SCR 185

Introduced by Senator Caballero
 Relative to Probation Services Week.
Probation Services Week
Probation Services Week.
This measure would recognize July 19-25, 2026, inclusive, as Probation Services Week.
WHEREAS, Probation professionals play a unique and essential role in California’s criminal and juvenile justice systems, keeping communities safe by providing justice-involved individuals with accountability, support, services, and tools necessary to safely and successfully reenter society; and
WHEREAS, Probation departments serve as key connectors within the justice system and local communities, maximizing the resources available through courts, local governments, law enforcement, social services, behavioral health providers, schools, crime survivor organizations, and nonprofit agencies; and
WHEREAS, Through transformative, evidence-based, and court-ordered rehabilitative programming, probation holds individuals accountable while also helping them permanently transition out of the justice system and onto healthier, more productive life paths; and
WHEREAS, Only probation uniquely combines accountability with rehabilitation by promoting public safety through helping individuals ready to change build a better path forward while protecting communities from those who are not; and
WHEREAS, Probation professionals balance the need for accountability with the opportunity for individuals to engage in treatment and rehabilitation, providing the structure and support necessary to change lives and reduce future crime; and
WHEREAS, California’s probation officers are highly trained and dedicated professionals, with over 72 percent identifying as non-White and 51 percent as women, and the majority holding college degrees, reflecting the diversity and professionalism of the field; and
WHEREAS, Probation officers receive extensive training, 350 hours within their first two years of service, and at least 40 hours annually thereafter, in areas including topics like trauma-informed care, cognitive behavioral therapy, strength-based approaches, and emotional intelligence; and
WHEREAS, This comprehensive training equips probation professionals to manage the trauma and complex needs of offenders while safely connecting them to the support and supervision necessary for successful reentry; and
WHEREAS, Probation provides a cost-effective, evidence-based public safety strategy, effectively supervising individuals while also connecting them to critical services, such as workforce development, substance use treatment, mental health care, and education; and
WHEREAS, Probation delivers a multifaceted public safety model that combines supervision, accountability, and access to transformative rehabilitative services, offering a safe and effective alternative to incarceration; and
WHEREAS, Probation departments have a profound impact on community safety and well-being by addressing the root causes of crime through individualized supervision and supports that reduce recidivism; and
WHEREAS, Probation fosters a safer, healthier California by ensuring that individuals serving their sentences within our communities or those reentering communities after incarceration are equipped with the tools, services, support, and supervision they need to be safe and successful; now, therefore, be it
 Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring,  That the Legislature hereby recognizes and commends the critical role of California’s probation professionals and celebrates July 19, 2026, to July 25, 2026, inclusive, as Probation Services Week in honor of their ongoing dedication to justice, rehabilitation, and community safety; and be it further
 Resolved,  That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.