ACTIVITIES OF HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS CONFLICT RESOLUTION To a greater or lesser degree all human rights commissions resolve conflicts. Larger
commissions, such as the Los Angeles County HRC, have full-time staff whose activities are primarily in the area of community conflict resolution.Typically, human rights commission staff will receive several calls a
day requesting intervention in a broad range of issues. If the commission wishes to respond to conflicts it can do so by providing staff guidelines listing activities they can take on its behalf without prior
consultation and activities that require consultation or participation by the commission. There are several organizations that provide conflict resolution training on a fee for service basis, however the Federal
Mediation Service will usually provide a two-day training course at no cost. One of the best conflict resolution training courses is conducted by the California Department of Corrections and it can be adapted to
your needs. Once staff has some time to gauge its work load the Commission could sponsor, or advocate, the development of a public or private community conflict resolution programs to meet specific problems that tend
to drain the resources of the commission. CRIMINAL JUSTICE Youth Human rights commissions will typically receive complaints about the treatment of juveniles by the
probation department, the courts and the treatment facilities. Generally, a commission will refer cases to the Juvenile Justice Commission or other appropriate oversight or advisory body and request a report on
the resolution of the complaint. For those cases where there is no appropriate advisory or oversight body, commissions usually will seek the cooperation of appropriate public bodies in conducting investigations or
hearings. Adult An educated guess is that about 50% of the complaints received
by human rights commissions relates to police so it is discussed separately under the heading entitled "law enforcement." Absent a major incident or concern about the inability of inmates to receive fair treatment
through existing committees, human relation commissions will usually refer complaints by prisoners to the appropriate committee and hold hearings if issues need greater public attention.
EDUCATION Next to complaints relating to law enforcement, the concern for schools and
education generates the greatest demand for the attention of human relations commissions. Because school decision making is diffused between boards of education, school administrators, and faculties human rights
commissions are usually not able to establish strong working relationships with the education community and special strategies need to be developed. Outstanding resources and model programs are available that
cover just about every facet of education that would be of concern to a commission. Commissions may form education committees to examine specific needs, identify resources and programs, and develop strategies.
EMPLOYMENT County Employment
Generally, human relations commissions are represented on affirmative action committees or have their own committee to address county employment issues.
Commissions frequently will monitor county employment policies, procedures and practices to ensure that they are not discriminatory.
Employment Discrimination The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and agencies in the state contracted with by EEOC process
complaints of discrimination in employment. In several states, contracts with EEOC for the processing of employment discrimination complaints provide a major source of funding for human relations
commissions. In some areas state law precludes local governmental agencies from investigating employment discrimination and contracting with EEOC.Some local governments mirror Federal Executive Orders and
require all contractors with whom they do business to certify they do not discriminate and require them to file affirmative action plans with the Human Relations Commission. The filing fee is used by the Human
Relations Commission to staff a contract compliance section that enforces the ordinance. Human relations commissioners and staff will generally receive complaints of employment discrimination. Unless there
is a contact with EEOC, particular interest in the employer or in the issue raised by the complaints they are usually referred to the appropriate enforcement agency. When issues are of interest to the Commission
it can make inquiries and hold hearings. However, enforcement of laws against employment discrimination may not be within the jurisdiction of the human relations commission. Commissions frequently work with
employers in their development of affirmative action programs and act as advocates to improve employment practices, policies and procedures. Human relations commission frequently co-sponsor activities with
appropriate agencies such as commissions on aging and commissions on the status of women. HATE VIOLENCE
Prevention Hate groups work most effectively in communities where human relations
commissions do not exist and where issues that divide that community can be exploited to foment racial, religious and other forms of conflict. Simply by existing as a forum that is readily accessible for people
who need help to resolve an issue a commission will assist in preventing hate violence. A myriad of programs can be sponsored to promote harmony including festivals celebrating diversity, educational programs etc.
Responses Community and national organizations such as the Anti-Defamation
League, Asian-Pacific American Advocates, Center for Democratic Renewal, Mexican American Political Association, National Association for the Advancement of colored People as well as human relations commissions receive
complaints of hate violence. Some human relations commissions take on the task of becoming a repository for the complaints within their jurisdiction and coordinate their efforts with law enforcement.
In San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sonoma County reports of hate violence are shared between the commissions and law enforcement agencies and procedures for mutual assistance in responding to
incidents have been developed. This requires the development of a positive working relationship with local law enforcement agencies and the development of an incident reporting form.Comments under the heading
"Conflict Resolution" above are appropriate for consideration in assessing the response responsibilities of a commission to hate violence. A discussion about law enforcement response to hate violence can be found
below under the heading "Law Enforcement". HEALTH In the
absence of patient advocate groups to advise hospitals on methods to improve health care and to help people overcome obstacles in obtaining adequate health care, human relations commissions will typically receive
complaints about hospitals refusing to provide health care, being unable to communicate with non-English speaking residents and other issues relating to the inadequate provision of health care. Commissions may
examine the feasibility of assisting community groups to form a patient advocacy group, form a health committee to assure itself that hospitals are meeting the needs of the community, respond to complaints as they made
or select some other appropriate option. When complaints of health care are chronic commissions may hold public hearings to publicize the issues and gain support for programs designed to remedy the problems.
HOMELESS The involvement of human rights commissions
in the problems of the homeless is increasing. Commissions serve to highlight the problems of homeless in the community and act as a catalyst to promote support for homeless programs.
HOUSING As in employment legislation may preempt local governmental agencies from
enforcing laws barring discrimination in housing. However, fair housing groups investigate and discover discrimination in housing by sending out "testers" to determine whether people representing those protected
by law are treated differently than other applicants for housing. When discrimination is found the group may charge the offending party with discrimination.Human relations commission often develop working
relationships with local fair housing groups. Commissions may take the lead to ensure that people who move into areas where they are not the dominant racial or ethnic group are welcomed. Programs to accomplish
this vary according to the situation. The type of activity appropriate when a relatively large number of people representing an ethnic or racial group move into an area populated with people from a different
ethnic or racial group may be inappropriate when a few families of one ethnic or racial group move into a relatively homogeneous community of people from another ethnic or racial group. Programs may involve the
residents in isolation from the institutions of the county, or they may involve the schools, law enforcement and other public agencies. LAW ENFORCEMENT The bulk of complaints made to human relations commissions are directed against police
departments. The relationship between human relation commissions and law enforcement agencies is often very tenuous. On the one hand commissions need to work with law enforcement agencies to address hate
violence and other issues that require police activity and on the other hand commissions are called on to act as an advocate for those who want the police department to be taken to task for real and/or perceived abuses.
The need for mutual understanding and respect of the roles both agencies are required to play is continually addressed by commissions. Unfortunately the issue usually arises when a commission and a law
enforcement agency are polarized over an issue that is potentially divisive. Some commissions develop procedures to enable the working relationship to continue when the commission is required to advocate for those
who have complaints against law enforcement. MENTAL HEALTH Commissions infrequently receive complaints about the treatment of mentally ill people
by police, hospitals and other public agencies. Unless there is a major incident or some reason to believe the rights of patients cannot be protected through existing committees, commissions generally refer these
cases to patient advocate groups. However, commissions generally will support these groups when they address issues regarding law enforcement, homelessness and abuse of patient rights.
SENIORS The problems of seniors relate to the whole spectrum of goods and services needed by disadvantaged people. Commissions are called on to support activities of senior
advocate groups and the Commissions on Aging as they address issues relating to the rights and needs of the elderly. WELFARE Human rights commission may be
requested to assist either in maintaining or improving benefits eligibility requirements for welfare and other support programs. Generally, commissions refer day to day complaints of people receiving financial aid
to welfare rights organizations when they exist, and they may hold hearings when the existing services are perceived as inadequate. |
