Commissioners' Biographies

Probation Commission History

JOE GARDNER
January 29, 2016
President

The Probation Commission was created in 1903 and is one of the County’s oldest official bodies. Commission members are designated and authorized to be called “Commissioners” in official correspondence and in the conduct of official business.

Under the provisions of Section 240 of the California State the Welfare and Institution Code, the establishment of the Commission is mandatory and consequently has a permanent status in county government. It also meets the additional requirement that each county in California have a juvenile justice commission. It is given this authority under Article IV, Section 14 of the Los Angeles County Charter. Pursuant to this County Charter, the Commission is an executive office and serves as an advisory oversight body to the Chief Probation Officer and the Probation Department.

On February 23, 1960, by Board order, the Committee was increased from nine to ten members.

In April of 1987, The Legislature amended the Welfare and Institutions Code at the request of the County Board of Supervisors to rename the Probation Commission. In July of the same year, this action was signed into law by the Governor as part of AB 1287.

Structure
On September 7, 1999 by order of the Board of Supervisors, the Probation Commission was increased from ten to fifteen members each serving four‐year terms. Three appointments are granted each of the five County Supervisors so as to reflect the diversity of the community. The Commission is charged with oversight of the administration of the juvenile delinquency laws in Los Angeles County and Commissioners are selected because of their varied backgrounds and expertise. They come from the private and public sectors as well as academia. Fields of expertise include education, mental health and criminal justice and law enforcement. The Commissioners provide a citizen interface between the Department, the community and the Board of Supervisors.

Functions
The Probation Commission holds regular public meetings on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month from 10 A.M to 12 P.M. Their public agendas include reviewing programs and procedures developed and implemented by the Probation Department. They also conduct facility inspections and report their findings to address issues that impact the administration of the Los Angeles County juvenile justice system. The Commission also develops recommendations to the appropriate County Departments and issues an Annual Report to the Board of Supervisors.

In its capacity as liaison for the public, it encourages interaction between community representatives, the County courts, the Board of Supervisors and those juvenile wards and adults under the jurisdiction of the Probation Department.

Primary Focus
The focus of the Probation Commission is to assist all Los Angeles County Departments in ensuring that the Los Angeles County juvenile justice system is humane and effective and provides cursory advisory oversight to the operation impacting adult probationers.

The Commission is committed to promoting the health, education and success of youth involved in the juvenile justice in order to redirect youth who have exhibited antisocial behavior.

Sincerely,

Joe Gardner, President

Los Angeles County Probation Commission
Los Angeles County Probation Department
9150 East Imperial Highway
Downey, California 90242
(562) 940-2754
(Cell) (626) 407-7571

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