Organizational Structure, Staffing, and Funding

Counties can vary in how they structure their Probation Department but there are key similarities. Of the fifty-eight counties in California, all Probation Departments but one is led by a Chief Probation Officer who has oversight over adult probation, juvenile probation, juvenile detention facility, camps, ranches, and other juvenile commitment facilities. One county, San Francisco, has a separate Chief Probation Officer for adult probation and juvenile probation. Probation Departments are staffed by numerous classifications that perform various functions throughout the Department. All Probation Departments have multilayered hiring processes and training requirements. Funding for Probation Departments comes from a variety of sources, which vary in their requirements to publicly report how that money is spent.