Juvenile Division
⇔ Intake/Investigations and Diversion ⇔ Out of Home Placement and AB12 ⇔ Commercially Sexually Exploited Children ⇔ Parent Project ⇔
⇔ Supervision ⇔ Integrated Family Wellness Program ⇔ Juveniles That Have Sexually Offended ⇔
Shasta County Probation's Juvenile Division provides an array of services to youth and families in our community, with a focus on accountability, rehabilitation and community-centered services. Our objective is to improve outcomes for youth and families while reducing recidivism by utilizing an evidence-based framework and restorative practices in collaboration with treatment and service providers. All services and practices are evaluated to measure effectiveness and ensure a proactive approach.
Notice: A youth who has been arrested and tried in adult court but not convicted may petition the Court to have his/her arrest and related record sealed pursuant to 851.91 PC. View the Petition to Seal Arrest and Related Records.
Intake/Investigations and Diversion
This unit investigates all new referrals to the Department and determines if formal intervention is necessary or appropriate. The Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT), an evidence-based risk and needs assessment instrument, is used to identify a youth’s treatment needs as well as the risk to re-offend. Officers conduct investigations and, when required, provide written reports to the Juvenile Court that include a summary of the child’s offense, a social study and recommendations for disposition.
Juvenile Diversion officers investigate 1st-time and less serious delinquency law enforcement referrals, providing short-term intervention, risk assessment, information, and referrals to community-based organizations. They also monitor cases referred by traffic court to complete work program hours and drug education classes.
Out of Home Placement and AB12 (Extended Foster Care)
Reunification with family is one of the goals of rehabilitation; however, there are often cases where it is in the best interest of the youth to be placed in a group home or intensive therapeutic residential setting. Juvenile Placement officers arrange placement of wards in relative and non-relative homes, foster care, and residential treatment programs. Officers monitor their progress and develop case plans for their return home. They actively search for natural connections for the youth if returning home is not the next step. AB 12 Extended Foster Care is available for those Non-Minor Dependents (NMD) that would normally exit placement without any assistance, services or reunification with parents or legal guardians.
Commercially Sexually Exploited Children
Officers, working closely with Children’s Services and mental health, provide a comprehensive and collaborative response to ensuring that commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC) are identified and receive the services they need to overcome trauma and live healthy, productive lives.
Parent Project
Probation staff are trained in facilitating the Parent project. The Parent project is designed specifically for parents raising difficult or out of control children. The program is aimed to address the most destructive behaviors such as school failure, truancy, family conflict, drug use, gangs, violent behavior, runaways, and teen suicide. The Parent project is solution focused and offers parents concrete, no-nonsense answers and activity-based instruction, as well as emotional and practical support.
Supervision
Juvenile Field Probation Officers monitor juvenile offenders under the courts' jurisdiction. All youth who are placed on probation are given a risk and need assessment to determine the likelihood of reoffending as well as to identify service needs. Youth are supervised utilizing innovative strategies to support positive change.
The Integrated Family Wellness Program (IFWP)
An interagency collaborative program with HHSA Children’s Services, Shasta County Probation, Pathways to Hope/Ameri-Corps, and the Shasta County Juvenile Court. Youth admitted to the program have significant challenges in relation to juvenile justice involvement, mental health symptoms, substance abuse and educational success. IFWP is the result of the merging of the former Juvenile Drug Court Program with our Wraparound Interagency Network for Growth and Stability (WINGS) Program. This resulted in one program that can effectively treat and manage drug and alcohol issues, mental health issues, and family dynamics.
Juveniles That Have Sexually Offended
The purpose of the juvenile sex offender program within the juvenile probation system is to create a containment approach for monitoring juveniles who have been adjudicated for sex offenses. The team usually consists of a Deputy Probation Officer, a Sex Offender Therapist, and a Polygraph Examiner.
The officer monitors the juvenile's behavior in the field and assesses compliance with Court orders. Juveniles on this caseload have extensive rules and requirements to follow, including completing a Juvenile Sex Offender Rehabilitation Treatment (JSORT) program. On a weekly basis, each juvenile is visited by the assigned officer, at his or her school, home or at sex offender counseling. Random probation searches are conducted by the DPO at the youth's home. This ensures the youth is not in possession of any restricted material such as pornography, internet access, or anything else restricted by court order. To help with family issues, the officer regularly attends the family parenting class.
Because of the foremost importance for community safety, each youth/family involved with the sex offender program must have a safe plan in effect. In addition, an alarm system is often utilized on the offender's bedroom door and windows. This alerts the family if the youth leaves his room, which could put others at risk.
The polygraph test is utilized to ensure the youth's compliance with the sex offender program, contract, and safe plan. The polygraph is also used to determine specific issues, full disclosure, and maintenance, and the information gained from polygraph testing is forwarded to the therapist and the officer.
