DPCC Constitution
Approved 2019
ARTICLE I. NAME OF ORGANIZATION
A. The name of the organization is the Division on People of Color and Crime, hereafter referred to as the Division.
B. The Division is a constituent unit of the American Society of Criminology [hereinafter ASC] and will function in accordance with the Constitution, bylaws and policies of the ASC.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES
A. To bring together members of all ethnic groups interested in the advancement of different perspectives regarding issues related to people of color and criminal justice
B. To facilitate and encourage research and theory development about people of color and criminal justice.
C. To encourage and stimulate relevant and effective teaching techniques and practices and to stimulate the development of curricula for courses on race, ethnicity, and crime, and curricular materials about people of color and criminal justice for inclusion in mainstream criminology/criminal justice courses.
D. To promote different ethnic and racial views of crime and criminal justice.
E. To serve as a resource network for, and encourage interaction among, academic, research, practitioner, and policy-making sectors in order to further the understanding of problems faced by people of color in the criminal justice system.
F. To organize conference sessions related to issues on people of color and criminal justice.
G. To raise awareness of issues regarding racial and ethnic diversity and sensitivity among members of ASC, to bring these issues to the attention of the ASC Executive Board, to recommend appropriate courses of action to resolve these matters, and to encourage representation of diverse racial groups support and facilitate the access of people of color to opportunities within the ASC.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
A. Membership in this Division is open to all ASC members in good standing.
B. A Division member in good standing is one who is current in their Division dues payment.
C. Division members who are current in dues payment are eligible to vote at Division meetings, to cast ballots in the election of Division officers, and to hold office in the Division.
D. Student members shall be: Those studying in appropriate disciplines in colleges and universities.
ARTICLE IV. GOVERNANCE
A. Officers
1. Chairperson
a. The chairperson will provide executive direction for the Division and will preside over Division meetings. The chair or designee will serve as a liaison with the ASC Annual Meeting Program Chair to ensure the inclusion of sessions regarding people of color and Criminal justice on the program.
b. The Division chair or designee shall bring issues regarding people of color and criminal justice, and recommendations for their resolution, as decided by the Division, to the attention of the ASC Executive Board for its consideration.
2. Vice Chairperson
a. The Vice-Chair will preside over Division meetings in the
absence of the Chair and shall be empowered to conduct all necessary business of the Division if the office of Chair is vacant or if the Chairperson is unable to serve.
b. The Vice-Chair or designee will exercise oversight of all committees
3. Secretary
a. The Secretary will keep the records and minutes of the Division.
b. The Secretary will record minutes of each meeting of the Division and will submit a copy to each member of the Executive Board and for publication.
c. The Secretary will maintain contact with the Treasurer of the ASC.
d. The Secretary will notify the membership of the Division’s balance, debts, credits, etc. at the Division’s annual meeting.
e. The Secretary will inform the Executive Board of any financial issues that arise between annual meetings.
B. Executive Counselors
1. Executive Counselors are members of the Executive Board of the Division.
2. At least one Executive Counselor shall be a member who is untenured or otherwise in the early stages of a career. (i.e., no more than 7 years post-PhD at the time the appointment takes effect).”
3. One Executive Counselor shall be a member who is an enrolled in a graduate program at the time the appointment takes effect.
4. Two Executive Counselors shall be “open rank,” and open to any non-student division member in good standing.
C. Executive Board
1. There will be an Executive Board comprised of the chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, immediate past Chairperson, and four Executive Counselors.
2. The Board will formulate policies for the Division, decide the budget for the Division, and appoint committees for the Division.
3. The Division Chair will serve as the convener of the Executive Board
D. Executive Committee
1. The Executive Committee will consist of the Division Chairs/Co-Chairs, Vice-Chair, and Past-Chair.
2. The Executive Committee can establish policies for the Division with a majority vote of the Executive Committee, but only if the
issue(s) cannot wait until the next full Board Meeting.
3. A majority vote shall be a vote of three (3) members of the Executive Committee as the Executive Committee membership currently stands.
4. The Executive Committee will report all activities and decisions to the Executive Board at or before the Board’s next regularly scheduled meeting.
ARTICLE V. ELECTIONS
A. Nominations
1. The Executive Board will appoint a Nominations and Election Committee up consisting of the immediate past Chair and two members in good standing of the Division.
2. The Committee will receive names in nomination for each office to be filled the following year. From these names, the Nominating Committee will select two names to be included on the ballot for each office. These names will be forwarded to the ASC National Office for inclusion on the Division ballot.
B. Qualifications
1. Candidates and elected officers must be members in good standing of the Division.
C. Term of Office
1. The term of office for Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary will be two years.
2. The term of office for Executive Counselor will be two years.
3. The term of office for each incoming officer will begin at the close of the Division’s annual meeting following the election.
4. Elected officers may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms in the same office. Upon completion of the second consecutive term of office, a person is not eligible to run for the same office again until one full term has elapsed.
5. Election of officers and Executive counselors shall be staggered in the following manner:
a. Year One elections will be held for Chair, one Executive Counselor, and Secretary
b. Year Two (or alternating year) elections will be held for Vice-Chair and two executive Counselors.
D. Procedure
1. Elections will follow the procedures incorporated in the Policies and Procedures of this Division
E. Election Procedures for Officers
1. Ballots shall be distributed electronically each year by the end of the second full week in September.
2. Persons who have not yet paid their dues for the current year shall receive a statement to this effect four (4) weeks before ballots are distributed. The statement shall say that they are not members in good standing and may not vote in the current election unless dues are paid prior to ballots being distributed.
3. All Regular members in good standing at the time at which ballots are distributed shall be entitled to vote. Voting shall be by secret ballot.
4. Voting will be done electronically and carried out by the Communications Committee
5. Members will have 14 days to vote. The deadline will be announced on the ballot and no votes will be counted after that date.
6. Votes will be reviewed and verified by the Chairs of the Communications Committee and the Nominations Committee. The Chair of the Nominations committee will notify the Division Chair(s) of the results, who will then report the results to the Executive Board and general membership.
7. For Chair(s), Vice-Chair and Secretary/Treasurer, the candidates receiving the most votes cast shall be elected to the position. For Executive Counselors the two (2) candidates (in even numbered years) and the one (1) candidate (in odd numbered years) receiving the most votes shall be elected.
8. Tied elections shall be resolved by a run-off election.
F. Vacancies
1. Vacancies which occur during the term of office for the Vice-Chair, Secretary or Executive Counselor shall be filled, until the next election, by appointment of the Division Chair with the approval of the Executive Board.
2. Vacancies which occur during the term of office of the Chair will be filled by the Vice-Chair, who is empowered to conduct all necessary business of the Division. 3. Vacancies may be filled in either Year One or Year Two elections and shall be filled for the remainder of the term of office.
ARTICLE VI. BOARD POLICY
A. The Executive Board may establish policies for the Division with a majority vote of the Board. That would require a vote of five (5) members as the Executive Board membership currently stands.
B. The Executive Committee may establish policies for the Division with a majority vote, but it only decides issues that cannot wait until the next full Board Meeting. That would require a vote of three (3) members as the Executive Committee membership currently stands.
ARTICLE VII. POLICY STATEMENTS
A. Policy statements can be made by the Division as a whole. Such statements require a majority vote of the members in good standing who vote in the said election.
B. Policy statements can be made by the Executive Board of the Division if the proposed policy statement receives a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board. That would require a vote of six (6) members as the Executive Board membership currently stands. Such an approved statement would carry the by-line, Executive Board of the Division of the People of Color and Crime of the American Society of Criminology. The Executive Board may not make policy statements on behalf of the Division.
C. Policy statements can be made by the Executive Committee of the Division if the proposed policy statement receives a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Committee. That would require a vote of three (3) members as the Executive Board membership currently stands. Such an approved statement would carry the by-line, Executive Committee of the Division of the People of Color and Crime of the American Society of Criminology. The Executive Committee may not make policy statements on behalf of the Division nor the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDING THE BY-LAWS
A. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board in two consecutive Board meetings can amend the By-laws. That would require a vote of six (6) members as the Executive Board membership currently stands.
ARTICLE IX. AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION
A. Amendments may be proposed by any member of the Division (in writing and submitted to the Division Chair), by the Executive Board, or by the Constitution and By-Laws Committee, but all such proposed amendments may only go forward as a qualified amendment under one of the following three (3) conditions.
1. The amendment receives the written support of one-fifth of the Division members in good standing;
2. The proposed amendment is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board. That would require a vote of six (6) members as the Executive Board membership currently stands.
3. The proposed amendment is introduced at the Division’s Annual Meeting and receives a two-thirds affirmative vote of those members in good standing who are present at the Division’s Annual Business Meeting.
B. A proposed amendment meeting any one of the requirements outlined in Paragraph A must be certified as a qualified amendment by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board. That would require a vote of six (6) members as the Executive Board membership currently stands.
C. A qualified amendment will be placed on a ballot and approved when it receives a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the Division members in good standing who vote in the said election.
1. The qualified amendment shall be voted on utilizing the mail and/or electronic ballots.
2. Division members in good standing have 14 days to cast their ballots.
3. Ballots will be counted/votes verified, by at least two (2) Executive Board Members, generally the Division Chair(s) and/or Vice-Chair.
4. The results of the vote will be reported to the Division Chair(s) and Executive Board of the Division prior to the next Annual Division meeting.
5. An approved amendment shall take effect at the conclusion of the first annual meeting following the vote on the amendment.
D. Amendments are subject to the approval of the ASC Executive Board.
ARTICLE X. DUES
A. Membership dues will be determined by the Executive Board. Any change in amount must be returned by vote of members in attendance at the Annual Meeting.
B. Division membership dues are subject to approval by the Executive Board of the ASC.
C. Division membership dues are owed and payable with ASC annual dues
ARTICLE XI. COMMITTEES
A. There will be five standing committees: Nominations and Elections, Outreach, Program, Awards, and Constitution and By-Laws.
1. Nominations and Elections Committee:
a. The Committee is made up of immediate past Division Chair, as chair, and two other members of the Division in good standing. The committee will issue a call for and receive nominees. The committee may on its own initiative suggest nominees
i. The Vice-Chair should be committed to having a diverse awards committee.
ii. The committee must be approved by the executive board before nominations are received and voted upon.
b. The following procedure will be utilized for elections:
i. The Committee shall contact all nominees to determine their willingness to serve if elected and request such materials as is required for the electoral process.
ii. The Committee shall submit to the Executive Board a slate of candidates consisting of only two (2) nominees for each office.
iii. Upon approval of the slate by the Executive Board a printed ballot shall be mailed to all Division members eligible to vote.
iv. The ballot shall include the names of the candidates for each office and a space for write-in candidates. Included with the ballot shall be a candidate statements. The ballot must be returned by the deadline
v. The chair of the Nominations and Elections committee will report the results to the Division. The official certification of results shall be by Executive Board of the Division.
2. Program Committee. The Program Committee will consist of an Executive Counselor, Chair, and two other members of the Division
in good standing.
a. The Chair will be liaison to the ASC Program Committee by submitting names of Division members to serve on the annual ASC Program Committee.
b. The Committee will publish Program highlights identifying sessions on people of color.
3. Outreach Committee
a. The Committee consists of an Executive Counselor, Chair, and two other members of the Division in good standing.
b. This committee is responsible for maintaining the visibility to the Division on People of Color and Crime
4. Awards Committee
a. An Executive Counselor will serve as chair of the Committee and is assisted by two other members of the Division in good standing. The Committee shall issue a call for and receive nominees for Division awards.
b. The following procedure will be utilized for awards.
i. The call for nominations shall be made at the same time as the call for award nominations,
ii. Each nomination must be accompanied by vitae of the nominees.
iii. The Committee shall review the nominees’ vita and such materials as is required for the selection of award recipients, and submit one name for each of the awards,
iv. During its annual meeting, the Division shall present two awards recognizing members who have made outstanding contributions in the advancement of race-and ethnic-based scholarship; and service to professional organizations, academic institutions, or the criminal justice system.
c. Non-student award nominees must be members in good standing of DPCC for at least two years prior to nomination in order to be eligible for awards. Years of membership will refer to membership during a calendar year (not by date joined). Members who join before August 31 of a given year will be considered a member of that year. Members who join September 1 or later will be considered a member for the following year. Student award nominees are expected to join the Division if they win an award.
5. Constitution and By-Laws Committee
a. The Constitution and By-Laws Committee shall consist of two members in good standing with the Division, along with the Vice-Chair of the Division who will Chair the Committee.
b. The Constitution and By-Laws Committee will review the Constitution and By-Laws and make appropriate recommendations to the Executive Board and/or the Division membership at large for their review
c. At least once every five years, the Committee will review the Constitution and By-Laws and bring forth to the Executive Board all suggested changes.
B. Ad Hoc Committees
1. The Executive Board shall create such committees as it deems appropriate to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Division. Members of such committees will be appointed by the Division Chair with the approval of the Executive Board.
2. The Executive Board may create any one of the committees described below and other committees.
a. Membership Committee. The Committee will consist of the Division Secretary, as chair, and two other members of the Division in good standing. This committee shall recruit new members, update the membership list as needed, and publish the names of members.
b. Research Committee. The Research Committee will consist of the Division Vice-Chair, as Chair, and at least two other members of the Division in good standing. This committee will address new approaches to advance knowledge on people of color and crime as well as disseminate information regarding research opportunities.
c. Communication Committee. The Committee will consist of three Division members in good standing appointed by the Executive Board.
i. The chair of the Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Board and may be reappointed.
ii. The Committee is responsible for the dissemination of Division News.
d. Special Events Committee. The Committee will consist of at least three members of the Division in good standing. The primary responsibility of this committee is raising funds to support Division activities.
C. Committee Chairs
1. A committee chair will be appointed by the Division Chair with the approval of the Executive Board, and announced at the Division’s Annual Meeting.
2. Committee chairs will serve for one year and may be re-appointed
3. The chair shall report to the Executive Board of the Division
4. The chair shall submit annual and midyear reports to the Division Chair
5. The chair shall make annual report at the annual meeting
6. The chair shall attend Board meetings, committee meetings, and annual meeting
7. The chair who does not submit reports and attend meetings will become inactive and forfeit Executive Board rights and responsibilities
8. The Division Chair shall appoint a replacement for inactive Chairs
9. Replacement chairs shall serve the remainder of the term of the Inactive chair.
ARTICLE XII. ANNUAL MEETINGS
A. Executive Board. The Executive Board shall meet at least once a year, on the first day of the ASC annual meeting. Other meetings may be called as needed.
B. Membership. The general membership of the Division shall. meet once a year at the ASC annual meeting. This meeting shall be designated the Division Annual Meeting.
C. Standing Committees. All standing committees shall meet at least once a year at the ASC annual meeting.
D. Rules of Order
1. Meetings shall be conducted in a manner determined by the Chair.
2. In the event of a conflict, Robert’s Rules of Order will be determinative.
E. Quorum
1. A quorum will consist of one-fifth of Division members in good standing.
2. In the event a quorum is not present at the Division Annual Meeting, a simple majority vote of members present will be sufficient for action.
3. Such action may be challenged by a member, in good standing, not in attendance at the Division Annual Meeting.
4. In the case of a challenge, a ratification vote will be offered to the general membership
ARTICLE XIII. INACTIVE OFFICERS
A. In order for the Division to achieve its goals and objectives, each Division Officer is expected to consistently discharge duties and responsibilities of the office to which s/he is elected. Failure of elected officers to fulfill their duties shall result in removal from office.
B. Duties of Officers
1. Meetings.
a. Attendance at meetings of the Division Executive Board is required
b. Attendance at annual meetings of the Division is required
c. Attendance at chaired committee meetings is required
2. Reports
a. Midyear and annual reports of chaired committees are required
b. Written midyear and annual reports to Executive Board are required
c. Oral and written annual reports to the Division are required
3. Voting
a. Voting on actions taken by the Executive Board is required
b. Voting on actions taken during the annual meeting is required
c. Voting on actions taken by chaired committees is required
C. Removal from Office
1. Covered actions
a. Failure to attend two executive board, committee, and annual meetings
b. Failure to submit and present a report
c. Failure to vote at two meetings
2. Sanctions
a. First violation of a covered action
i. Division chair will send a written notification, on behalf
of the Executive Board, to the inactive officer
ii. The written notification shall specify the violation(s)
iii. The written notification shall specify the
consequences of a subsequent violation
b. Second violation of a covered action
i. At the first Executive Board meeting following the second violation the Division chair shall report the specifics of both violations
ii. The Executive Board will vote on a motion finding that
covered violations have occurred
iii. The Executive Board will vote on a motion declaring an
inactive DPCC officer
iv. The Executive Board will vote on a motion removing the inactive officer from the Executive Board
v. The Executive Board will vote on a motion removing the inactive officer from office
vi. A simple majority vote of Executive Board members present will be sufficient for action
vii. The membership shall receive written notification of
the appointment of an interim officer
D. Interim Appointment
1. Vacancies that occur before the term of office ends shall be tilled by a replacement
2. The replacement shall be appointed by the Division chair with the approval of the Executive Board
3. The interim officer shall serve until the next election
4. The interim officer shall not be prohibited from running for the vacant office