of the Superior Court. Prior to that date, Honorable Ricardo A. Torres, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court, and a small committee of other Superior Court judges selected me to be the Foreman! Thus, commenced a year of adventure, achievement and sometimes frustration.

This FINAL REPORT contains untold hours ofwork and research by Committee Chairpersons, their Committee members, and additional data gathered by our outside auditors, Price Waterhouse.

Literally, hundreds of individuals were interviewed and visits were made to scores of County Departments and institutions. This FINAL REPORT contains recommendations and information which will favorably improve the operations of Los Angeles County, its life, and the lives of our citizens.

It is not my intention to single out any Reports or Committees for "outstanding achievement", but rather, to encourage the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors to study well our recommendations and to augment their contents.

Allow me to personally thank Richard Colby, an official Superior Court Reporter assigned to this Grand Jury, for his continuing help, guidance, and friendly cooperation throughout our entire year.

We were fortunate in having Robert Cohen as Legal Advisor and the Grand Jury Staff rendered appreciated services to us.

Foreman's Statement VII

Honorable Mills was to Grand Jury. was highly by

our entire group!

and we

as a person as diligent as Ian Grant. Alice A. Moore

was the Sergeant-At-Arms. No one was as cheerful or hardworking as this fine lady! Appreciation acknowledged to our other Officers: Emma E. Fischbeck, Elenore L. Scherck, and .,.""...,el

Tern.

conclusion, we are all and ""AcU«;'6""""";;;.u" excellence of County the

for We wish them<-<AM"'..."'­

well!

viii Foreman's Statement

Audit Committee

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Seated (Left to Right): Arnold Familian; Elenore Scherck, Chair; Mel David

Standing (Left to Right): Nancy Schoettler; Bob Sutton; Don Sanford

Audit Committee

Introduction and Summary

PROCEDURE

The Grand Jury derives its responsibility from the California Penal Code Sections 925, 925a and 928 to investigate and report on the management policies and fiscal needs of county offices and departments, joint powers agencies and special purpose assessment and taxing districts within Los Angeles CountYt and to ma.ke fiscal audits ofcities within the county.

The Grand Jury is authorized to engage the services of a contract auditor to assist in its investigations, The Audit Committee was delegated by the Grand Jury to interview and make its recommendations in the selection of a contract auditor. The following accounting and management firms were interviewed:

Price Waterhouse Cor<L>ba Corporation Deloitte & Touche Ernst & Young DMPG Peat Marwick David M, Griffith & Associates HarveyRQsc Coopers & Lybrand

Upon the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Grand Jury selected Price Waterhouse as its contract auditor.

A committee (petitioner) who wishes to have an audit considered makes a request in writing to the Audit Committee, The chairman of that committee appears before the Audit (',ommittee for the purpose of clarification and ampJification of the requested audit. Following approval by the Audit Committee, the Chairman of the Audit Committee presents the audit request to the full Grand Jury for their consideration, At this time the Chainnan of the requesting committee provides whatever information the full panel requests. Upon approval

Audit CommitW! 1

of the full Grand Jury, the Chairman of the Audit Committee informs the contract auditor in writing of the decision to go forward with the audit. Following receipt of the notification) Price Waterhouse assists the petitoning Committee in scoping and determining the feasibility of the proposed audit..

The fol1owing contract audits were undertaken in 1991·92 and are reported under the committee name a.ppearing in parenthesis:

Review otJuvenile p!:p"~ndency Court Legal Representation. (Infant and Juvenile Services).

Cost Jmpact ofIllegal Aliens on (Jounty Services. (Social and Human Sel"rrices),

Stud:! and17evention ofGang membership. (Gangs).

Business Exodus from L"A. County (Exit LA).

Audit ofLos A..nge?§!JLflQ!!:Rty Administrative Oftig: (CAO).

St1"fq.y of Waste Reclamation. (Sludge).

PUBUCATlON OF CONTRACT AUDIT REPORTS

Reports of the contract auditor were published in a bound cover for distribution to the Supervising Judge, each County Supervisor (if the County is involved), each City Council member {of a city which is involved), the agency audited and appropriate other recipients as detennined by the Grand Jury.

FINDINGS

At the onset ofour term we had been advised by Superi<:r Court Judge Gary Klausner and by our legal advisor, Robert Cohen, and other related court personnel that we would be ooavl1y involved in criminal hearings because Prop. 115 overturned the Hawkins decision, This

certainly turned out to be the case. Had it not been for the diligence ofthe committee m€mbers and their willingness to contribute numerous off-duty work hours many of the necessary interviews and investigations would have been delayed 01' canceled,

Last year's Grand Jury Foreman. in a letter to Supervisor Antonovich dated March 27, 1992, expressed his grave concern over the proposed budget reduction for the 1991~1992 Grand Jury. The Supervisor responded on June 28} 1991 with a noncommittal statement. The worst fears expressed by our predessor li'oreman came to pass, Our budget was cut by 22%. severly curtailing this Grand Jury's effectiveness. Reduced funding limited the selection of audit topics, resulting in the abandonment of certain target areas which should have been investigated.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Grand Jury recommends that its successor Grand Jury;

A. Organize into committees early in the term.

B. Ascertain each committee member's responsibilities.

C. Be willing to sacrifice some personal time. This is will be an absolute necessity if the hea.vy workload of criminal hearings continues into the "92-93" term.

D. Establish a Government Operations Committee to process incoming complaints that are not of a criminal nature.

Audit Committee :3

ChiefAdministration Office Committee

CHIEF ADMINISTRATION OFFICE COMMITTEE

Seated (Left to Right): Stewart Steckel; Aileen Nesmith

Standing (Left to Right): Sheila Banken; Franklin Henderson, Chair