Report 2011-129 Recommendation 3 Responses
Report 2011-129: Juvenile Justice Realignment: Limited Information Prevents a Meaningful Assessment of Realignment's Effectiveness (Release Date: September 2012)
Recommendation #3 To: State and Community Corrections, Board of
To maximize the usefulness of the information it makes available to stakeholders and to increase accountability, the board should create policies and procedures that include clear, comprehensive guidance to counties about all aspects of performance outcome and expenditure reporting. At a minimum, such guidance should include specifying how counties should define when a juvenile has received a service and whether certain services, such as training, should qualify as serving juveniles.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018
The BSCC provided corresponding training and technical assistance to counties via two statewide conference calls held on March 8, 2017 and September 6, 2017. All counties were invited to participate.
In implementing AB 1998, the BSCC also created new reporting forms that are posted on our website available to counties, stakeholders and the general public. They include:
- JJCPA-YOBG 2018 Expenditure and Data Report Template - Excel
- JJCPA-YOBG 2018 Year-End Reporting Process - Word
- JCPSS Reporting Standards Glossary - PDF
- JJCPA-YOBG Consolidated Annual Plan - Word
- JJCPA Annual Report to the Legislature, 2017 - PDF
- JJCPA 2016-17 Allocation Schedule - PDF
- AB 1998 Frequently Asked Questions (4/4/17) - PDF
This information can be found at our website located at: http://www.bscc.ca.gov/s_jjcpayobgjuvjuscrimeprevact.php.
- Completion Date: April 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Resolved
AB 1998 made many planning and reporting changes related to juvenile justice programs. The documents that the BSCC lists in its response contain sufficient information for counties to understand their reporting responsibilities.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2016
As noted in our original response to the audit report, BSCC past practice has been to provide training to county personnel responsible for submitting data. In addition, BSCC historically made available a "user's manual" to guide those responsible for data submission. Further, instructions are incorporated into all reporting forms. In response to this recommendation, those instructions have been updated where possible to address the concerns of the State Auditor. To implement AB 1998, BSCC will create new reporting forms for use by the counties. BSCC will provide corresponding training and technical assistance to counties with the rollout of these new forms. AB 1998 removes the prior mandate that the BSCC approve county plans and instead requires that the BSCC collect and post the information on its website so that stakeholders and the general public can easily view it. Finally, AB 1998 also eliminated the requirement to report on which or how many juveniles received services so there is no need for guidance on how to define when a juvenile has received a service and whether certain services qualify as serving juveniles.
- Completion Date: October 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Because AB 1998 changed tracking and reporting requirements, this recommendation is pending until BSCC creates and implements new reporting forms, corresponding training and technical assistance to counties.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2015
As noted in our original response to the audit report, BSCC past practice has been to provide training to county personnel responsible for submitting data. In addition, BSCC historically made available a "user's manual" to guide those responsible for data submission. Further, instructions are incorporated into all reporting forms. In response to this recommendation, those instructions have been updated where possible to address the concerns of the State Auditor.
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2014
As noted in our original response to the audit report, BSCC past practice has been to provide training to county personnel responsible for submitting data. In addition, BSCC has also made available a "user's manual" to guide those responsible for data submission. This has not been possible for the YOBG program due to staffing and budgetary constraints. Consequently, instructions are incorporated into all reporting forms and those instructions have been updated where possible to address the concerns of the State Auditor.
Since the reporting requirements are likely to change in the very near future, the BSCC is looking toward the opportunity to more fully implement this recommendation based upon the new direction charted by the JJDWG. The JJDWG recommendations are due by April 30, 2015; action on this recommendation would commence thereafter.
- Estimated Completion Date: unknown
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2014
As noted in our original response to the audit report, BSCC past practice has been to provide training to county personnel responsible for submitting data. In addition, BSCC has also made available a "user's manual" to guide those responsible for data submission. This has not been possible for the YOBG program due to staffing and budgetary constraints. Consequently, instructions are incorporated into all reporting forms and those instructions have been updated where possible to address the concerns of the State Auditor.
Since the reporting requirements are likely to change in the very near future, the BSCC is looking toward the opportunity to more fully implement this recommendation based upon the new direction charted by the JJDWG. The JJDWG recommendations are due by April 30, 2015; action on this recommendation would commence thereafter.
- Estimated Completion Date: unknown
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2013
Please refer to our one-year response.
- Estimated Completion Date: Unknown
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Please refer to the one-year response assessment.
1-Year Agency Response
As noted in our original response to the audit report, BSCC practice has been to provide training to county personnel responsible for submitting data. Additionally, BSCC historically made available a "users manual" to guide those responsible for data submission. This has not been possible for the YOBG program due to staffing and budgetary constraints. However, all data collection instruments were pilot tested prior to implementation and each year BSCC staff use feedback from counties and personal observation to enhance the forms. The feedback received has not indicated significant confusion on the part of users. Because it was not possible to develop separate "user's manuals," guidance is incorporated into the forms and has also been provided in other communications distributed along with the forms.
Recognizing these steps fall short of providing an optimal level of scrutiny, given the necessary resources, BSCC would welcome the opportunity to institute the steps and measures it typically uses when collecting survey information. In the interim, we have modified the instructions provided to counties as needed and will continue to do so. BSCC progress toward implementation of this recommendation is reflected in the March 2013 legislative report. Prior to development of that report, BSCC clarified with counties that capacity building services, such as training, do not qualify as serving juveniles. Consequently, that report presents standardized information for all such services. We intend to further define terminology within the context of YOBG as the need arises.
- Estimated Completion Date: unknown
- Response Date: September 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: No Action Taken
Although the board states that the feedback it has received has not indicated significant confusion on the part of counties, our audit results demonstrated that counties submitted inconsistent and inaccurate information. We believe that it is both practical and very necessary to provide additional guidance to counties for how to report performance outcome data in a consistent and meaningful manner. Without additional guidance to the counties, the board will continue to collect inconsistent and dissimilar information, which results in reports that can be misleading.
6-Month Agency Response
The BSCC stated that it clarified with counties whether certain services, such as training, could qualify as serving juveniles. As a result, the BSCC's most recent report to the Legislature presents standardized information for all such services.
- Response Date: March 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending
The BSCC indicated that it would provide documentation of the guidance that was provided to counties with its 1-year response.
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60-Day Agency Response
According to the board, it has begun reviewing its existing directions and forms provided to counties. Based on the outcome of this review, the board will make the needed adjustments to the guidelines prior to the counties' next reporting date in October 2013. (See 2013-406, p. 230)
- Response Date: November 2012
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2011-129
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.