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. |
