Stop Probation Cuts That Will Endanger Our Communities

27,000 criminals... 5,000 high risk offenders... are currently on probation in Sacramento County for crimes ranging from domestic violence and drug possession to arson, burglary and sexual assault.

Imagine it: that number would fill Arco Arena and leave thousands standing outside.

Now imagine these same 27,000 convicted criminals walking the streets of the county unsupervised by the probation officers that are charged with keeping them out of trouble and on the road to rehabilitation… if our County Supervisors don’t stop proposed cuts to this year’s County Probation Department budget.

Probation officers are law enforcement personnel charged with supervising criminals sentenced to probation for a wide range of misdemeanors and felonies. They work with other law enforcement agencies, education and community organizations to ensure probationers are meeting the terms of their probation, provide rehabilitation services, and work to keep victims informed about the legal process and their rights.

Budget cuts hit the Probation Department hard last year – they lost more than 100 sworn officers, leaving only 3,000 probationers with any supervision. This year, the County is proposing even more cuts to the department’s budget, taking it back to 1990 staffing levels and making Sacramento the only County in California with virtually no officers on the street to supervise criminals sentenced to probation.

The proposed cuts will virtually eliminate the Probation Department:

Leaves Nearly All Probationers Unsupervised: More than 85% of the County’s juvenile probationers and more than 99% of adult probationers would receive no Probation Department supervision.

Slashes Monitoring of Sex Offenders: Over 84% of registered sex offenders would go unmonitored.

Violates Constitution, Laws to Protect Victims: Even the County’s own budget recommendations acknowledge they would violate 21 state codes that could potentially leave taxpayers on the hook for millions in litigation costs. Violations include Marsy’s Law, the Victim’s Bill of Rights, the California Penal Code, Family Code, California Code of Regulations, Welfare and Institutions Code, and the California Constitution.

Eliminates Victims Services: There would be no funding for victim services, including the collection of restitution and victim impact statements mandated by law.