Hi! I’m Danelle Jacobs. I was asked the other day, what I thought was my biggest contribution to the court system, and my answer is ‘community.’ To me, “community” means a place where you feel at home, where you have a sense of belonging, where you feel safe. I have fostered and grown a strong relationship with the Sonoma County Courts and helped build a team that truly cares about our youth. The system is truly focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment. Here in Sonoma County, our programs often provide services to the families as well as the young person involved in the system. Somehow, there needs to be more trust between “the system” and the public. There’s a huge misconception that probation and / or the Judge is out to get people. Our very own Governor this year stated the following:
“He intends to shift control of the state’s Juvenile Justice Division away from corrections officials to government health and human services providers, a move he called long overdue and necessary to build on past efforts to divert children and teens from a path to prison.
Under the proposal, first unveiled as part of his January budget, the California Health and Human Services Agency would oversee more than 660 young offenders, the majority held at a camp in Pine Grove and three detention centers in Stockton and Camarillo. It is a small population compared with the more than 39,000 young people on probation or detained in juvenile halls statewide and the hardest to serve because of the serious charges and mental and medical health needs they face.
Corrections and health and human services officials say the plan heralds a cultural change in the state’s approach to the youngest in the justice system, and creates opportunities to better bridge educational, mental health and social services to prepare minors for release.” - LA Times
We need to work together to release all parties, including the Courts, of their current reputations. By working together, by continuing to grow the community, we can create lasting change and set the example for districts around the country.
Sincerely,
Danelle Jacobs
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