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otherwise be detained in the SMJH. The Home Supervision Program offers a cost-effective alternative to
housing youth in a secure environment.

JUVENILE SERVICES

INTAKE

Juvenile Intake refers to the handling of referrals to the Department for delinquent acts committed by
youth. It is the initial “gate-keeping” function for referrals. Most referrals are made by local law
enforcement agencies in the form of an application and affidavit. Referrals can be made for delinquent acts

(commonly referred to as 602 offenses) or status offenses (commonly referred to as 601 offenses). Delinquent
acts are those that would be a crime if committed by an adult while status offenses are those acts that are only
illegal for juveniles, such as running away from home or not attending school. Various Welfare and Institutions
Code (WIC) sections govern the operation of the juvenile court law and subsequently juvenile probation
activities. A DPO assigned to Juvenile Intake will directly refer any mandatory referrals to the District Attorney’s
Office. Non-mandatory referrals are reviewed for appropriateness for informal diversion programs. If eligible
and suitable, non-serious offenses can be addressed informally without any further action. More serious
offenses are usually referred to the District Attorney’s Office for review for formal filing. In many cases,

referrals are received for youth who remain in the community. In other cases, referrals are received on youth
who were taken into custody for their offenses. For those youth who remain detained, referrals are expedited
and youth are brought before a judge within proscribed timeframes. The Santa Barbara Assets and Risk
Assessment (SBARA) instrument helps identify the highest risk cases for reoffending and guides decision-
making on appropriate case planning and dispositions. A shorter version assists as a screening tool at the
Intake level.

INVESTIGATION

When the District Attorney files a §602 WIC petition, the case proceeds through the juvenile court in a
manner similar to adult court proceedings. In some cases, the court may find that a youth is eligible and
appropriate for informal handing despite the filing of a petition. In these cases, the court can order
diversion for misdemeanors and deferred entry of judgment for felonies. Applicable sections of the WIC
determine under what circumstances either can be ordered. DPOs assigned to Investigations Units will
prepare reports for the court’s review in determining if informal handling is appropriate. In some cases, the
court may consider whether certain youth accused of specified serious crimes are appropriate for the
rehabilitative nature of the juvenile court. DPOs will prepare transfer reports for the court’s consideration.

When cases are not handled informally hearings are held to determine whether the allegations contained
in the petition are true or not. If the charges are found true, DPOs will conduct an investigation on the
youth to provide detailed objective information regarding the offense, family history, education, social
welfare background, prior offense history, victim impact, restitution, and other factors relevant to the

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