ACLU of Santa Cruz County, CA

We have three exciting speakers lined up for our 2008 Annual Meeting, which is November 12, 7 to 9pm, at the Louden Nelson Center in Santa Cruz.

James Bell

Mr. James Bell, both activist and advocate, is devoted to the equalization of the juvenile justice system for marginalized, disadvantaged, minority youth.  James Bell’s perseverance to rectify a systematically prejudice system, led him to establish the W. Haywood Burns Institute in 2001, named for late W. Haywood Burns, a lawyer and activist who too dedicated his life to human rights and justice.  It is apparent why Mr. James Bell would honor and forward the work of equity for all, paved by Mr. Haywood Burns. 

Mr. James Bells’ accomplishments are akin to those of Mr. Burns. Since Graduating Hastings College of Law in 1978, he has dedicated his career to equalizing the juvenile justice system.  Prior to establishing the Burns Institute, James Bell worked for 20 years as a lawyer at the Youth Law Center in San Francisco.  It was his experiences with the San Francisco juvenile justice system that opened his eyes to the unacceptable trends of disproportionate minority confinement - recognizing that the traditional juvenile justice system is racially biased and has systematically perpetuated a long history of racial injustice.  The Haywood Burns Institute strives to establish alternatives to incarceration for juveniles, by tracking, through all contributing agencies, the systematic causes of racially and socio-economically inequitable practices within our justice system.  The Burns Institute partners with other community programs, like the Community Justice Network for Youth, to provide alternatives to jail while teaching the youth about civic engagement.  

James Bell’s experience working to transform the juvenile justice has not only been substantial nationally, but also internationally.  Mr. Bell worked in South Africa with the African National Congress, and with the Palestinians and Israelis, on alternatives to juvenile incarceration, in addition to traveling to Brazil, Cambodia, Kenya and France, to instruct bureaucrats on human rights for children. 

Mr. James Bell’s own words exemplify his passion for the subject, as he writes “…we are dedicated to working to improve the life opportunities for youth and families that bear the brunt of the failure of public systems serving the poor, resulting in a cradle to prison pipeline.”  Santa Cruz is fortunate to have had Mr. Bell work with the Santa Cruz Juvenile Justice system and to serve on the panel of the ACLU Annual Meeting, Jailing Our Children event.

Mardi Wormhoudt

Mardi Wormhoudt has been an exceptional asset to and remarkable servant of the Santa Cruz area for over 20 years.  Mardi initiated her political career as a City Council Member in the City of Santa Cruz in November 1981, however her commitment to social service began far before then. 

Mardi’s beginning was as a Case Worker for the Los Angeles Department of Social Services, a profession that takes purity of purpose to helping those less fortunate.  She then became the Project Director of the Martin Luther King Center in Pasadena, California.  As Project Director she developed and managed programs pertaining to equitable education and housing advocacy for low-income people. 

But, Mardi Wormhoudt’s initial stages hardly cover the breadth of work and commitment she has done, and continues to do, for the people in the Santa Cruz community.  Mardi served as the Mayor of Santa Cruz three terms (from 1984-1985, 1988-1989 and 1989-1990); was on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, Third District Chair; sat on the City Council for nearly a decade; was the Chief Executive Officer of the Santa Cruz County Credit Union; and Director of the Solidarity Committee, Santa Cruz Central Labor Council and Monterey Building Trades Council working to develop legislative strategies to benefit organized labor workers.  This all is in addition to the innumerable other community activities and councils she has served throughout her years of service to county.

Mardi’s accomplishments correspond to the awards she has received for them.  To name a few, Mardi was awarded the People’s Democratic Club Woman of the Year; Resolution of Commendation, from Congress member Leon Panetta, the Senate Rules Committee, the California State Assembly and the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors; as well as the California State Assembly Woman of the Year Award - these amongst many others. 

All Mardi’s service to the Santa Cruz Community has always been under the political philosophy of enacting socially and environmentally just policies.  But it is her work on improving the juvenile justice system that has brought her as a panelist at this event.  Her passion began when she was joined the Board of Supervisors.  Mardi was appalled by the conditions of our local Juvenile Hall.  The culturally biased policies were not working as they perpetuated the larger, national problem of disproportionate minority confinement.  From then on Mardi has been dedicated to “humanizing” our juvenile justice system – and she, with the help of others, has changed the Santa Cruz Juvenile Hall through enacting alternatives to incarceration. 

Mardi currently teaches a course on juvenile justice at UCSC in the Community Studies Department.  She continues her work striving to break the unjust and inequitable cycle of policies that imprison and perpetuate racial inequity.  The Santa Cruz community is privileged to have such a dedicated advocate for human rights and justice.

Scott MacDonald

Scott MacDonald, Santa Cruz County Chief of Probation, has, and continues to, fundamentally transform our local detention policies by creating alternatives to incarceration.  His extraordinary work in diminishing both juvenile and adult incarceration rates has subsequently advanced the Santa Cruz model to become nationally renown.

Scott MacDonald has worked for 24-years in multiple capacities – as an officer, supervisor, and manager - in both the juvenile and adult divisions within the Santa Cruz County Probation Department.  Scott MacDonald collaborated with numerous community agencies to establish innovative programs that positively affect the policies of Santa Cruz probation.  The most notable programs comprise of Neighborhood Accountability Boards; the UCSC partnership to initiate internship courses; the creation of Evening Centers with wrap around services that care for the whole youth; and the provision of thorough services to adult probationers with children. 

Since 1997, Santa Cruz County has cut the juvenile arrest rates by nearly half.  Scott MacDonald pioneered these changes.  It is transparent why Santa Cruz United Way awarded Scott MacDonald the 2007 Community Hero award – as he truly is a Santa Cruz community hero.  This is in addition to Scott being honored as the County Employee of the Year - for three different years. 

Santa Cruz has been truly fortunate to have a man, like Scott MacDonald, who is of such high caliber.  His service to the community has led to the implementation of racial and socially just juvenile and adult justice programs.  The models Scott has established for Santa Cruz epitomizes the way the system, and those touched by it deserve to be treated – both equally and compassionately.