San Bernardino County Probation Department
Encyclopedia
The San Bernardino County Probation Department serves San Bernardino County, California
, which is geographically the largest county in the lower 48 states. The Probation Department supervises juvenile and adult probationers. The department operates three juvenile hall facilities, provides recommendations to the court, and has numerous specialized units to serve the citizens and courts of San Bernardino County.
adult and juvenile offenders by providing a range of effective services based on legal requirements and recognized professional standards.
Goals: Ensure Public Safety, Ensure Treatment and Supervision Levels are Based on Criminogenic Risk Factors
Adult Services
Probation Officers conduct investigations and prepare reports upon referral by the Court. Referrals cover, but are not limited to, such areas as pre- and post-sentence investigations and recommendations, pre-plea recommendations, violations of probation, eligibility for drug diversion, credit for time served, reductions of previously entered pleas, early termination from probation, restitution and miscellaneous issues about which the Court might require information.
The Probation Officers primary function is to make contact with probationers in the community and at their homes. Officers in this unit ensure that probationers comply with their probation terms. This may include serving weekend custody time, community service, paying restitution, and attending counseling programs.
The goal of this program is to allow the "less serious" drug offender the opportunity to avoid conviction by taking advantage of counseling, education and other treatment options. Successful completion of the program results in the charges being dismissed.
This is an intense drug treatment program also designed for those convicted of less serious drug offenses. The program includes frequent drug testing, judicial and probation supervision, drug counseling and educational opportunities. In determining suitability for the program, the Judge, the Probation Officer and the attorneys consider factors such as the length of drug usage, familial support and desire for change.
This specialized program diverts mentally impaired offenders from the criminal justice system to highly trained mental health teams who provide close supervision. Participants are required to attend 8-hour counseling programs, five days a week. The Probation Officer interviews candidates, consults with mental health professionals and provides the Court with applicable terms and conditions of probation.
This specialized unit supervises offenders convicted of domestic violence charges. This unit provides close supervision of domestic violence offenders and ensures that offenders attend their court mandated domestic violence classes.
This specialized unit closely supervises offenders convicted of sexual offenses.
This specialized unit closely supervises gang members who have been convicted of crimes.
Probation Officers in this unit focus on the full repayment of restitution and impose other measures that treat identified problems. Offenders who are unemployed or attending school are referred to the Employee Development Department for employment assistance. Frequent contact with the Department of Human Social Services is made to ensure compliance and reconcile offenders’ accounts.
Juvenile Services
Probation Officers conduct investigations and prepare reports upon referral by the Court. Referrals cover, but are not limited to, such areas as pre- and post-dispositional investigations and recommendations, violations of probation, restitution and miscellaneous issues about which the Court might require information.
This is an intensive supervision program for minors graduating from out-of-home placements. These minors require intensive supervision and services to provide for a successful transition back into the community. Probation Officers monitor those with whom the ward associates, curfew compliance and school attendance.
Probation Officers in this unit supervise minors placed on informal probation by the Juvenile Court. Officers set up contracts with each minor for a six-month period. Minors are referred to counseling programs as appropriate, contact is maintained with the family, and restitution is collected during that period.
This unit is composed of Probation Officers who are each assigned to an elementary, middle or high school campus. They work primarily with at-risk youth, identifying students with behavior problems and referring them for counseling. Probation Officers may conduct classes on subjects such as conflict resolution and anger management or address truancy issues.
This unit is composed of Probation Officers who are assigned to teach the G.R.E.A.T. program in elementary and middle schools. G.R.E.A.T. stands for Gang Resistance Education and Training.
This unit is composed of Probation Officers who are assigned to perform home visits on minors to ensure they are cooperating with their house arrest terms and conditions.
This is a community based diversion program designed to provide first time misdemeanor offenders with preventative services through a partnership with community volunteers. Volunteers monitor community service progress and school behavior, then report back to the Probation Officer upon successful completion or failure in the program.
Probation Officers in this unit are assigned to specific placement programs and conduct monthly visits to the juveniles placed at those facilities by the Juvenile Court. These juveniles have been removed from their homes for their own welfare and for the protection of the community. These settings are highly structured treatment-oriented environments that provide specific counseling and educational needs and are under twenty-four hour supervision. Probation Officers monitor progress and submit recommendations to the court regarding the minor’s readiness to return home.
PRIDE is a nine to twelve-month community-based program that treats high-risk substance abusers, on probation, who desire to overcome their addictions. The goal is to address the multi-faceted problems of the chemically dependent criminal population. Treatment includes comprehensive probation supervision, weekly drug testing, random searches, intensive individual and group counseling sessions and regular participation in Narcotics Anonymous. The program also offers parenting and anger management classes, educational counseling, job referrals and residential care, if necessary.
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
, which is geographically the largest county in the lower 48 states. The Probation Department supervises juvenile and adult probationers. The department operates three juvenile hall facilities, provides recommendations to the court, and has numerous specialized units to serve the citizens and courts of San Bernardino County.
Mission Statement and Goals
Mission Statement: The Probation Department protects the community through assessment, treatment and control ofadult and juvenile offenders by providing a range of effective services based on legal requirements and recognized professional standards.
Goals: Ensure Public Safety, Ensure Treatment and Supervision Levels are Based on Criminogenic Risk Factors
Organizational structure
The current Chief Probation Officer of San Bernardino County Probation is Michelle Scray. Serving below the Chief are three Deputy Chiefs. The Probation Department is organized into three bureaus. Each bureau is commanded by a Deputy Chief. The bureaus are:Administrative Services Bureau
This bureau operates the following units:- Employee Resources- The personnel in this division participate in recruiting, conduct background investigations on potential employees, and are responsible for payroll and benefits.
- Training- This includes the Probation Officer Core Academy, firearms instructors, defensive tactics instructors, and classroom instructors.
- Research
Detentions and Corrections Bureau
The San Bernardino County Probation Department operates three Juvenile Hall facilities. Central Juvenile Hall in San Bernardino has a Board of Corrections’ approved capacity of 277 youth, West Valley Juvenile Hall(located in Rancho Cucamonga) currently has a capacity for 182 youth, and the High Desert Juvenile Hall which is located in Apple Valley.Community Corrections Bureau
This bureau operates the Juvenile and Adult Services Divisions:Adult Services
- Adult Investigations
Probation Officers conduct investigations and prepare reports upon referral by the Court. Referrals cover, but are not limited to, such areas as pre- and post-sentence investigations and recommendations, pre-plea recommendations, violations of probation, eligibility for drug diversion, credit for time served, reductions of previously entered pleas, early termination from probation, restitution and miscellaneous issues about which the Court might require information.
- Adult Supervision
The Probation Officers primary function is to make contact with probationers in the community and at their homes. Officers in this unit ensure that probationers comply with their probation terms. This may include serving weekend custody time, community service, paying restitution, and attending counseling programs.
- Diversion Program PC 1000
The goal of this program is to allow the "less serious" drug offender the opportunity to avoid conviction by taking advantage of counseling, education and other treatment options. Successful completion of the program results in the charges being dismissed.
- Drug Court
This is an intense drug treatment program also designed for those convicted of less serious drug offenses. The program includes frequent drug testing, judicial and probation supervision, drug counseling and educational opportunities. In determining suitability for the program, the Judge, the Probation Officer and the attorneys consider factors such as the length of drug usage, familial support and desire for change.
- Mental Health Court
This specialized program diverts mentally impaired offenders from the criminal justice system to highly trained mental health teams who provide close supervision. Participants are required to attend 8-hour counseling programs, five days a week. The Probation Officer interviews candidates, consults with mental health professionals and provides the Court with applicable terms and conditions of probation.
- Domestic Violence Court
This specialized unit supervises offenders convicted of domestic violence charges. This unit provides close supervision of domestic violence offenders and ensures that offenders attend their court mandated domestic violence classes.
- Sex Offender Unit
This specialized unit closely supervises offenders convicted of sexual offenses.
- Gang Unit
This specialized unit closely supervises gang members who have been convicted of crimes.
- Welfare Fraud
Probation Officers in this unit focus on the full repayment of restitution and impose other measures that treat identified problems. Offenders who are unemployed or attending school are referred to the Employee Development Department for employment assistance. Frequent contact with the Department of Human Social Services is made to ensure compliance and reconcile offenders’ accounts.
Juvenile Services
- Juvenile Investigations
Probation Officers conduct investigations and prepare reports upon referral by the Court. Referrals cover, but are not limited to, such areas as pre- and post-dispositional investigations and recommendations, violations of probation, restitution and miscellaneous issues about which the Court might require information.
- After Care
This is an intensive supervision program for minors graduating from out-of-home placements. These minors require intensive supervision and services to provide for a successful transition back into the community. Probation Officers monitor those with whom the ward associates, curfew compliance and school attendance.
- CST
Probation Officers in this unit supervise minors placed on informal probation by the Juvenile Court. Officers set up contracts with each minor for a six-month period. Minors are referred to counseling programs as appropriate, contact is maintained with the family, and restitution is collected during that period.
- School Probation Officers
This unit is composed of Probation Officers who are each assigned to an elementary, middle or high school campus. They work primarily with at-risk youth, identifying students with behavior problems and referring them for counseling. Probation Officers may conduct classes on subjects such as conflict resolution and anger management or address truancy issues.
- Gang Resistance and Education
This unit is composed of Probation Officers who are assigned to teach the G.R.E.A.T. program in elementary and middle schools. G.R.E.A.T. stands for Gang Resistance Education and Training.
- House Arrest Program
This unit is composed of Probation Officers who are assigned to perform home visits on minors to ensure they are cooperating with their house arrest terms and conditions.
- Youth Accountability Board
This is a community based diversion program designed to provide first time misdemeanor offenders with preventative services through a partnership with community volunteers. Volunteers monitor community service progress and school behavior, then report back to the Probation Officer upon successful completion or failure in the program.
- Placement
Probation Officers in this unit are assigned to specific placement programs and conduct monthly visits to the juveniles placed at those facilities by the Juvenile Court. These juveniles have been removed from their homes for their own welfare and for the protection of the community. These settings are highly structured treatment-oriented environments that provide specific counseling and educational needs and are under twenty-four hour supervision. Probation Officers monitor progress and submit recommendations to the court regarding the minor’s readiness to return home.
- P.R.I.D.E.
PRIDE is a nine to twelve-month community-based program that treats high-risk substance abusers, on probation, who desire to overcome their addictions. The goal is to address the multi-faceted problems of the chemically dependent criminal population. Treatment includes comprehensive probation supervision, weekly drug testing, random searches, intensive individual and group counseling sessions and regular participation in Narcotics Anonymous. The program also offers parenting and anger management classes, educational counseling, job referrals and residential care, if necessary.