The Shasta County Board of Supervisors on July 22 adopted a proclamation designating July 2025 as Probation Services Week and heard an overview of local probation programs from Assistant Chief Probation Officer Eric Jones. The vote to adopt the proclamation carried 5-0.

The proclamation recognizes probation and juvenile detention officers as sworn peace officers while on duty and cites their roles in offender accountability, rehabilitation and victim support. Jones told the board that probation performs a wide range of functions, from running the juvenile rehabilitation facility and preparing sentencing investigations for the courts to operating diversion and reentry programs.

Jones described several recurring services and programs: new-offender orientations held three times a week that offer on-site medical eligibility screening, mental-health and substance-use screening, nutrition assistance and transitional housing support; an integrated family wellness program for youth; a juvenile prevention unit of five officers assigned to five county schools; monthly STOP (Successful Transition of Probation and Parole) events that introduce supervised people to community services; and addiction-recovery graduations and other ceremonies that staff said support rehabilitation.

“Probation is not just an arm of the justice system, it’s a bridge to something better,” Jones told the board as he outlined the department’s mix of supervision, diversion and community partnership work. He also praised support and fiscal staff for their roles in program delivery.

Supervisor Long moved to adopt the proclamation; the motion was seconded by Chair Scribe and passed unanimously. The board presented the proclamation and posed for photographs with probation staff following the vote.

No formal direction to staff or budget action was taken during the presentation; the item was a ceremonial proclamation and a departmental update.