Santa Clara County Grand Jury
• 2006-2007
2006-2007 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report Probation Department’s Restitution Program Fails Victims and Wards
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 5 findings
F1
The 0316 Fund and the 0320 Fund are not being administered in a manner that complies with the intent of the BOS, State, and guidelines of the Probation Department.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Publish a yearly management report to the BOS which provides details of victim restitution and ward compensation paid over the previous twelve months.
F2
The policy of requiring wards to successfully complete the Aftercare Program before paying restitution penalizes victims of juvenile crime. Only 48 percent of the wards are completing the program.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Revise the Probation Department guidelines for restitution from the 0320 Fund to stipulate that victims are to be paid upon the completion of the Ranch Program by the ward.
F3
Other than the six wards who were eligible, no one who has participated in the 0320 Fund program has received payments for their labor.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Revise the current Probation Department guidelines to pay for wards’ labor once they have completed the Ranch Program and restitution has been paid.
F4
No payments from the 0316 Fund have been made during the past four years.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Pay restitution to victims out of the 0316 Fund and close this fund after it is depleted.
F5
Upon achieving the $100,000 benchmark goal in 2004, there have been minimal restitution and labor payments contrary to Probation Department guidelines.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
Pay restitution to uncompensated victims and compensate wards who have completed the Ranch Program since 2004. 4
Conclusions 1
-
CL1 Page 3The 0320 Fund, established by the BOS and administered by the Probation Department, provides for the establishment of vocational opportunities for wards who are placed at the ranches. The programs generate revenue through the sale of products and through ward labor on various work programs. The Fund was designed to be self- sustaining. After achieving the self-sustaining level, restitution was to be paid to victims of the wards’ crimes and any remaining funds were to be used to compensate the wards for their labor. The Grand Jury found that even though the sustaining level was reached in 2004, there has been minimal victim restitution and labor compensation. 3
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office