Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, the department does not have resources to work with children and families before a child breaks a law, besides talking with a probation officer assigned to a high school campus (see below). There are, however, various community based organizations, who offer counseling programs to work with at-risk children and their families. Also, there may be programs within the public schools to help you with your child.

In either instance you will be contacted by a probation officer who is responsible for investigating your child’s circumstances and determining a course of action. If your child is booked into Juvenile Hall or the JTC (a Juvenile Detention Facility), a detention hearing will occur before the Juvenile Court no later than the third Court day following his/her arrest if he/she is not released from custody by the probation officer. After the circumstances are investigated by the probation officer, a variety of actions may occur ranging from a reprimand to Juvenile Court proceedings.

The Administrative Office of the Courts has developed a 13 minute video to help youth, parents and victims of juvenile crime understand Delinquency Court. The video walks the viewer through common types of juvenile hearings and helps explain what to expect during the course of a typical Delinquency Court case. The video can be located at www.courts.ca.gov/cfcc-delinquency.htm

The conditions at your child’s high school are not bad. Probation officers are on high school campuses for a variety of reasons, few of which have to do with crime or dangerous circumstances. Each officer at a school has a caseload of minors who are under probation supervision for one reason or another, and can closely supervise them during school hours. Officers are also on campus as a resource for students having difficulties at school, home or in the community. They are able to answer questions about these issues and how they relate to the juvenile justice system, and make referrals to services. Probation officers are available as a resource to school teachers and administrators regarding problems and issues that may arise on campus.

If the law allows your child’s record to be sealed, the Probation Department can assist you in this process. To obtain further information, and an application to request the sealing of your juvenile record, please contact the probation office that handled your case, or see the “Juvenile Record Seal Application” in the “Forms” section of this website at Probation Forms .

No, you cannot “put” your child into either Juvenile Detention Facility, as your child must commit a crime and be arrested by a police/sheriff’s officer in order to be booked into custody. There are other community resources available to assist you with your child.

If you are named as a victim of a crime in a law enforcement report, the person who committed the crime is convicted of the crime, and the case is referred to the probation officer, you will be contacted by the probation officer for specific information regarding your losses. From your information, the probation officer will determine an amount of restitution that is recommended to the Court. Once the Court orders restitution on your behalf from the person who committed the crime, the probation officer will make every effort to collect the amount owed to you. As payments are made to the Court, they will be forwarded to you.

If you are named as a victim of a crime in a law enforcement report, but no juvenile petition or criminal complaint was filed by the District Attorney’s Office, you may contact the District Attorney’s Office.

If law enforcement has not investigated the crime against you, you may contact the Sheriff’s Office or Police Department, whichever is appropriate.

If law enforcement has investigated the crime against you but the case has not yet gone to Court, you may contact the District Attorney’s Office (adult) or the Probation Department (juvenile) to determine the status of the case.

The first three mean an offender is on probation to the Court without the supervision of the probation officer. A person on formal probation is typically a felony offender in which the Court has suspended imposition of sentence to prison and ordered the offender placed under the supervision of the Probation Officer.

The law prohibits the Probation Department from disclosing this information to you. You may contact Child Support Services for assistance in obtaining child support. That department has offices in Placerville and South Lake Tahoe.

The law prohibits the Probation Department from disclosing this information to you as a general rule. If the department determines an offender is a threat to your personal safety, you may be advised of this threat. Megan’s Law determines that you may learn the identity of sex offenders within your neighborhood through the Sheriff’s Office or Police Departments.

No. The department does not drug test anyone who is not under the Probation Departments’ supervision; most often there is a Court order authorizing testing.