Moving responsibility for Juvenile Hall operations from the
Santa Clara County court system to the county executive
’s office is now under way.
Moving responsibility for Juvenile Hall operations from the Santa Clara County court system to the county executive’s office is now under way.
Voters in March approved Measure A, which allows County Executive Pete Kutras to appoint, supervise and remove the chief probation officer.
The measure also authorizes county supervisors to establish an Advisory Board of Juvenile Hall to include: a Juvenile Court judge, the District Attorney, Public Defender, Sheriff, education and health professionals, community-based provider, Probation employee organization members, previous Hall residents and parents of youths at Juvenile Hall.
Kuntras named named Dennis Handis to head the transition team that will be responsible for the change and to conduct an assessment of the department’s operations.
Handis retired as Chief Probation Officer/Chief of Correction in Santa Clara County in 1996. He has over 35 years of experience in probation and corrections and was at the helm, when the department was recognized as a model agency throughout the nation. Handis will bring an understanding of the departmental operations and the challenges that confront the probation officers and counselors. He served as the Executive Director for the Chief Probation Officers of California from 1998 to 2001.
“The Probation Department is an important part of our public safety system and includes both adult and juvenile services and institutions,” Kutras said. “Collectively, we have a big job ahead. We have to improve conditions, provide training and needed resources as well as restore community confidence while struggling with a massive budget deficit. I know that working together we can meet the challenge before us.”
High on the team’s priority list will be the assessment of the status of recommendations that remain to be implemented from the report commissioned last fall by the Board of Supervisors and prepared by leading authorities on juvenile detention practices under the guidance of David W. Roush.
“We will also be moving forward with the process to conduct a statewide search for a new Chief Probation Officer,” said Kutras, noting that California experience will be important. “We will meet with members of the community, employees and the Judges to discuss the characteristics and essential leadership qualities that the new Chief Probation Officer should possess. It is important that we select a Chief that will share our vision for the future of the department.”
