PROBATION DEPARTMENT

The mission of the Colusa County Probation Department is to ensure the safety of our community by implementing a balanced justice model including:

• Community protection
• Development of offender competency by means of integrity, fairness, resourcefulness, professionalism, and excellence
• Offender accountability

Significant Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2020-21:

• The Colusa County Probation Department has continued to provide programming services through the Day Reporting Center (DRC), to include Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT), Batterers’ Treatment Program (BTP), Female BTP, Spanish Speaking BTP, Thinking for Good, Staying Quit, Courage for Change Interactive Journaling and Taking the High Road Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (CBT) drug education program. Over the 2020-2021 year, there has been 32 MRT, 58 Thinking for Good, 23 Staying Quit, 59 BTP (English speaking), 23 BTP (Spanish speaking) and 9 BTP (Female) program participants.
• In continued response to the restricted ability to provide in-person programming as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Probation Department has continued to develop and expand telecommunication programming, allowing for continued facilitation of programming services, as well as our “support groups” which provide support and guidance to our probationers.
• The Probation Department has continued to provide offenders with Individualized Offender Needs Assessments and Case Plans to help identify and address each probationer’s criminogenic needs. In addition, although the Covid-19 pandemic continues to restrict the department’s ability to provide field supervision at expanded levels, we continue to monitor and assure compliance with Court ordered conditions of Probation/Post Community Supervision (PRCS) and Mandatory Supervision, the Probation Department at a high level. 428 drug screenings and 271 unannounced home compliance checks have been conducted over the course of the last year.
• The Probation Department has continued to work in collaboration with the Colusa County Office of Education providing support, guidance and early intervention services, as needed, to the youth of our community. The Probation Department has also continued with our Girls Circle and Boys Council programs, as well as participate, as members, in the School Attendance Review Board (SARB), the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) and the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC).
• SB 823, which goes into full effect in July, transfers the responsibility of housing and supervision of youth, who currently would be placed in the Department of Juvenile Justice, from the State back to the County level. As a result, the Probation Department is working closely with Yuba and Sutter Counties in the development of supervision plans to address the housing and specialized needs of these youth, while at the same time increasing the security and safety to the youth housed at our Juvenile Detention Facility. This program is named the “Secure Track” program. In the “Secure Track” plan, we are strengthening and expanding existing juvenile hall programs, as well as developing additional evidence based programs to address the needs of these youth, while at the same time ensuring both community and institutional safety. We are also, developing re-entry planning to address the needs of the youth re-entering the community upon completion of their “Secure Track” placements.
• The Probation Department has continued to work collaboratively with Yuba and Sutter Counties on the Tri County Juvenile Rehabilitation Facility construction project, which began construction in February.
• The Probation Department is working collaboratively with the Behavioral Health Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Education in the development of a Community Youth Center to address the ongoing and growing needs of the youth within our community. In conjunction with the Youth Center, the Probation Department is strengthening and expanding current programming, while at the same time looking to develop new evidence based programs to provide additional services and early intervention to not only justice involved youth, but to at risk youth to limit and hopefully prevent continued involvement in the Criminal Justice system.
• In collaboration with the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office and the Court, the Probation Department has implemented a Pre-Release program. This program provides the Court with release recommendations based on an offender’s potential risk to their alleged victim and the community, as well as their risk to abscond from the Court. Should the Court choose to release an offender, the Probation Department also provides the Court with recommended conditions of release and provides supervision of these offenders, as the Court deems necessary.
• The Probation Department is participating in a web based telecommunication, “Pilot program,” with the Re-Connect company. This program allows probationers to interact directly with their assigned officers through an application on their smart phones. This platform allows officers to text or speak directly to probationers, remind them of appointments, and obtain needed documentation. It also can be used to implement curfews or monitor probationers by utilizing Global Positioning system technology, thus allowing for enhanced supervision of probationers.
• All sworn Probation Officers and Probation Assistants have completed De-escalation and Implicit Bias training in adherence to the State’s Use of Force requirements. In addition, Department Staff have completed assigned mental health training as directed in compliance with the State and Community Corrections Standards for Training Corrections (STC) requirements.

Goals & Objectives for Fiscal Year 2021-22:

• The Probation Department will continue to develop and expand services, as well as provide both Evidence Based Programming (EBP) and Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (CBT) programs through the Day Reporting Center.
• In collaboration with the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office and the Court, The Probation Department will continue to develop and expand our Pre-Release program.
• Continue to develop and implement the “Secure Track” plan in accordance with State legislation. The Department will work directly with the Yuba and Sutter County Probation Departments to strengthen, expand and develop evidence based programming at the Juvenile Hall to address the needs of the youth being detained.
• The Probation Department will continue to participate in the Re-Connect web based Telecommunication “Pilot” program. Upon completion of the “Pilot” the Department hopes to be able to fully implement the program, thus providing increased supervision to our probationers.

Summary of Major Budget Changes:

• The County has two (2) youth currently housed in the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). The cost to the County for this placement is an anticipated $24,000 per youth for a total of $48,000 annually until these youth are released from DJJ.
• As a result of SB 823, which goes into effect in July, the supervision of youth, sentenced to the Department of Juvenile Justice, will be transferred back to the County from the State. SB 823 created an anticipated revenue funding stream of $250,000 to offset the costs associated with this supervision responsibility.
• It is the hope of the Probation Department that upon completion of our test pilot of the Re-Connect web based supervision tool, we will be able to formally contract with the Re-Connect company to fully implement the program. The anticipated budget cost of this is estimated at $20,000 per year. This cost will be budgeted from our anticipated Senate Bill 678 funding stream.