Adult Services
Court Services
The Superior Court refers criminal cases to the Probation Department to prepare comprehensive reports with recommendations to the Court for sentencing. A summary of circumstances of the offense, social history, prior record, defendant’s statement, victim’s statement and restitution amounts are included in the report. Eligibility and suitability for probation supervision is addressed as well as specific conditions of probation supervision. Deputy Probation Officers may present at sentencing hearings and violation of probation hearings to provide the Court with objective information and to represent the Probation Department regarding the sentence for each case.
Adult Field Services (Probation Offenders)
Deputy Probation Officers provide supervision of offenders, usually felons, who have been granted probation by the Court. Officers monitor offender compliance with the terms and conditions of probation by conducting residence searches, drug testing, collecting restitution payments, referral and monitoring of counseling and treatment programs, and arresting offenders who are in violation of their probation. Officers investigate violations, initiate revocations and make recommendations for resentencing offenders.
AB109 / Public Safety Realignment
After Assembly Bill 109 was passed, California made significant changes to the sentencing and supervision of adult felony offenders that are convicted of non-violent, non-serious, and non-sexual related offenses (triple-non). This reduced the number of offenders eligible to serve sentences in state prison and shifted these offenders to serve his/her sentence in the county jail.
Also, Mandatory Community Supervision (MCS) was established for triple-non offenders who are ordered to a split-sentence by the Court. A split-sentence requires an offender to serve a portion of his/her confinement in the county jail that is less than the maximum allowed by law followed by a term of MCS that does not exceed the total maximum period of confinement as prescribed by law. Specific conditions of MCS are established by the Superior Court at sentencing.
Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) was established, shifting supervision responsibilities from the CDCR Division of Parole Operations to county probation departments. PRCS offenders are offenders committed to state prison for a triple-non offense(s). Supervision levels, appropriate services and programs, and supervision conditions are determined by the Probation Department, including sanctions such as flash incarceration up to and including revocation.
Realignment legislation established the Executive Committee of Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) and the CCP is tasked with planning for all the necessary changes, implementing local plans, and presenting the local plans to the Board of Supervisors for acceptance as it relates to Public Safety Realignment.
Sex Offender Supervision Program
The Sex Offender Supervision Program is dedicated to enhanced supervision of all registered sex offenders on formal probation, Mandatory Community Supervision, and Post-Release Community Supervision. All offenders are supervised according to their risk levels following detailed assessments of factors which could lead to a new sex-related offense. The focus is to ensure victim and community safety by conducting frequent unannounced visits to the offender’s residence, place of employment, and/or areas the offender is known to frequent. Probation officers work closely with mental health professionals, polygraph examiners, and other law enforcement agencies to monitor offender compliance with conditions of probation and adherence to all laws governing registered sex offenders.
Proposition 36 / Drug Court
Using a drug court and problem solving model that provides an alternative to traditional criminal justice prosecution for these offenses, offenders receive judicial oversight and monitoring with probation supervision and substance abuse treatment services. The goal is to increase the offender's likelihood of successful rehabilitation.
Behavioral Health Court
Behavioral Health Court (BHC) is a mental health and problem solving court that combines judicial and probation supervision with community mental health treatment and other support services in order to reduce criminal activity and improve the quality of life of participants. The judge oversees the treatment and supervision process and facilitates collaboration among team members. BHC effectively utilizes limited criminal justice and mental health resources to connect participants to treatment and other social services in the community, to improve outcomes for offenders with mental illness in the criminal justice system, to respond to public safety concerns, and to address jail overcrowding. Participation is voluntary for offenders for whom involvement in the criminal justice system can be attributed to demonstrable mental illness. Early intervention is essential, with screening and referral occurring as soon as possible after beginning BHC. Intensive case management includes probation supervision with a focus on accountability and monitoring of each participant's performance.
Veterans Court
Veterans Court is a hybrid drug and mental health court that uses the drug court model to serve veterans struggling with addiction, serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders. Veterans Court promotes sobriety, recovery and stability through cooperation and collaboration with the Probation Department, the Mental Health Department, other appropriate treatment providers, as well as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care networks and the Veterans' Benefits Administration.
DUI Court
DUI Court utilizes a drug court model for offenders whose criminal activity is attributed to alcohol use and driving under the influence.
Domestic Violence Court
Domestic Violence (DV) Court handles intimate partner violence through a special domestic violence court calendar, coordinating cases and making consistent court orders in different cases involving the same parties. Following a problem solving model, DV Court addresses perpetrator accountability through batterer’s treatment, as well as victim safety and advocacy, while attempting to reduce domestic violence crimes.
Courtesy Supervision
Interstate courtesy supervision requests are investigated and accepted/denied pursuant to the Interstate Compact Agreement. Courtesy supervision requests from within California are accepted and classified according to local procedure and California State Law.
Voluntary and Involuntary Electronic Monitoring Program (EMP)
The Probation Department operates the EMP to enhance community safety by providing a supervised alternative to incarceration for local adult inmates. This alternative to incarceration will assist the Sheriff’s Department in safely managing the jail inmate population and overcrowding issues in the jail facilities county-wide. The EMP emphasizes public safety while relieving jail overcrowding and costs associated with inmate housing and medical needs, while achieving accountability, rehabilitation and victim support by providing qualified offenders the opportunity to be contributing community members as they complete sentences within our community. Applications for the EMP are available at Probation Field offices, the Superior Court and both jail facilities, or select the “Forms” section of this website.