Dear Friends,
Probation is essential and unduplicated in our justice system. We have proven our commitment to preventing and diverting individuals from incarceration to a safe, healthy and successful life pathway. Unfortunately, probation is often one of the most misunderstood and inaccurately reported professions.
San Francisco Adult Probation leads the nation in justice reforms that have been proven to be successful. The days where probation was used as a punitive tool with a focus on punitive supervision are gone. These have been replaced with our system that treats, rehabilitates and changes lives in a positive manner, giving our clients the resources and tools they need to get on a safe and healthy pathway in our community.
The same way probation has supported California’s most historic criminal justice reforms, we are leading the way to support additional changes to provide a more fair and just system.
For example, our adult probation department operates the Community Assessment and Services Center (CASC). This behavioral health focused, one-stop, multi-services clinical reentry center specializes in working with individuals who are justice involved, ages 18 and older. The CASC embraces a client-centered, strength-based approach; empowers personal responsibility; and streamlines access to evidence based services, including clinical and reentry case management, medication management and distribution, peer coaching, cognitive behavioral interventions, and substance dependency and recovery services. Through our longstanding partnerships with community-based providers, the CASC reduces over-reliance on incarceration, mitigates behavioral health challenges, builds self-sufficiency skills, and strengthens public safety. This program is just one of many that San Francisco Adult Probation delivers to give our clients resources and supports to help them in their effort to rehabilitate.
Probation is a unique branch of the justice system, both in our approach and our success. We provide scientifically based customized plans designed to address each clients' needs and ensure they have the best opportunities for success. San Francisco Adult Probation leads the nation in community corrections reforms, and results demonstrate that these reforms are working while continuing to keep our communities safe.
With the help of the San Francisco community, together we have been able to create an adult probation department that leads our state in innovative and progressive strategies that help people rebuild their lives and ensure the safety of all people in our community. The work we do is helping to move the state and nation away from the the ‘tough on crime’ narrative. Locking people up in prison is not the answer; and this often disproportionately impacts people of color. We have successfully demonstrated that we can safely support individuals in the community without relying on incarceration. We will continue this work and hope that together we can create a more fair and just system for all Californians.
Karen L. Fletcher
Chief Adult Probation Officer
San Francisco Adult Probation Department
