Last week was Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week, a time for communities across the nation to recognize the men and women who work each and every day to supervise offenders in our communities, but also who provide support mechanisms to assist the people they supervise to get housing, jobs and substance abuse treatment.
Community corrections has also been affected by the downturn in the economy. Budget shortfalls mean that probation and parole professionals must be creative in finding solutions to making sure those they supervise have the support needed to find jobs, housing and treatment. By collaborating with community leaders and volunteering their own time off work, many officers are making a difference while faced with expanding caseloads, additional responsibilities and work furloughs.
“Since the Lassen County Juvenile Detention Facility opened the doors in June of 2000, it has been providing the community with an invaluable service,” explains Acting Chief Probation Officer Jennifer Branning. “The ‘Hall,’ as it is affectionately known, has housed more than its fair share of youthful offenders that would otherwise be out on the streets.”
The Lassen County Juvenile Detention Facility ensures safety to the community by securely and safely housing those youth who are a danger to themselves or others. Youth are provided a level of supervision and discipline which promotes accountability and responsibility.
Retired Sheriff Ron Jarrell may have said it best when the facility originally opened, “Especially in younger people, behavior modification is one of the critical issues.”
The Lassen County Juvenile Detention Facility helps facilitate aftercare planning, co-location and cross-collaboration between all community agencies to provide assessments and information sharing to ensure understanding and awareness of youth needs, risk and protective factors, and family of origin issues. Services are provided for youth in their own community and the Probation Department then works with the families of those youth. The secure environment allows time for intervention with families to decrease the likelihood of continued offences.
Juvenile probation officers are responsible for providing supervision to juveniles. They conduct visits to juveniles’ homes or schools to ensure they are in compliance with juvenile court orders and assist in their rehabilitation by meeting with juveniles and their families to encourage and aid in planning for their future.
“Based on the findings and observations resultant of meetings with the juveniles and their families,” said Branning, “comprehensive court reports are written which include recommendations for the juvenile court about services to meet the juveniles’ needs. Juvenile Probation Officers develop a supportive relationship with the juvenile and serve as positive role models.”
The Juvenile Probation officers are also responsible for intake and traffic hearings; this includes infractions and misdemeanors citations which are handled on an informal level. Additionally, the probation department holds contracts with local schools to assist in preventative measures including truancy reduction and confronting concerning behavioral issues. Juvenile Probation Officers strive to provide guidance and help teach life skills that will make the juveniles transition into adulthood successful.
Adult probation supervises those with a grant of probation and those released from state prison with Post Release Community Supervision. The Probation Department provides reports to the Court, such as Pre-Sentence Investigation reports, which include a recommendation regarding what the defendant’s sentence should be. The Probation Department encourages and enforces Court orders and makes referrals to services and programs as part of a probationer’s supervision.
Tidbits from Lassen County Probation Department History
Welfare Chief Inspects City
April 1930
John Plover, chief of the state department of public welfare was in Susanville this week-end on an inspection tour of Lassen county. Plover was deeply impressed with the ‘homelike appearance’ and cleanliness of Susanville and expressed a desire to return. He was the guest of A. E. DeForest, Probation Officer of Lassen county, during his stay.
Probation Officer Asked to Investigate Burglary
March 1935
Pete Zamboni, nineteen years old, Victor Zamboni, twenty-two, and Tracy Main, twenty, pleaded guilty to charges of burglarizing Sorsoli’s store and asked the judge for probation, when they appeared before Judge H. D. Burroughs ordered Probation Officer, Price to investigate the case.
Officers Meet Set At Lassen
October 1937
A meeting of the probation officers of northern California will be held in Susanville at the Memorial building.
Dr. F. O. Butler, superintendent of the Sonoma state home, and O. H. Close, of the Preston school of industry, will address the officer regarding their institutions and the general problems of probation work.
C. H. Price, probation officer of Lassen County, will be host to the visiting officers. The public is invited to attend the meetings, Price announced.
Eight Boys Face Charge Of Theft
March 1938
Eight local boys have been charge with the theft of gasoline and automobile parts and will be given a private hearing March 30 in juvenile court Probation Officer C. H. Price said here today.
Officer Ed Padilla investigated the thefts and followed tracks which led to a cache in the brush where a can of gasoline and a siphon were found. Confronted with the evidence one of the youths confessed and implicated his seven accomplices.
According to the officers, the boys have been operating in this locality for the past six or eight months.
Supervisors Form Probation Office
January 1945
At its regular meeting held this week the Lassen county board of supervisors passed an ordinance establishing a full time probation office and allotted funds to the extent of $3000 per year for a probation officer and $1200 for a stenographer. The ordinance will go into effect 30 days after its adoption.
The full time probation officer to succeed C . H. Price, part time officer, will be appointed by Judge B. V. Curler on recommendation of a probation office committee.
Lassen Hospital Building Urged
December 1949
In the closing report of the 1948-49 Lassen County Grand Jury it was recommended that the salary of the probation officer be raised to $325 per month, and also suggested that the salaries of deputies in various county offices be increased.
Students Build Moonshine Still
June 1961
Police have found a moonshine still built by three members of Susanville High School’s graduating classes from equipment from the school’s chemistry laboratory. The three youths, not identified, were ordered before the Lassen County Probation Office.
Police quoted the boys as saying they built the distillery in a wooden glen to make liquor for their own use.
“It was so bad we couldn’t drink it.” One of the boys said.
