Probation Chief Honors Staff and Officers Who Help Keep Our Communities Safe and Support Justice-Involved Individuals in Celebration of Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week 2021

Chief Probation Officer Tanja Heitman announced this year’s annual Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week, July 18-24, to honor probation professionals who work to keep communities safe and support the rehabilitative process for justice-involved individuals under their supervision.

This year’s theme is Restoring Trust, Creating Hope. The Probation Department works throughout Santa Barbara County to restore trust, create hope and provide accountability and opportunity for justice-involved individuals — making a difference in the lives of people by using evidence-based rehabilitation that helps people achieve long-term success and sustainable community safety.

“Probation officers, juvenile institutions officers and pretrial services specialists throughout the county dedicate their lives to rehabilitation and community safety in order to improve the quality of life for all in our community,” Heitman said.

“During this most challenging time, the Probation Department has focused on making more meaningful connections and implementing strategies that account not only for public safety but also the health and wellbeing of the people under supervision.”

For decades probation in California has led, collaborated and defended effective reforms within the justice systems. Probation is focused on helping justice-involved individuals transition out of the system permanently through transformative and evidence-based rehabilitation.

Probation departments are a connector in the justice system: interlacing and maximizing the resources available within the courts, local governments, law enforcement, social services, schools, nonprofits and the community to reduce recidivism by balancing direct human services and research-based deterrents and interventions.

Together, this approach provides the help and accountability needed to create hope and restore trust.

The resolution commemorating Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week from the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors “recognizes these officers for their significant contribution to making Santa Barbara County a safer place to live.”

Probation is the alternative to incarceration, and probation officers are trained experts prepared to successfully manage trauma. Probation is a collaborator, connecting service and need to enhance safety and restoration to achieve sustainable safety for communities.

During Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week it is important to recognize pretrial services specialist, probation and juvenile institution officers for their dedication to the people they work with and the community.

For more about the Santa Barbara County Probation Department, visit www.sbprobation.org.