Frequently Asked Questions
Adult Probation
- What does it mean to be "on probation"?
- What is the difference between probation and parole?
- What does the Probation Department do to protect the community from adult offenders?
- What does the Probation Department do to help offenders with alcohol and drug problems?
Juvenile Probation
- What does probation do to prevent delinquent juveniles from entering the juvenile justice system?
- How does a youngster come to the attention of the Probation Department and the Juvenile Court?
- What happens to juveniles when they enter the juvenile justice system?
- How long will a minor be held in Juvenile Hall? What happens during that time?
- What happens after a juvenile becomes a ward of the court?
The Juvenile Justice System and Juvenile Detention
- My child came home after being arrested. What will happen now?
- My child was arrested and taken into custody. What can the arresting officer do?
- If we get a Notice to Appear, what will happen at the meeting with the probation officer? What should I do?
- Do I need a lawyer?
- Does my child need a lawyer?
- My child's probation officer told me that the district attorney will be filing a petition. What does that mean?
- What will happen if my child is taken to juvenile hall after the arrest?
- How long could my child be locked up in juvenile hall?
- Can I visit my child in juvenile hall?
- How soon can I visit my child?
- What is the role of the probation officer?
- Can I ask that my child be in the dependency court rather than the delinquency court as an abused or neglected child?
- How will my child or I find out about the court hearings?
- What hearings will my child go to in juvenile court?
- When can my child be tried as an adult?
- What felonies are likely to get tried in adult court?
- What will happen at the jurisdictional hearing?
- What will happen at the dispositional hearing?
- Can I be present at the hearings?
- Can I speak at the hearings?
- Do we have the right to an interpreter?
- Can the victim and his or her parents attend and speak up at the dispositional hearing?
- Where will my child go if he or she is sent to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)?
- When would my child go to the California Department of Corrections (CDC) instead of the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)?
- Am I financially liable for my child's acts?
- Will I be required to pay my child's fees?
- Can my child's juvenile records be sealed?
- Can my child's juvenile court record be used against him or her as an adult?
- What should I do as a parent?
Juvenile Hall
- How long will a minor held in juvenile hall? What happens during that time?
- Are minors being held in juvenile hall allowed visitors and, if so, who may visit?