District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill PR25-0281 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	June 14, 2023
2	2	Dear Chairman Mendelson:
3	3	;er
4	4	r
5	5	MURIEL BOWSER
6	6	MAYOR
7	7	I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
8	8	do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
9	9	Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
10	10	for appointment as Director of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, to serve at the
11	11	pleasure of the Mayor.
12	12	Muri :1 Bo’
13	13	Mayi
14	14	Enclosed you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-mentioned
15	15	nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
16	16	The Honorable Phil Mendelson
17	17	Chairman
18	18	Council of the District of Columbia
19	19	John A. Wilson Building
20	20	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
21	21	Washington, DC 20004
22	22	In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law
23	23	2-142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01, and pursuant to section 102(b) of the Department of Youth
24	24	Rehabilitation Services Establishment Act of 2004, effective April 12, 2005 (D.C. Law 15-335;
25	25	D.C. Official Code § 2-1515.02(b)), I am pleased to nominate the following person:
26	26	Mr. Sam Abed
27	27	Oldham Street
28	28	Baltimore, MD 21224
29	29	Sincerely, A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
30	30	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
31	31	Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
32	32	as Director of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, pursuant to section 102(b) of the
33	33	Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services Establishment Act of 2004, effective April 12,30
34	34	2005 (D.C. Law 15-335; D.C. Official Code § 2-1515.02(b)), to serve at the pleasure of the31
35	35	Mayor.32
36	36	Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,33
37	37	upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.34
38	38	Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.35
39	39	1
40	40	2
41	41	3
42	42	4
43	43	5
44	44	6
45	45	7
46	46	8
47	47	9
48	48	10
49	49	11
50	50	12
51	51	13
52	52	14
53	53	15
54	54	16
55	55	17
56	56	18
57	57	19
58	58	20
59	59	21
60	60	22
61	61	23
62	62	24
63	63	25
64	64	26
65	65	27
66	66	28
67	67	29
68	68	To confirm the appointment of Mr. Sam Abed as Director of the Department of Youth
69	69	Rehabilitation Services.
70	70	Mr. Sam Abed
71	71	Oldham Street
72	72	Baltimore MD 21224
73	73	chairman Phil Mendelson
74	74	at the request of the Mayor
75	75	RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
76	76	resolution may be cited as the “Director of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services Sam
77	77	Abed Confirmation Resolution of 2023”. SAM ABED
78	78	PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
79	79	Key accomplishments include:
80	80	1 \| P a g e
81	81	• Member, National Academy of Sciences committee on a prioritized plan to
82	82	implement a developmental approach in juvenile justice reform. The resulting
83	83	report. Implementing Juvenile Justice Reform, The Federal Role has been
84	84	adopted by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice
85	85	and Delinquency Prevention.
86	86	• Chair, Statewide Juvenile Justice Reform Council whose recommendations were
87	87	adopted into law in the 2022 Maryland General Assembly session and included
88	88	the establishment of a minimum age of delinquency jurisdiction at 13 years old
89	89	for most offenses, prohibition of incarceration for misdemeanors except
90	90	firearms offenses, prohibition of incarceration for technical violations of
91	91	probation and expands the department's diversion authority to include non
92	92	violent felonies.
93	93	• Established the Office of Equity and Inclusion in 2016 and created the DJS Race
94	94	Equity Framework, to promote and achieve racial and ethnic equity in DJS
95	95	policies and practices. The framework involves building organizational will, skill
96	96	and knowledge to identify and disrupt inequitable treatment of youth.
97	97	• Drove down the detained youth population by 64% while also successfully
98	98	advocating to hold youth charged as adults in juvenile detention rather than
99	99	adult jails.
100	100	• Drove down the population of youth awaiting placement by 87% and out of
101	101	state placement population by over 90%.
102	102	• Transformed the budget from spending three times the dollars on residential
103	103	services when compared to community-based services to now spending twice
104	104	as much in the community which resulted in significantly less overall spending
105	105	netting a savings of $52 million dollars annually.
106	106	• The cumulative impact of over a decade of reforms resulted in overall youth
107	107	crime declining 78% statewide.
108	108	Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, Baltimore, Maryland
109	109	Secretary, January 2011 - January 2023
110	110	• Appointed by Governor Martin O'Malley in 2011 and Governor Larry Hogan in
111	111	2015.
112	112	• Responsible for the management and operation of the State's juvenile justice
113	113	system.
114	114	• Led over 2500 employees and maintained an operating budget of $280 million.
115	115	• Oversaw all phases and services of the agency, to include support services,
116	116	operations, intake, probation supervision, detention, treatment and aftercare of
117	117	committed youth.
118	118	• The DJS vision is to facilitate Successful Youth, Strong Leaders, Safer
119	119	Communities. 2 \| P a g e
120	120	University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore Maryland
121	121	Adjunct Professor, Fall 2021 - Present
122	122	Developed a course titled, "Ending Juvenile Mass Incarceration through Public
123	123	Policy"
124	124	The senior level class explores the role and function of the juvenile justice system
125	125	and how structural as well as policy-based reforms have resulted in lower
126	126	incarceration rates for youth in Maryland. The class also explores strategies
127	127	implemented around the country and engages students in discussion on their
128	128	effectiveness and impact on public safety in Maryland through a race equity lens.
129	129	Office of the Sussex County Commonwealth's Attorney, Sussex, Virginia
130	130	Assistant Commonwealth Attorney, June 2004 - March 2006
131	131	Prosecuted felony and misdemeanor crimes in the Juvenile, General District, and
132	132	Circuit Courts of Sussex County. Range of casework included Dili and other traffic
133	133	felonies, fraud, drug, and homicide offenses.
134	134	Virginia Commission for National and Community Service, Commonwealth
135	135	of Virginia
136	136	Commissioner, August 2002 - May 2005
137	137	Appointed by Governor Mark Warner to create a unified state plan on matters
138	138	related to the promotion and development of citizen service and volunteerism in
139	139	the Commonwealth. Oversight of requests to apply for federal funding for national
140	140	service projects, designed to foster a sense of civic duty in serving fellow
141	141	Virginians.
142	142	Interim Director, January 2010 - July 2010
143	143	Assumed responsibility for the duties of the director as well as chief deputy during
144	144	the transition between Governors. Maintained all operations during the biennial
145	145	budget planning General Assembly session.
146	146	Deputy Director of Operations, July 2010 - November 2010
147	147	Direct supervision of the Division of Operations - 6 juvenile correctional facilities
148	148	and 32 court service units statewide.
149	149	Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, Richmond, Virginia
150	150	Chief Deputy Director, March 2006 - January 2010
151	151	Appointed by Governor Tim Kaine to oversee of an agency budget of over $200
152	152	million, as well as management of a personal budget of nearly $1 million annually.
153	153	• Developed the Department's data resource guide, which identifies specific data
154	154	collection and service trends to achieve a measurable and positive impact on
155	155	the youth served in Maryland. See link here.
156	156	• Implemented the State's first human trafficking screening tool in all DJS
157	157	operated facilities.
158	158	• Significantly improved agency relationships with policy makers, the legislature,
159	159	local and federal counterparts, the judiciary, constituents, stakeholders and
160	160	external partners by continuously providing a transparent view of critical data
161	161	points and performance measures. EDUCATION
162	162	Students Class
163	163	PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND COMMITTEES
164	164	3 \| P a g e
165	165	• Virginia State Bar
166	166	• Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators (CJJA)
167	167	• Georgetown University Juvenile Justice Leadership Network (JJLN)
168	168	• TA Network for Children's Behavioral Health Advisory Board
169	169	• Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission
170	170	• Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force
171	171	• Governor's Workforce Investment Board
172	172	• Baltimore City Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (BCCJCC)
173	173	• Governor's Children's Cabinet
174	174	• DJS State Advisory Board
175	175	American University in Cairo, Arabic Language Institute, Cairo, Egypt
176	176	Summer Program, 1997
177	177	• Intensive study of the Arabic language
178	178	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
179	179	Bachelor of Science, Psychology 1997
180	180	• Arab Students Organization - Vice President
181	181	• Varsity Wrestling Team
182	182	Office of the City of Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney, Norfolk, Virginia
183	183	Assistant Commonwealth Attorney, April 2002 - May 2004
184	184	Attorney for team charged with prosecuting misdemeanor offenses in four
185	185	targeted police patrol car districts in the City of Norfolk. Also, prosecuted various
186	186	felony offenses including fraud, grand larceny and malicious wounding.
187	187	University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, Virginia
188	188	Juris Doctor, May 2001
189	189	• American Bar Association/Law
190	190	Representative
191	191	• Multi-ethnic Law Students Association, Co-President and Treasurer
192	192	• Phi Alpha Delta
193	193	Division, Treasurer and Sam Abed
194	194	Director Abed holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute
195	195	and State University. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Richmond School of
196	196	Law.
197	197	Sam Abed is Acting Director of the Department of Youth
198	198	Rehabilitation Services (DYRS).
199	199	Director Abed has decades of experience in public sector
200	200	administration and expertise in leading juvenile justice programs.
201	201	He recent served as Secretary of the Maryland Department of
202	202	Juvenile Services (DJS) responsible for the management and
203	203	operation of the State’s juvenile justice system, leading over 2000
204	204	employees, overseeing all phases and services of the agency, to
205	205	include support services, operations, intake, probation
206	206	supervision, detention, and treatment of committed youth in 11
207	207	youth centers throughout the state of Maryland.
208	208	Director Abed was chosen by the Governor of Maryland to Chair
209	209	the Juvenile Justice Reform Council in 2019, charged with identifying and making
210	210	recommendations to limit or otherwise mitigate risk factors that contribute to juvenile contact with
211	211	the criminal and juvenile justice systems. In 2014, the National Research Council appointed
212	212	Director Abed to the Committee on a Prioritized Plan to Implement a Developmental Approach in
213	213	Juvenile Justice Reform. The committee was convened to identify, assess and prioritize strategies
214	214	and
215	215	policies to effectively reform the juvenile justice system, building on the recommendations
216	216	from the 2013 report, ''Reforming Juvenile Justice: A Developmental Approach.'' The Committee
217	217	on a Prioritized Plan to Implement a Developmental Approach in Juvenile Justice Reform, in
218	218	collaboration with the Committee on Law and Justice, and the Division of Behavioral and Social
219	219	Sciences and Education, produced the publication “Implementing Juvenile Justice Reform: The
220	220	Federal Role. ”
221	221	Executi ve Office of the Mayor - Office of Talent and Appointments
222	222	John A. Wilson Building \| 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 \| Washington, DC 20004
223	223	★ ★ ★
224	224	WE ARE
225	225	WASHINGTON Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish
226	226	To:
227	227	From:
228	228	Date:
229	229	Subject:
230	230	Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
231	231	GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
232	232	Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
233	233	★ ★ ★
234	234	WE ARE
235	235	WASHINGTON
236	236	Tommy Wells, Steve Walker
237	237	Betsy Cavendish
238	238	June 7, 2023
239	239	Legal sufficiency review of Resolution nominating Sam Abed as Director of the
240	240	Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services__________________________
241	241	This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolution and
242	242	found it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
243	243	hesitate to call Vanessa Careiro, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at
244	244	202-724-1303, or me at 202-724-7681.
245	245	The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue. NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681