-- Probation and Dependency --

100

Basics

Dual

Status

Probation

LARRC

200

300

300

200

100

300

200

100

300

200

100

Final Question

Basics - 100

• When a kid is in foster care, what people are required to manage her case? ��A. Probation and public defenders�B. CASA volunteers and private attorneys�C. DCFS social workers and dependency attorneys

• C. DCFS social workers and dependency attorneys

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Foster youth fall under WIC 300, which means they are “dependents of the court.” Decisions about placement and services are made by a dependency judge with input from DCFS and the child’s dependency attorney.

Basics - 200

• B. Someone in the delinquency system who is under state supervision after going to juvenile court.��A court can decide that a kid needs government supervision in their home through probation or in a detention center. Kids can become wards of the court for “status offenses” under WIC 601 or crimes under WIC 602.

• What is a ward of the court? �A. Someone who is in the dependency system. �B. Someone in the delinquency system who is under � state supervision after going to juvenile court. �C. Someone who interns at the courthouse.

Basics - 300

• At what age does a youth lose dependency status? �A. 18�B. 21�C. 22

• C. 22

Prior to a youth’s 22 birthday, the dependency attorney and the court will work together to get the youth important documents and resources to transition to independent adulthood. The court will help transition age youth get access to services after they age out, such as Medi-Cal (age 26) and transitional living (age 24).

Dual Status - 100

• True or False: �A foster youth automatically loses his dependency status when he goes to delinquency court.

• False. �

When a foster youth enters the delinquency system, a delinquency judge will decide whether to grant “dual status” in both dependency and delinquency systems. The judge should take away dependency status only if she finds that the youth cannot receive helpful dependency services.

Dual Status - 200

• Who is part of the Action Team that makes recommendations to the delinquency judge about the youth’s dual or delinquency status? �A. The dependency attorney and defense attorney�B. The district attorney and probation officer�C. The DCFS social worker and probation officer

• C. The DCFS social worker and probation officer�

Because DCFS is from dependency and probation officers are from delinquency, together they form the WIC 241.1 Action Team that prepares a report to the judge to help her decide the youth’s status.

Dual Status - 300

• How soon after arrest is a probation officer required to tell the judge that a foster youth is in dependency?�A. Before the youth appears in delinquency court �B. Before the judge sentences the youth to probation or � detention�C. Never. A dependency attorney tells this to a judge.

• A. Before the youth appears in delinquency court.�

DCFS and Probation share an online database called the Juvenile Automated Index (JAI), which has info about youth in the dependency and delinquency systems. Before appearing in court, probation must look up the youth and let the judge and attorneys know the youth should be considered for dual status.

Probation - 100

• True or False: �A probation officer can always remove a youth from their home or placement if they do not follow the terms of their probation.

• False. There are wardship and nonwardship probations.

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1. Nonwardship probations are given if a youth did not violate a law. The court gives terms that are informally monitored by a probation officer for no more than 6 months.
2. Wardship probations are given if the youth violated a law. The court has jurisdiction or responsibility over the youth as if the court were the youth’s parent.

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Probation- 200

• True of False:

When probation or detention ends, a probation officer must return youths to the home they were in before and return parental rights to their guardians.

• False

A probation officer must determine if a youth can return home safely after becoming a ward of the court. If the home is not determined to be safe, the probation officer will recommend to the court that the youth be placed in dependency.

Probation - 300

• True or False: �The only recommendations attorneys, DCFS, and probation can make to a judge in a foster kid’s case are to: (1) dismiss the case, (2) grant dual status, or (3) suspend dependency status.

• False. They must have reasons for recommendations and options they rule out.
• Dismiss – Least severe decision
• WIC 654 – Informal Probation with guardian support
• WIC 725 or 790 – Deferred Entry of Judgment (non-wardship or wardship probation)
• Dual Status
• Delinquency only – Most severe decision

LARRC- 100

• During intake into the delinquency system, the probation officer asks youths survey questions on a form called an “LARRC.” The answers will help the PO determine the requirements of probation. What does LARRC stand for? �A. Los Angeles Rapid Response Chart�B. Los Angeles Risk and Resiliency Checkup�C. Los Angeles Recidivism Reduction Checklist

• B. Los Angeles Risk and Resiliency Checkup

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A Risk and Resiliency Checkup form is designed to help the PO figure out if there are things in the youth’s life that may place her at risk for criminal behavior or that cause stress.

LARRC - 200

• Name two things that are treated as “risks” on the RRC. �HINT: Factors include things like personality, past behaviors, education, family, friends, and substance use.

• Many possible answers on LARRC.

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It is important to know how a PO is trained to think about “risks” so that you can think about how you talk about your life during an intake. You can also ask for services like mental health care, behavioral therapy, or substance abuse counseling.

LARRC - 300

• Name two things you could mention in your intake interview so that the PO knows your strengths.

• Many possible answers. ��It is important that your PO knows your strengths, because they are trained to look for “protective factors,” or things that show you are resilient and able to handle challenges and work through problems.

Final Question

• If you have dual status and you have a question, concern, or problem, who is the best person to talk to first?

• Your delinquency or dependency attorney. All questions and information provided to an attorney are confidential as is their advice.