The Alternative Treatment Caseload (ATC) Program provides evidence-based supervision caseloads using a Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (CBT) intervention paired with the utilization of Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques; for moderate to high risk offending adult clients. Clients participating in the ATC Program are assessed using the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) assessment tool. The LS/CMI provides the client’s risk level of re-offending as well as other factors. Deputy Probation Officers (DPOs) use the assessment information to develop individualized case management plans, which includes participation in a CBT intervention. The CBT intervention is a structured curriculum and experiential interactive journal writing process that increases client motivation for change and guides offenders in their decision-making skills for pro-social behaviors. It specifically addresses the criminogenic risk factors identified by the initial LS/CMI assessment. Thru this process, clients self-identify, self-confront, and seek to alter the attitudes, values and thinking patterns that once led to inappropriate, anti-social behaviors. As a result, clients are once again connected to their strengths, capabilities and personal responsibilities for changing their lives.

The ATC Program is set apart from traditional supervision caseloads in that it is a collaborative effort between the client and the DPO, with intensive supervision set at the beginning of the program. The DPO strives to build a therapeutic alliance, continually engaging with the client throughout the term of supervision through the use of MI. Client contacts are more frequent, lasting approximately one (1) hour each session, with significant interaction between the client and DPO working through the interactive CBT journals.

As specific program benchmarks are obtained, intensive supervision requirements are often reduced in an effort to reward clients for positive progress and program compliance. Clients are gradually transferred back into traditional supervision caseloads following the completion of the ATC Program. Finally, the ATC Program is further supported by the Staff Support and Development Unit (SSD) which provides quarterly DPO MI and CBT assessments, further offering on-the-spot feedback and coaching, on-going quality assurance inspections and review of program statistics and data trends.

The Los Angeles County Probation Department is the only probation department in the nation with a dedicated Child Sex Trafficking Unit, specifically formed to address the needs of commercially sexually exploited children who have been arrested and/or detained by law enforcement for prostitution crimes.

The development of the Child Sex Trafficking Unit demonstrates the Department’s understanding and commitment to girls who have been sexually exploited.

Human trafficking today is viewed as the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the 21st Century with a $9 billion industry, second largest to drug trafficking. Our Probation staff noticed a disturbing trend – girls under supervision after being convicted of prostitution-related charges, talking about being tortured, transported, and bought and sold for sex. Probation officers realized these girls were not criminals, but victims of highly sophisticated sex traffickers.

Through 2012, the founding directors of DMST, Michelle Guymon and Hania Cardenas, used the $350,000 grant from Title II funding to launch a pilot project to provide health, mental health, mentoring and after-care services for these youth.

The Probation Department has been working collaboratively with the Board of Supervisors, the courts, law enforcement, and social services agencies, to develop an effective prevention/intervention strategy for rehabilitative services for Department of Children and Family Services and Probation youth who are at risk or have been victims of sexual exploitation.

As part of the Department’s strategic effort to combat further commercial sexual exploitation of youth, the following county-wide strategies have been implemented: awareness training provided to 2,000 individuals to date, a 10-week prevention curriculum titled “My Life Choice”, and extensive media coverage. The Probation Department’s most proud moment occurred on June 25 and 26, 2012, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Downey, CA. – the DMST program hosted the first annual “Inspiring Hope through Survivor Leadership” two-day Empowerment Conference for 42 juvenile DMST victim/survivors and community partners.

School Based Supervision consists of programs that serve youth and families within the five Supervisorial Districts. The programs and services are funded through the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) designed to provide a full spectrum of community-based services to both probation and at-risk youth. The school based program consists of Deputy Probation Officers (DPOs) assigned to High schools, Middle schools, Housing Developments and Park (afterschool enrichment) sites. These DPOs receive specialized training to provide individualized assessment, Strength-Based/Family-Centered case planning and management, and effective supervision. They work closely with parents and guardians in enforcing regular school attendance, behavior and school performance, as well as compliance with all other terms of probation. The primary objective of these services is to increase the opportunity for the probationers and /or at risk youth to achieve academic success, and to empower and support parents to become the primary charge agent for their children.

The Probation Department’s Special Enforcement Operations (SEO) Unit is an elite unit comprised of armed Deputy Probation Officers who are highly trained, expertly skilled, and tremendously motivated professionals who make them the best of the best at what they do. SEO conduct searches, plan and execute joint law enforcement special operations such as sweeps, seizures, and warrant enforcement. Additionally, SEO collaborates on a regular basis with local, state, and federal agencies such as LAPD, FBI, US Marshals and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Operations range from gang homicides, organized crime task forces and fugitive apprehension.

Overview of its major operational components:

CLEAR
The primary purpose of Los Angeles City Community Law Enforcement and Recovery (CLEAR) program is to facilitate the recovery of gang-infested communities. This is accomplished by decreasing the criminal activity of targeted gangs in designated communities through an effective collaboration among several City and County criminal justice agencies, and partnerships between this core collaborative and affiliated agencies, programs and individuals in the targeted communities.

The CLEAR Units duties are also specific to individuals who have been ordered to probation supervision by the courts, and reside and/or visit within the Division’s geographical boundaries. These activities are done in coordination with the District Attorney’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, Community Stakeholders, and the Los Angeles Police Department.

DISARM
The Probation Department’s Developing Increased Safety through Arms Reduction Management (DISARM) Unit was initiated by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich in February of 2000, in wake of the tragic August 1999 shootings at the North Valley Jewish Community Center and the murder of a postal worker by an armed felon on probation from Washington State. Since its inception, DISARM has since seized more than 7,000 weapons, more than $300 Million in illegal drugs and drug money and assisted in over 15,000 arrests.

The DISARM Unit have established collaborative working relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. DISARM members are often asked to work on various task forces formed by these agencies, as well as the County-wide CSEC Task Force.

In 2011, the California Legislature and Governor Brown passed sweeping public safety legislation (AB 109) that effectively shifted responsibility for certain populations of offenders from the state to the County. The County of Los Angeles Probation Department began the implementation of an Armed AB 109 Unit to service the needs of the AB 109 Population. This program was in addition to the already established Armed Programs. The program primarily targets high risk individuals for referral for services and emergency detention when necessary to protect the clients and the community, in accordance with evidence based principals.

The AB 109 Armed Unit works collaboratively with other law enforcement agencies as well as with the department’s armed units to perform an array of community safety tasks. Since the inception, the AB 109 armed deputies have been actively involved with the suppression and monitoring of the department’s AB 109 clientele.

In November 2016, the Board of Supervisors approved and funded the implementation of a passive alert K9 detection program for the Los Angeles County Probation Department. The Board’s approval was for a unit consisting of five (5) K9 teams which would be specifically trained in the detection of illicit narcotics or firearms.

Since Implementation the K9 unit has had success in locating illegal narcotics and ammunition which has resulted in the arrest of probationers who were not in compliance with their Conditions of Probation. The handlers and their new K9 partners work and train diligently daily to ensure they are always prepared to assist the Department. Since the implementation of the K9 Unit, they have assisted in numerous operations with Special Enforcement Operations.