News Coverage
A Decade of Progress
California's Juvenile Justice system 2007-2017
Juvenile Justice Realignment (SB 81) passed in 2007 in California and helped transform the juvenile justice system in California. This evolution has led to significant increases in the use of evidence-based practices, a dramatic reduction in juvenile arrest rates, juvenile detention rates and an increase in prevention and intervention programs. Watch this video to see how probation has helped lead the change in the juvenile justice field and rose to the challenge to make juvenile justice realignment a success.
Tuolumne County Grand Jury heaps praise on juvenile hall staff, volunteers, programs
From The Union Democrat
The Mother Lode Regional Juvenile Detention Facility received a glowing review from the 2018-19 Tuolumne County Civil Grand Jury in a new report.
The jury didn’t have anything negative to say about $20 million facility that started housing incarcerated youth in April 2017. According to the 10-page report, recidivism among young offenders in the county has dropped from 49 percent to 19 percent since the hall opened.
MEDIA STATEMENT
New PPIC Study Shows Encouraging Progress in Reduction of Recidivism Rates Study Indicates Success with California’s Historic Reforms and Realignment
Sacramento, CA, June 20, 2019 – A new PPIC report released today has reported a decline in recidivism rates since California has taken on the most significant justice system reforms in history with the implementation of prison realignment and sentencing reforms.
ICYMI: When the system works
Napa teen tells of time in juvenile hall, probation
When one 16-year-old Napa girl was arrested last year for stealing a car, staying in juvenile hall and being put on probation seemed like the worst thing that could happen. It made her angry – so angry. But then, she said, it actually ended up helping her.
ICYMI: Sacramento County Probation Creates First-of-its-Kind Program for Youth
Sacramento Probation's multi-sensory de-escalation room increases safety for youth
Sacramento County’s multi-sensory de-escalation room is the first of its kind in a juvenile detention facility in the United States. This innovation creates a safe, trauma-informed environment that allows residents to de-escalate without use of force or an isolation room, which helps prevent violence and increases safety. This program is a 2018 California Association of Counties (CSAC) Challenge Award-winning program. CSAC Challenge Awards spotlight the most innovative programs in California Counties.
CPOC Statement on San Francisco Vote on Juvenile Facilities
SACRAMENTO – Today, Chief Stephanie James, President of the Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC), issued the following statement in response to the recent vote by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors:
How one Mom rose to head of probation
From the Salinas Californian
Not many women restart their career in their 40s, but Monterey County Chief Probation Officer Marcia Parsons did. And to her, it really wasn’t a big deal.
Parsons worked in her early 20s as a probation officer but left to be a stay-at-home mom when she got pregnant with her daughter, Julie Lavorato.
ICYMI: Juvenile Justice Transformation Program Recognized by Taxpayers Association
From County of San Diego Communications Office
The San Diego County Taxpayers Association awarded its Regional Golden Watchdog Award to the County of San Diego for a program credited with reducing the youth arrest rate in San Diego to the lowest level in nearly a decade.
How Probation Works to Keep Youth Out of the Justice System
Probation has a proven track record of actively engaging in diversion and successfully working with youth to keep them from entering the justice system or from further involvement in the justice system. As evidenced by the precipitous decline in juvenile arrest rates and juvenile detention rates, as well as the matching decline of youth under probation supervision, probation departments throughout California are choosing to engage and serve youth proactively in the community – successfully diverting thousands of youth out of the juvenile justice system.
ICYMI: Managing juvenile offenders — the reality behind the rhetoric
By Judge Beverly Wood
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…
“Managing juvenile offenders – the reality behind the rhetoric”
As the only juvenile court judge in Marin County, Judge Beverly Wood shared her firsthand experience of the transformation and evidence-based focus of probation when working with juveniles. Her piece appeared in the Marin Independent Journal.
ICYMI: Managing juvenile offenders — the reality behind the rhetoric
By Judge Beverly Wood
From the Marin Independent Journal
We all have seen many recent headlines about declining juvenile crime, ending juvenile detention, and re-fashioning the juvenile justice system. Those calls to action may be well-intentioned, but they don’t reflect a full understanding of what is involved in maintaining a successful system to serve and protect both our youth and our communities.
Probation Creating Pathways for Youth
Probation in California has helped lead an evolution of our Juvenile Justice system that has resulted in a historic shift in how we serve youth. California has reduced usage of our local detention facilities by 60% and successfully serve 90% of youth in the juvenile justice system within our communities. That is because Probation is dedicated to finding pathways for youth to thrive in a safe and healthy community.
Transforming California’s Local Juvenile Facilities to Sustain Rehabilitative Success
THE SUSTAINABLE REHABILITATION FOR YOUTH ACT
Background
In the last decade, California probation departments have had tremendous success in lowering juvenile detention rates by 60 percent and juvenile arrest rates by 73 percent since 2007, while now safely treating over 90% of youth in the community. This has been a direct result of improved screening to determine need for detainment, statewide application of risk-needs assessment, and implementation of effective prevention and diversion programs.
Sacramento Probation: Breaking the Cycle of Recidivism
Sacramento County's collaborative Career Training Partnership Program provides vocational and educational services for clients on probation. And perhaps more importantly, it provides these clients with hope.
Sacramento County Probation’s Adult Work Project Program (AWP) is designed as an incentives and sanctions based program contributing to restorative justice, community restoration and meaningful pro-social engagement.
Napa’s Juvenile Hall staff dedicated to youth mental health services, county watchdog says
From Napa Valley Register
Mental health services at Napa County Juvenile Hall meet state standards and are easily accessible to young people behind bars, the county watchdog says.
Mother Lode Juvenile Detention Facility: Two Years Later
From MyMotherLode.com
Sonora, CA — It was two years ago this week that the Mother Lode Regional Juvenile Detention Facility opened, and Clarke Broadcasting requested the latest statistics related to the youth inmate population.
Chief Probation Officer Linda Downey reports that there have been 92 bookings over the past 12 months, 80 from Tuolumne County, seven from Calaveras, three from Amador and two from Mariposa.
California’s Historic Juvenile Justice Evolution
Led by Chief Probation Officers, California has seen a historic shift in how we serve youth referred to our justice system.
Authored by Chief Stephanie James and Chief Allen Nance
California should be proud of the evolution and success in our juvenile justice over the last decade. Led by Chief Probation Officers, along with the state and community-based agencies, California has seen a historic shift in how we serve youth referred to our justice system. California has reduced usage of our local detention facilities by 60% and successfully serve 90% of youth in the juvenile justice system within our communities.
Sacramento County Probation Creates First-of-its-Kind Program for Youth
Sacramento Probation's multi-sensory de-escalation room increases safety for youth
Sacramento County’s multi-sensory de-escalation room is the first of its kind in a juvenile detention facility in the United States. This innovation creates a safe, trauma-informed environment that allows residents to de-escalate without use of force or an isolation room, which helps prevent violence and increases safety. This program is a 2018 California Association of Counties (CSAC) Challenge Award-winning program. CSAC Challenge Awards spotlight the most innovative programs in California Counties.
Riverside Probation: The Inspire Project
Relating to clients proves to have a strong effect on their willingness to participate in and achieve successful supervision
BY DEPUTY PROBATION OFFICER KOURTNEE GERVASI
The Adult Services Division embraces a human service approach toward supervision while focusing on components associated with an effective reduction in recidivism.
Napa County opening an unjail-like reentry facility
Napa County is opening a $23.4 million, 72-bed jail reentry facility for low-risk inmates that looks nothing like a typical jail.
Inmates won’t be inside cells with bars on the doors. No razor-wire fence surrounds the property along Highway 221 near the Syar quarry.
