Juvenile Services

Message From The Assistant Chief

The past 2 1/2 years have brought about many welcome changes to Juvenile Operations, none of which could have been accomplished without the diligence of the dedicated staff of the Alameda County Probation Department and the commitment of local, community, and government partners. I am delighted with what the Department has accomplished so far and excited by what it will achieve in the future.

Through these partnerships, many programs have been born and much has been achieved, from 100% compliance with standards set by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to an impressive and historical decrease in the number of probation youth removed from their homes. All of this and more represents the Department’s commitment to improving all facets of its service delivery model and to ensuring our approach remains comprehensive, viable, and most importantly, effective.

As a public safety agency, the Department will continue to define its success through its partnerships and by the impact it has on youth and the families it is privileged to serve.

Overview

Each year hundreds of youth in Alameda County are arrested and detained by law enforcement and/or the Alameda County Probation Department. Many of these youth face multiple complex challenges. They come from families struggling with substance abuse, domestic violence, and poverty, factors that often contribute to the youth’s recurrent delinquency.

To address these needs, the Department uses a multidisciplinary team approach that is designed to help youth on probation achieve a seamless reintegration to their home and school environments from Juvenile Hall or Camp Wilmont Sweeney. Youth are referred to the Transition Center before their release. There, Probation staff connect youth and their families to services in the community, including those provided by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department, the Alameda County Office of Education, the Center for Healthy Schools and Communities, Alameda County Public Health Care, the Oakland Unified School District, and Oakland Unite.