NAACP Calls for Criminal Investigations of Allegations of Probation and Education Departments Nationwide When There are Allegations of Massive Civil Rights Violations

Adopted

WHEREAS, the NAACP has consistently opposed and often sought a federal investigation of any municipal corrections or education department when there are allegations of civil rights violations against inmates; and 

WHEREAS, the County of Los Angeles' preliminary investigation, and random review of the Los Angeles County Probation Department has uncovered allegations of probation, employees promoting, encouraging, and staging juvenile inmate fighting, and physical abuse; and 

WHEREAS, this same investigation has revealed an alleged misappropriation and misuse of an estimated $79.5 million county funds; and 

WHEREAS, Los Angeles County Office of Education, in conjunction with, Los Angeles Probation Department has consistently and repeatedly awarded high school diplomas to juvenile students who were illiterate; and 

WHEREAS, teachers employed by the Los Angeles County Office of Education are chronically absent from classrooms serving juveniles; and 

WHEREAS, the juveniles are housed in dilapidated and substandard housing units; and 

WHEREAS, the probation department has consistently and repeatedly failed to discipline approximately 200 employees for various offenses and misconduct; and 

WHEREAS, Los Angeles County has over the years committed itself to rectifying the aforementioned issues and problems at the probation department and County Office of Education, it has demonstrated that it is not equipped, nor has the investigative know-how, or political will to address and resolve the issues of criminal and civil wrongdoings within the departments; and 

WHEREAS, the rehabilitation of African — American juveniles is a national problem, which directly affects African-Americans in every state; and 

WHEREAS, the African-American community is most affected by the transgressions of a corrupted and dysfunctional juvenile custodian system; and 

WHEREAS, a criminal and civil investigation into the Los Angeles County Probation Department and Los Angeles County Office of Education, which is one of the largest in the nation, by the U.S. Department of Justice could serve as a warning and model for further investigations into other juvenile detention and education centers nationwide; and 

WHEREAS, this is an issue that the NAACP should speak with one mighty national voice, instead of a stand-alone-branch. 

THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the NAACP calls for a criminal and civil investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice into the acts, actions and omissions of Los Angeles County Department of Probation, and Los Angeles County Office of Education; and 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports federal investigations and remedial action of all probation departments across the United States in which there are allegations of people or groups of people being treated differently because of their race, or allegations of blatant violations of people's civil rights.