FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What happens after a juvenile is cited for a crime in Placer County?

Upon receipt of the juvenile crime report, a referral will be made to the Placer County Probation Department. The Placer County Juvenile Probation Department will make a formal written contact with the juvenile within two months following the citation.

What is a Juvenile Citation Hearing?

A Juvenile Citation Hearing is a formal probation meeting held by the Placer County Probation Department. Individuals present at the meeting may include a probation officer, a social worker intern, parents of the juvenile and the juvenile who was cited. If the juvenile does not contest the citation, and with parents consent, they may be assigned to Informal Probation or Peer Court depending on the status of offense.

What is Informal Probation?

If on informal probation, a minor is required to observe good behavior for a period of six months, make restitution to the victim for any damages, and obey parents. If deemed necessary, parents will be required to participate in a parent skill-building program for defiant or strong willed youth called Parent Project.

What is Formal Probation?

More serious crimes, such as burglary or robbery, will rarely be handled informally. If the charge is a felony (the most serious category of crimes) the law requires the probation department to refer the case to the District Attorney. Mandatory referral is also required when the child has had a prior crime which was handled informally. The probation department’s phone number is: 916-784-6432.

What if your child displays defiant behavior but has not been cited for a crime?

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office is committed to law enforcement intervention. School Resource Officers, specially trained in handling juvenile crime, are available for parents to talk to or make referrals. Parents are also encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office and have a patrol deputy respond and talk with their child or teen and the family at the time the incident is occurring. Parent Project is also an effective program for parents.

What is Parent Project and Parent Project Teen?

Parent Project is in 33 states and has taught over 300,000 parents nationwide, and offered in Roseville. It is a 10-week skill-building course for parents of strong-willed or defiant youth. Most parents have tried unsuccessfully, counseling, lecturing, and restriction. Parent Project puts parents “back in charge”. Parent Project Teen is a 10-week skill-building program for juveniles whose parents are attending Parent Project. Ages are 17 – 11. Teens don’t view themselves as having problems; it’s everyone else that is causing them to have problems. Teen will lean about labeling their feelings, sexualizing their behavior, peer pressure, drugs/alcohol and future choices.

Can families get help with truancy or running away behavior?

Running away or truancy is not a criminal offense, yet they are possibly early indicators of future criminal behavior. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office has a full-time deputy assigned to each high school and middle school, and elementary school in the county. These cases come to the attention of law enforcement because of the at-risk behavior involved. If you would like to contact the officer assigned to your child’s school please call the Sheriff’s Office, South Placer Sub-Station at 916-652-2400.

I would like to find out who the school resource officer is for my child’s school.

Contact the Sheriff’s Office at 916-652-2400 or the Sheriff’s website at www.placer.ca.gov/sheriff