The Los Angeles County Probation Department is in shambles after many years of outsiders attempting to mend a broken system. This includes the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, The Los Angeles Probation Oversight Commissioners, and The Los Angeles County Probation Department Management.
The system is broken because our underprivileged communities are broken. Before an adolescent enters any probation facility, they have already experienced some form of childhood trauma. If the above-named agencies truly care about the youth they serve, why is this experience not addressed? Their trauma seems to all fall on the Probation Department. How can we educate and reach parents/caretakers to heal our youth before they commit heinous crimes? The adolescents in Probation custody are not run always, or truancy offenders. They are violent offenders who have committed crimes against innocent people. Do the victim’s rights not matter?
I myself, come from an underprivileged community, where I was exposed to gang culture at a young age. Like many in my community, gang culture was normalized. It wasn’t until I was hired by the L.A County Probation Department, where I learned about the true mindset of a gang member.
Gang culture carries a mindset of violence, and a lack of respect for authority figures, such as parents, teachers, police officers, etc. Partaking in substance abuse (used as a form of coping skill), to retaliate in a violent form, not just against their enemies, but anyone that disrespects them or their gang. To instill fear in their enemies, community members, and community businesses just to name a few. This gang member mindset is engraved into these adolescents at a very young age, some as young as the age of 9 years old.
How can the Probation Department rehabilitate these adolescents? How does the department undo the trauma and exposure to gang culture? Why is the probation department held to a high standard but the parents/ caretakers are not? How can we hold parents accountable? Do our youth not deserve a fair chance before entering any probation facilities?
Credible messengers are an asset to the Probation Department, some have shared with me their experience in the system and their time in prison. These conversations always lead back to childhood trauma. Either their parent was a gang member themselves, or they were addicts, therefore depriving them of a healthy childhood experience leading them to a life of crime and drug use at an early age. The adolescents in Probation’s custody express they enjoy meeting with a credible messenger, but it’s all too familiar as they refer to them as an older “homie” they already have.
I believe to be truly reformed it takes an outsider, someone who does not come from that lifestyle, for example, someone like Scott Budnick, or Father Greg from Homeboy Industries. Many Probation Officers serve as Scott Budnick or Father Greg to incarcerated youth, as mentors and role models, a topic that is rarely ever shared with the public.

Lately, the L.A. County Probation Department has been televised and exposed on the news outlets. Most recently, the Chief of Probation, Guillermo Viera Rosa, announced 66 officers of a total of 2,800 were placed on leave pending disciplinary investigations since January 1st. I agree, any Probation employee who is working unethically should be disciplined or discharged, however, when does he spotlight the other 2,734 employees that show up every day?
We show up everyday to find ourselves placed in dangerous situations and unsupported by the department. Gang culture has taken over our facilities and no one is talking about it. Not even our union. We house and supervise violent offenders with gang ties with no tools to address this culture. Many Special Incident Reports (SIR’s) have addressed the unsafe environment of these units/dorms for years, but nothing seems to change.
Yet, Probation staff are left in survival mode when showing up to work, hence, the staff shortage. Not only are probation staff in survival mode so are the teachers, nurses, mental health clinicians and other adolescents.
They say when you are in survival mode, morals and ethics go out the window, it’s about surviving. Many times Probation staff are assaulted, or placed under investigation due to the lack of support. For many years we have been seeking help on how to safely care for the adolescents in custody, with no real plan. It seems Chief Viera Rosa, came into the department with no real plan and to be punitive towards his staff members. The department’s moral is at an all-time low. What is his true agenda when he speaks about transparency?
My fear is that in 10/15 years the adolescents in probation’s custody will have a disadvantage in the real world. There are no hand-outs in the real world, sometimes not even a second chance. We are doing these adolescents an injustice, they are not building the social skills or relationship skills needed to be successful. They need a caring environment that includes structure and discipline. Like our own children, these adolescents need to know every action has a reaction. It truly is a ripple effect, their choices impact their future, their families, their communities and the next generation.
In my humble opinion, most gang members want to be a “good guy”. They are conflicted expressing, “This is the life I chose”, they fear they cannot turn away from this lifestyle, mainly due to fear, or a sense of hopelessness. Rather than helping them find a way out, we are hindering their future with the “victim” mindset.
This is a cry for help, the Probation Department needs a real plan to keep the adolescents we serve safe, safe from unethical employees, safe from drugs, and safe from gang culture. We need a plan for the youth that includes programming, gang diversion, vocational training, healthy relationship building, morals and ethics, and generational wealth, to name a few. However, this cannot be reached until we create a safe environment for everyone. For probation employees we need training in team building, gang culture, trauma-informed training, underprivileged community issues, and how to not hold a grudge (management included), to start.
To close I leave you with The Probation Department’s Mission Statement:
“To Enhance Public Safety, Ensure Victim’s Rights and Effect Positive Probationer Behavioral Change”.
Deputy Probation Officer