Some people might wince at the idea of
year-long jury duty, but for 65-year-old Peter Hersh, serving on the Orange
County Grand Jury has been the experience of a lifetime.
Hersh, a retired city planner from Laguna
Niguel, said he joined the Grand Jury this year as a way to give back to his
community. He soon found himself logging up to 50 hours a week as the jury’s
foreperson.
“It’s the greatest reward to be able to make a
difference with ideas and recommendations that people are willing to
implement,” said Hersh, whose term ends June 30. “That’s the best legacy I
could ask for.”
However, sometimes finding people as
enthusiastic as Hersh about serving on the Grand Jury isn’t easy.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Charles
Margines, assistant presiding judge and chairman of the Grand Jury selection
committee, said the court has difficulty recruiting new jurors each year
because of the significant time commitment. Grand jurors serve a minimum of 30
hours a week (Monday through Thursday), and are compensated with a $50 daily
stipend, plus mileage.
Orange County is now seeking 19 new members
for its 2016-2017 Grand Jury. Jurors will serve for a one-year term that begins
July 1.
The position typically attracts retirees from
South County, Hersh said, adding that the Grand Jury does outreach to recruit
members from other parts of the county and bring diversity to the panel.
“Unfortunately, people who serve tend to be
the ones who don’t have financial pressures, so we’re always looking for more
diversity and want to have equal representation of the districts, especially
North County,” he said.
The county is hoping for more applications
from individuals living in the cities of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Garden
Grove, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, La Habra, Placentia, Santa Ana and
Westminster.
The current Grand Jury includes 10 women and
nine men; two Hispanic members, one African-American member, and one Asian
member. They range in age from 52 to 76 years old.
California law requires each county to have a
Grand Jury of 19 or 23 members, depending on population. In Orange County, the
Grand Jury focuses on both criminal indictments and civil investigations.
Hersh said the Grand Jury plays an important
role as a county watchdog, with about 80 percent of its time spent on civil
investigations into all aspects of local government and public agencies. The
Grand Jury also is mandated by law to investigate the conditions of public
jails.
After extensive investigations, the jury
typically releases more than a dozen reports with recommendations each year.
This year’s reports include the “questionable
decisions” over the development of Irvine’s Great Park, and a scathing look at
the conditions of Orange County’s animal shelters.
While the agencies are not required by law to
follow the recommendations, they are required to submit a written response. The
reports can lead to major agency changes, but the feedback is not always well
received.
In 2013, the Grand Jury made headlines when it
released a report calling for an ethics commission to address what they said
was “corruption in Orange County.” The report was rejected by the Orange County
Board of Supervisors, calling it “selective” and “one-sided.”
Hersh said the reports are important for
raising awareness for the public and elected officials.
To be considered for a slot on the Grand Jury,
a person must meet certain legal requirements, including being 18 years or
older and a U.S. citizen.
Prospective jurors will undergo background
checks and extensive interviews by a panel of judges. An ideal juror must be of
sound mind and have research and writing skills, a background in community
involvement, and objectivity, Hersh said. The Grand Jury is then selected by a
random drawing of the top 25 to 30 candidates.
“It requires a lot of energy and commitment,”
Hersh said. “It’s a full-time job, but it’s an incredible experience.”
November 27, 2015
Orange
County Register
By Kelly Puente
No comments:
Post a Comment