From the Daily Pilot​​.

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – January 9, 2025 –  The Orange County Probation Department (OC Probation) is honored to announce the historic allocation of over $2 million dollars to new Community Based Organizations (CBO) Programs through the Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (OCJJCC).

As a part of the OCJJCC, OC Probation plays a critical role in shaping Orange County’s juvenile justice policies. The OCJJCC is currently chaired by Chief Probation Officer Daniel Hernandez. The OCJJCC’s goal is to develop a comprehensive, multi-agency juvenile justice plan that ensures a continuum of responses for the prevention, intervention, supervision, treatment, and, where necessary, incarceration of juvenile offenders.

This initiative is grounded in the principles outlined in the Welfare and Institutions Code Section 749.22 and Government Code Section 30061, which both emphasize rehabilitation over punitive measures.

Over the span of two years, the OCJJCC created a new application process for CBOs to earn additional funding. In describing the new process, Chief Probation Officer Daniel Hernandez said,

“Over the past two years, the OCJJCC has worked to create an outcome measures template and this new public-facing and transparent application process. Listening to our CBOs, we created an incubator for innovation where new programs can fill a gap in services for our youth and, in the process, build measurable outcomes to support future funding.” 

In a renewal of its commitment to provide innovative and effective solutions for system-involved youth, OC Probation is proud to announce the allocation of $2.3 million dollars to fund nine additional juvenile justice centered programs. These programs are designed to address the diverse needs of youth in the system and help steer them away from future involvement in criminal activities.

The OCJJCC places a high value on the creativity and effectiveness of the programs it funds. After a bid cycle in the summer of 2024,

OC Probation is now able to begin supporting a range of programs aimed at preventing youth from entering the justice system or helping them re-enter society after involvement in the system for the term of one year.

Among the programs receiving funding are organizations such as Project Kinship, which focuses on family reunification and support for youth involved in the justice system. Another organization is The Prism Way, which works to address the root causes of criminal behavior through education and mentorship with youth inside juvenile facilities. Carpenter Training Partners provides carpentry-based vocational training inside OC Probation’s juvenile facilities. Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove operates a Family and Youth Outreach program to provide a network of family support services. Human Works, another funded program, uses employment training to help youth build life skills and avoid recidivism. Hub for Integration, Reentry, and Employment (H.I.R.E) fosters employment readiness and a strong mentoring program for career advancement for youth. Project Youth OC brings the program “SHORTSTOP”, an early intervention program for first time offenders. Additionally, the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Program (OC GRIP) will continue its mission of gang prevention by supporting, coaching, and mentoring at-risk elementary and middle-school aged youth in their journey to build a path towards a positive future. It is notable that most of the above programs had not received funding though the OCJJCC nor possessed a County contract prior to this new application and funding process.

These programs represent a broad spectrum of approaches, but all share a common goal: to reduce juvenile recidivism and support at-risk youth in overcoming challenges that might otherwise lead them to participate in criminal behavior.

At the October 24, 2024 meeting, the OCJJCC, in a unanimous vote, made it possible to support a larger number of applications, including moving to increase the award to The Prism Way beyond their requested amount after a moving presentation by the program about their services.

The OCJJCC has made it clear that the funding process will continue to be transparent and accessible. The bid cycle for the next round of funding is anticipated to take place in the summer of 2025. This will provide community-based organizations an opportunity to propose new and innovative initiatives to support system-involved youth in the future.