About us

It is the mission of the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department to serve the needs of youth and families who are brought to our attention with care and compassion; to identify and respond to the individual risks and needs presented by each youth; to engage fiscally sound and culturally competent strategies that promote the best interests of the youth; to provide victims with opportunities for restoration; to identify and utilize the least restrictive interventions and placements that do not compromise public safety; to hold youth accountable for their actions while providing them with opportunities and assisting them to develop new skills and competencies; and contribute to the overall quality of life for the citizens of San Francisco within the sound framework of public safety as outlined in the Welfare & Institutions Code (WIC).

• Center the voices, experiences, and well-being of young people and their families
• Effectively serve the needs of justice-involved youth through strengths-based youth-and family-centered strategies that are grounded in the community
• Improve coordination across government agencies, community-based organizations, and youth and families to provide holistic support that helps justice-involved youth thrive and prevents future justice involvement
• Keep youth in their communities whenever possible; provide safe alternatives to detention for youth who cannot return home; reserve secure detention as a last resort when it is necessary to protect the safety of youth and those around them; develop secure long-term setting(s) that are healing-centered, family-centered, community-centered, and culturally responsive.
• Collaborate with the community and partner agencies to expand diversion opportunities that prevent justice system involvement
• Equitably right-size and operate the Juvenile Probation Department
• Reinvest and redirect juvenile justice funding to the community, including directly to youth and families
• Advance transparency and accountability through data-driven operations, and evidence- based and promising practices.

In 1989, San Francisco voters approved Proposition L, which created a new city Juvenile Probation Department managed by a seven-member commission appointed by the Mayor. The San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department is the only probation department in California that exclusively provides services to youth who are alleged or have been found to have committed law violations under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Juvenile Court. 

Administration

• Katherine Weinstein Miller, Chief Probation Officer
• Sheryl Cowan, Executive Secretary

Management Team

• Steve Arcelona, Deputy Director of Administration
• Gabriel Calvillo, Assistant Chief Probation Officer (Acting)
• Shane Thomas, Director of Juvenile Facilities
• Kingman Ma, Building and Grounds Maintenance Superintendent
• Maria McKee, Director of Research & Planning
• Preston Treichel, Director of Human Resources (Interim)
• Samuel Ho, Information Technology Director
• Verónica Martinez, Director of Finance

Divisions

• Administrative Services
• Probation Services
• Juvenile Hall

Juvenile Probation Commission

The Juvenile Probation Commission oversees the work of our department and appoints the Chief Probation Officer. The Commission consists of 7 members appointed by the Mayor. The Commission holds public meetings every month, except August. 

Juvenile Advisory Council

The Juvenile Advisory Council (JAC) is a paid leadership opportunity for young adults who have been impacted by the juvenile justice system. JAC members support youth-centered policy development at JPD. JAC members also provide support to youth placed on probation and their families, including regular orientations to the juvenile justice system.