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San Mateo DA agrees to drop full names, DOB from juvenile press notes after commission complaint
Summary
Following a commission letter, the San Mateo County District Attorney's office told the Juvenile Justice commission it will stop including detained youths' full names and dates of birth in press notes and will use first name with last initial; the commission asked for written confirmation and follow-up meeting
REDWOOD CITY — After the San Mateo County Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission raised concerns about public releases of juvenile information, representatives of the district attorney’s office told the commission on Feb. 25 that the office will discontinue including detained youths’ full names and dates of birth in press notes.
The commission had sent a letter in November asking the district attorney to refrain from releasing confidential personal information about youth in custody and to work with the commission to protect juvenile confidentiality. The commission discussed the issue in closed session previously and raised it publicly at the Feb. 25 meeting after not receiving an initial response.
At the meeting, Nadia Hahn, a district attorney’s office representative, said the office plans to discontinue use of full names and dates of birth and move to a format using first names and last initials for juveniles discussed in press releases. “The first one is the use of full names, which is gonna be discontinued. So it'll be use of first name and last initial only, as well as date of birth that'll be left out of communications with the press,” Hahn told the commission.
Hahn added the office is reviewing past press notes to determine whether any medically sensitive or other inappropriate information was inappropriately released and said DA Steve Wagstaff is willing to meet with the commission to discuss confidentiality practices and to balance transparency with youth privacy.
Commissioners welcomed the commitment but requested a written policy or formal, written confirmation of the change. The DA’s office replied that it does not currently have a blanket written policy because decisions can be case‑specific; Hahn said the office is open to providing a written response summarizing the revised practice and the DA’s willingness to meet.
Public comment at the meeting underlined community concern about premature or unnecessary disclosure. Public commenter Arnold Morales, a parent who said his family was affected by press coverage of a juvenile case, asked for a clear, simple explanation of when the DA’s office may release a youth's name. The DA’s office replied in general terms that statutory rules vary by charge and public‑hearing status, and that the office seeks to balance legal requirements with youth privacy.
Commission staff and commissioners said they will request a written confirmation of the DA’s stated practice and plan to meet with DA Wagstaff to clarify circumstances under which juvenile identifying information may be released to the media.
Ending — The DA’s office committed on the record to stop including full names and dates of birth in juvenile press notes and to use first name and last initial; the commission asked for written confirmation and scheduled a meeting request to follow up.
