Title 6.5. Local Criminal Justice Planning of California Penal Code >> Title 6.5. >> Part 4.

The Legislature finds and declares:
  (a) That crime is a local problem that must be dealt with by state and local governments if it is to be controlled effectively.
  (b) That criminal justice needs and problems vary greatly among the different local jurisdictions of this state.
  (c) That effective planning and coordination can be accomplished only through the direct, immediate and continuing cooperation of local officials charged with general governmental and criminal justice agency responsibilities.
  (d) That planning for the efficient use of criminal justice resources requires a permanent coordinating effort on the part of local governments and local criminal justice and delinquency prevention agencies.

(a) For the purposes of coordinating local criminal justice activities and planning for the use of state and federal action funds made available through any grant programs, criminal justice and delinquency prevention planning districts shall be established.
  (b) On January 1, 1976, all planning district boundaries shall remain as they were immediately prior to that date. Thereafter, the number and boundaries of those planning districts may be altered from time to time pursuant to this section; provided that no county shall be divided into two or more districts, nor shall two or more counties which do not comprise a contiguous area form a single district.
  (c) Prior to taking any action to alter the boundaries of any planning district, the council shall adopt a resolution indicating its intention to take the action and, at least 90 days prior to the taking of the action, shall forward a copy of the resolution to all units of government directly affected by the proposed action.
  (d) If any county or a majority of the cities directly affected by the proposed action objects thereto, and a copy of the resolution of each board of supervisors or city council stating its objection is delivered to the Director of Emergency Services within 30 days following the giving of the notice of the proposed action, the director shall conduct a public meeting within the boundaries of the district as they are proposed to be determined. Notice of the time and place of the meeting shall be given to the public and to all units of local government directly affected by the proposed action, and reasonable opportunity shall be given to members of the public and representatives of those units to present their views on the proposed action.

Each county placed within a single county planning district may constitute a planning district upon execution of a joint powers agreement or arrangement acceptable to the county and to at least that one-half of the cities in the district which contain at least one-half of the population of the district. Counties placed within a multicounty planning district may constitute a planning district upon execution of a joint powers agreement or other arrangement acceptable to the participating counties and to at least that one-half of the cities in such district which contain at least one-half of the population of such district. If no combination of one-half of the cities of a district contains at least one-half of the population of the district, then agreement of any half of the cities in such district is sufficient to enable execution of joint powers agreements or other acceptable arrangements for constituting planning districts.

Planning districts may be the recipients of criminal justice and delinquency prevention planning or coordinating funds made available to units of general local government or combinations of units of general local government by federal or state law. Such planning districts shall establish local criminal justice and delinquency prevention planning boards, but shall not be obligated to finance their activities in the event that federal or state support of such activities is lacking.

(a) The membership of each local board shall be consistent with state and federal statutes and guidelines; shall be representative of a broad range of community interests and viewpoints; and shall be balanced in terms of racial, sexual, age, economic, and geographic factors. Each local board shall consist of not less than 21 and not more than 30 members, a majority of whom shall be locally elected officials.
  (b) The California Council on Criminal Justice shall promulgate standards to ensure that the composition of each board complies with subdivision (a). The council shall annually review the composition of each board, and if it finds that the composition of a local board complies with the standards, it shall so certify. Certification shall be effective for one year; provided that if the membership of a board changes by more than 25 percent during a period of certification, the council may withdraw the certificate prior to its expiration.
  (c) If the council determines that the composition of a local board does not comply with the standards, it shall direct the appropriate appointing authority to reappoint the local board and shall again review the composition pursuant to this section after such reappointments are made. The council may void decisions made by such board after such finding and due notice. The council may approve the allocation of planning or action funds only to those districts which have been certified pursuant to this section.

Except as otherwise provided in Section 13904, representatives of the public shall be appointed to local criminal justice and delinquency prevention planning boards, of a number not to exceed the number of representatives of government on that board. At least one-fifth of the membership of such boards shall be representatives of citizens, professional and community organizations, including organizations directly related to delinquency prevention.

Planning boards may contract with other public or private entities for the performance of services, may appoint an executive officer and other employees, and may receive and expend funds in order to carry out planning and coordinating responsibility.

(a) The Office of Criminal Justice Planning shall undertake a study to determine whether it would be feasible to develop a state-operated center on computer forensics for the purpose of collecting, compiling, and analyzing information, including evidence seized in connection with criminal proceedings, in computer formats to provide assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prosecution of crimes involving computer technology.
  (b) The office shall involve state and local law enforcement agencies as well as representatives of the computer industry in the development of the feasibility study required by this section.
  (c) The office shall report its findings and conclusions to the Legislature on or before June 30, 2000.