Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission
Our Mission
Juvenile Justice
Our Mission is to inquire into the administration of Juvenile Court Law in the County of Tulare and develop new strategies which continually improve juvenile justice and delinquency prevention with the focus on long term impact on the community.
The Tulare County Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC) has access to, and must inspect, all publicly administered institutions in the county authorized by the Juvenile Court Law. It also monitors all activities involved in the care and supervision of both dependent children and wards of the court from the time they are taken into temporary custody until they leave the child welfare or juvenile justice system.
Please submit questions to jeffrey.jacobs@portervillecollege.edu or mhoover@tularecounty.ca.gov.
Juvenile Justice AGENDAS
Hidden
2026
2025
2024
2023
Juvenile Justice Minutes
Hidden
2025
2024
2023
History
The involvement of responsible citizens in California’s juvenile justice system dates back to 1903. At that time, a newly adopted statute required that in each county the Judge of the Juvenile Court appoint seven citizens of good moral character to be known as the Probation Committee.
These Probation Committees were given the power to inspect private institutions accepting wards of the court, investigate and report on juvenile cases before the court, provide friendly supervision and visitation, and nominate the county probation officer as well as approve of the probation officer’s deputies.
The work of these committees continued until the Arnold-Kennick revision of the Juvenile Court Law in 1961. With this revision, the Probation Committee became the Juvenile Justice Commission. Welfare and Institutions Code Section 229 states, “It shall be the duty of a juvenile justice commission to inquire into the administration of the juvenile court law in the county or region in which the commission serves.”
Meeting Information
Meetings are held every other month on the first Tuesday from 5:30 PM to 7 PM at Connections, 3249 W. Noble Avenue, Visalia, CA 93277. All meetings are open to the public. You may join in person or virtual, at the following link or by phone.
Zoom Meeting
Topic: Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission
Join Meeting: https://tularewib.zoom.us/j/83631307484?pwd=9z2ImX7Ezaa1aoj6n8hVyAuDdIsXs6.1
Meeting ID: 836 3130 7484
Passcode: 255623
Join by Phone
+16694449171,,83631307484# US
+16699009128,,83631307484# US (San Jose)
Join instructions
https://tularewib.zoom.us/meetings/83631307484/invitations?signature=WDam7NtdRuLOOcHMaZH1oLiSBkvG4jy2q7Kcl-nD_E8
Chair
Dr. Jeff Jacobs
Vice Chair
Maria Hoover
Secretary
Carla Calhoun
Chief Probation Officer
Judge of the Juvenile Court
Frank Ruiz
Gary Johnson
Presiding Judge
of the Juvenile Court
Sylvia Hanna
Members
Bud Darwin
Galen Quenzer
Naomi Campos
Marty Schein
Andrew Garcia
Manny Castro
Jerry Gaytan
Anna Ramirez
Aanchal Singh
Appointments and Meetings
Authority Information
Appointments
The Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court with the concurrence of the Presiding Judge of Superior Court of Tulare County, Juvenile Division appoints individual citizens for terms of four (4) years to the Juvenile Justice Commission.
Commissioner Affiliations
Dr. Jeff Jacobs – Porterville College
Maria Hoover – Tulare County Public Defender’s Office
Carla Calhoun – CSET (Retired)
Bud Darwin – Sequioa Riverlands Trust
Galen Quenzer – Boys & Girls Club of the Sequoias (Retired)
Naomi Campos – Harmony Magnet Academy
Martha “Marty” Schein – Avenidas Mental Health
Andrew Garcia – Reedley Peace Building Initiative
Manny Castro – Woodlake Unified School District
Jerry Gaytan – Reedley Peace Building Initiative
Anna Ramirez
Aanchal Singh
Frequently Asked Questions
Hidden
What is the Juvenile Justice Commission?
What are the Responsibilities?
Within its statutory duty, the Commission’s responsibilities include:
- Inspecting detention facilities used for the placement of any minor under the supervision of the Juvenile Court of Tulare County.
- Investigating programs, policies, and procedures for these youth.
- Conducting public or closed hearings on matters relating to juvenile law in the county.
- Advocating for needed services for youth in the juvenile justice system.
- Providing an opportunity for the public to present oral petitions and public comments concerning juvenile justice at meetings.