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The youth offender program needs participation of adults
By Gloria I. Wang
A program that would benefit Los Gatos teen offenders is ready to lift off, but needs community participation and a meeting facility before it can.
The countywide Restorative Justice Program, which helps reduce crime by working with juvenile offenders, was implemented in Los Gatos, Saratoga and Cupertino in July. Heidi Pham, program coordinator for the three areas, is looking for members of the community to step up to help get the program running.
An essential aspect of the program is the Neighborhood Accountability Board, which meets with the offender and determines what kind of reparation must be made for the crime. Since the board is made up of residents and local business owners, Pham is searching for 15 Los Gatans willing to meet one evening a month for approximately 3 and a half hours. Board members will undergo 12 hours of training beforehand and be paid a small monthly stipend.
Another crucial element is for the board to have a meeting place. Because privacy and confidentiality are key, Pham needs a low-visibility facility that would open its doors to the board on a regular basis. Churches or community centers are ideal, Pham says, while Los Gatos High School is not because the offender might be spotted by peers. In Cupertino, the board, already up and running, meets at the Good Samaritan United Methodist Church.
At the same time, Pham needs a space where she can meet with board members and families of offenders. She currently shares an office with Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Officer Michelle Stanfill in Los Gatos High School, which isn't sufficient.
The Santa Clara County Juvenile Probation Department started the program four years ago as an experiment. Initially, the program only existed in Gilroy and two San Jose ZIP codes, then expanded to Mountain View, Milpitas and other San Jose areas. Based on the positive feedback received from participants, the department made a commitment to have the program in every ZIP code in the county.
The program targets locals 17 years old and younger who have been cited for low-level offenses such as drug and alcohol abuse or property damage. Rafael De La Cruz, program coordinator for another area in the county, says the program "looks at crime through a different lens"--instead of seeing the offense as a crime against the justice system or the state, the crime is taken as having injured a community, victim or even the offender themselves. Crime is therefore personalized, De La Cruz says, and more serious because damage is inflicted on relationships.
"These are good kids who've been cited for a low-level offense," De La Cruz said of the offenders, who usually don't need the punitive measures from the traditional justice system.
Typically, a teenager will be cited for a crime and the citation will go through the probation department and be given an assessment. Then, a probation officer will meet with the teen offender and parents and determine whether or not the case is suitable to go before the Neighborhood Accountability Board. If the case is appropriate--and if the youth acknowledges his or her guilt--the officer will then refer the offender to the board. The victim in the crime will receive a letter that asks for input, such as the effects of the crime and appropriate reparations. The victim is also invited to sit in on the board meeting.
Board members will review cases individually before they meet the youth. At the meeting, board members will spend about one hour with each offender, first discussing the person--likes and dislikes, personality, family and friends--then talking about the crime and the appropriate steps to take. The board will negotiate a contract in which the offender agrees to take certain measures, such as writing letters of apology, performing community service, paying an amount of restitution or enrolling in self-help classes. Once the teen has completed the terms of the contract, the board gives the offender a certificate of completion.
If, after two years or the youth turns 18, there is no second offense, the youth is allowed to go through a process to seal their criminal records. According to De La Cruz, a two-year study of 902 youth conducted by the probation department indicated that fewer than 12 percent of the teenagers who had gone through the program were repeat offenders.
"It provides immediate intervention measures for youth," De La Cruz said.
Pham says she finds that most of the citations for Los Gatos residents are related to drug and alcohol abuse. In the past few months, she has met with the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department, as well as made presentations to organizations such as Community Against Substance Abuse.
CASA Chairwoman Kim Winkelman says the program is "another creative and effective way to continue to aid what society calls 'at-risk' youth. ... We, as a com....nity, want to give them the very best opportunities that we can."
"I think [the program] is really needed in Los Gatos. I think the drug and alcohol issue is not one that people want to recognize," Winkelman said.
Winkelman started hearing good things about restorative justice more than a year ago. She became involved when she found out that Pham needed to find board members, and is currently recruiting people from the community for the board.
Any Los Gatos residents or business owners interested in serving on the Neighborhood Accountability Board should contact Pham at 408.529.4253.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
