California Association of Pretrial Services







	March 10, 2008 2008 Membership Application January 31, 2008 Dear Friends and Colleagues; As with each new year, it's time to renew your membership in CAPS or consider joining for the first time. Your association needs your membership to support its activities on behalf of the members and our profession. The membership rate is $30 and entitles you to all of our mailings; reduced conference registration fees; and the opportunity to join the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA) at the Affiliate level rate of $20. This represents a significant reduction as membership rates for NAPSA are $50 for regular membership and $75 for managers and administrators. On behalf of the Board of Directors I strongly encourage you to support your association with your membership. In addition to providing financial support for our annual training conference and other activities, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you are contributing to the only professional association designed exclusively to meet the needs of pretrial services professionals in California. This year promises to be an exciting and challenging year for our association. There is a new 2008 Board of Directors who are committed to providing the necessary leadership to address the professional needs of the association and our pretrial colleagues throughout the state. The association elected a new President, Treasurer, and At-Large Director. I am extremely pleased to welcome Kristy McKenzie from San Diego as the new At-Large Director. In addition, the Board approved the appointment of past president, Susan Bookman, to the position of Vice-President. Susan replaces Harold Solomon (Los Angeles) who resigned to accept a promotion within the Probation Dept. I want to thank the Board of Directors for their continued hard work this past year. Some of the association's significant accomplishments included the following: The Board unanimously adopted the first edition of the 'CAPS Release Standards and Recommended Program Procedures' at its Feb. 2007 meeting. This could not have been accomplished without the vision and leadership of Susan Bookman whose personal commitment to seeing the project completed was unwavering. Also, Diana Cunningham and Josie Jimenez deserve special recognition and thanks for pulling the final draft of the Standards together. 100 copies of the Standards were printed with financial assistance from NAPSA. Each attendee at the 2007 CAPS Conference received a copy of the Standards. A decision was made to expand the number of Board positions to nine. This decision adds an additional Northern and Southern Regional Director to the Board of Directors. Sponsored a very success and well-attended training conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Redondo Beach. The theme of the conference was "The Pretrial Professional in the 21st Century". Workshops included the following: Pretrial Professional Development: Training, Certification, and Standards; Emerging Crimes of the 21st Century; and, The Pretrial Professional: Interpersonal Skills and Empowerment. CAPS hosted the NAPSA Board of Directors at our 21st Annual Training Conference. CAPS sponsored an information table at the NAPSA Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. Board members Susan Bookman, Frank McCormick, John Collins and Carl McGrew sold 20 copies of the Manhattan Bail Project DVD and distributed copies of the CAPS Standards to the NAPSA Board of Directors and other NAPSA Affiliate Directors. CAPS had a total of 111 members in 2007. The CAPS website was maintained and functional throughout the year. Plans are underway to enhance utilization of this communication tool to keep the membership abreast of current news and activities. The 22nd Annual Training Conference will be held May 1 - 3, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the beach in Ventura, Ca. Please save these important dates. The Board has been working diligently to ensure a great training and networking experience for everyone. Further details will be sent out in a few weeks as we finalize the curriculum. Please send in your membership early to make sure you receive the conference mailing. Your association needs your support. Your membership ensures that your voice will be heard and your input solicited and valued. We have set an ambitious goal of recruiting 135 members this year. This can only be achieved with your help. Please join. Thank you. Sincerely, Frank McCormick President