Vision Statement
A Safer Orange County through Positive Change
Mission Statement
The Orange County Probation Department guides transformation, uplifts lives, and restores hope using effective, research supported rehabilitation practices and collaborative partnerships.
Reduce Crime | Assist the Courts in Managing Offenders | Promote Lawful and Productive Lifestyles | Assist Victims
Values
We are committed to:
- Delivering quality services in an effective and fiscally responsible manner.
- Providing a positive, challenging and supportive work culture.
- Improving our services through teamwork and program innovation, consistent with current knowledge influencing the field of corrections.
- Advancing professionalism through participation in joint efforts to improve the effectiveness of community corrections.
- Delivering services with integrity and in a manner which respects the rights and dignity of individuals.
We believe:
- Community protection can best be achieved via a role that balances enforcement activities and supportive casework.
- Our employees constitute our most valuable resource for accomplishing our Mission.
History of Probation in Orange County
The story of probation begins with a shoemaker and a simple act of compassion.
In the 1840s, a Boston cobbler named John Augustus took it upon himself to help those facing the justice system get a new start with the support they needed. He stood beside people in court, offered support instead of punishment, and helped them change their lives for the better. His work laid the foundation for what we now call “modern probation”- earning him the title The Father of Probation.
Augustus’s efforts sparked a nationwide movement. By 1899, the first juvenile court was established in Chicago, and probation became a key part of juvenile justice in 30 states. The idea that people could be held accountable and still be given the opportunity to rebuild their lives was taking root.
Just a decade later, Orange County joined this movement for change.
In 1909, Superior Court Judge Z.B. West, a founding figure of the Orange County Bar Association, took the lead in shaping local justice reform. He appointed the county’s first Probation Committee, and on April 16 of that year, Reverend J.H. Scott was named the very first Chief Probation Officer of Orange County.
That moment marked the beginning of over a century of commitment to public safety, rehabilitation, and restorative justice. Since then, twelve dedicated leaders have guided the Orange County Probation Department, continuing the mission to serve the courts with integrity and efficiency, support and supervise both juvenile and adult probationers, and advocate for victims and ensure their voices are heard.
Today, the Orange County Probation Department stands as a proud steward of the vision probation was always meant to be: a promise that is kept.