Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission (JJDPC)

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission (JJDPC) is a volunteer organization comprised of members who are residents within San Bernardino County. The JJDPC is a state mandated commission, established through the provisions of Sections 225 and 233 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The commission consists of no less than seven and no more than 15 volunteer members, including two youth members. The commissioners are sworn in and appointed by the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge.

Commission members devote their time and energy to participate in coordinating activities designed to prevent juvenile delinquency. Each year, as mandated by the law, JJDPC Commissioners conduct annual inspections of facilities or areas where youth are temporarily detained. Commissioners also inspect the Juvenile Detention and Assessment Centers of the County.

Each Fall, an Annual Recognition of Service to Youth Awards ceremony is hosted by the JJDPC. This event provides recognition and acknowledgement of individuals, organizations, and corporations throughout San Bernardino County who have made significant contributions on behalf of our youth in the community.

The following were honored in 2024:

Probation Officer II Alondra Diaz

Probation Officer Alondra Diaz is assigned to the Probation Department’s Wraparound Program where she advocates for youth participation in Wraparound and Success First services. Utilizing a strength-based approach, Diaz works collaboratively with service providers to ensure youth are given opportunities to receive services they need. Diaz works diligently to obtain appropriate treatment services for youth and their families. Through her efforts, Officer Diaz has increased youth participation success and has reduced recidivism. Her unwavering dedication and commitment make her an asset to the community and department.

Desert Whips

Desert Whips is an off-road enthusiast group that has a shared passion for being outdoors with family and friends. They thrive on community fun and enjoy philanthropy. They sponsor events such as “Clean the Dunes,” “DW Toy Drive”, and charity fundraising. This year, they delivered truckloads of toys to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital and to local non-profit organizations. Desert Whips also raised funds to donate to the Team Abby memorial organization that makes special bedding for youth who are in hospitals for long term care. Their passion and dedication for helping children is commendable. 

Chelsea Ramirez

Derek Armstrong, Director of Economic Development

Mr. Armstrong is the Director of the San Bernardino County Economic Development Agency where he has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to fostering youth development. Through Armstrong’s efforts, San Bernardino Unified School District has built meaningful relationships with local industrial partners paving the way for youth work-based opportunities and internships. His economic insight, and collaborative approach with local schools has been vital to forging long lasting industrial relationships that assist youth in our community to find and maintain employment.

Brad Gates, Director of Workforce Development

Mr. Gates is the Director of the San Bernardino County Work Force Development Department where he has exhibited unparallelled dedication and commitment to strengthening and advocating for youth programs and services related to workforce preparation. In collaboration with San Bernardino Unified School District, Gates was highly instrumental in equipping students with essential work-based skills ensuring their readiness for the professional world. Mr. Gates’ efforts have contributed to fostering an on-campus culture of preparedness and opportunity and have empowered students to make informed decisions about their future careers.

San Bernardino Unified School District Linked Learning Program

The San Bernardino City Unified School District Linked Learning Pathways Program gives high school students career and industry experience helping them to develop career skills in alignment with their aspirations. Pathways include Transportation, Technology, Art and Visual Communications, Biomedical, Automotive Technology, Human Services, Business, Construction, Health Science, Food Service, and Engineering. Through this innovative program, students are connected to career pathways to help them attain their career goals. This program would not be possible if not for the hard work and dedication of the following outstanding teachers: Rebecca Huff, John Wingo, Dimitrios Chronopoulos, Grace Navarro, Elizabeth Kackery, Roberta Figueroa, Marianne Davari, Sharon Cowley, and Rebecca Baumann.

Make Your Move Count

Supervising Probation Officer Mike Paganini and Probation Officer II Shabat Salas

The NACo award winning Make You Move Count Program offers life skills and competitive chess lessons to youth at the ARISE secure Youth Treatment Facility in the High Desert. Through teaching the game of chess, officers trained in motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapies engage and mentor youth to teach life skills and decision making, enhancing cognitive skills and emotional resiliency. The program consists of fourteen life skills such as respect, dealing with blunders, and building a strong foundation. Through friendly competition youth learn and practice that every move they make counts. Youth participants have commented, “Chess is really like life.” This simple yet transformative program provides youth soft skills necessary for youth to succeed interpersonally while at ARISE and within their communities upon release.

Fontana Leadership Intervention Program (FLIP)

Fontana Police Officer Salvador Valencia, Fontana School Police Officer Dennis Barnett, and Fontana School Police Department Intervention Secretary Leticia Oliva

The Fontana Leadership Intervention Program is a source for resiliency among youth at Fontana Unified School District. Founded upon a close partnership between the school district and Fontana PD, the 16-week program functions to combat truancy, expulsion, and delinquency by engaging youth in physical fitness, leadership development, classes, tutoring, field trips to enhance participants knowledge, skills, and abilities to build healthy, resilient, self-confident leaders.

Life Builders Inc.

Life Builders Incorporated provides trauma focused programming and services to justice involved youth and their families by offering comprehensive, client-centered care through services and community engagement. Through their holistic approach, Life Builders adapts services to the unique needs of everyone they serve. Through partnering with local organizations and community resources, Life Builders utilizes a community centric model to building resilience and a sense of belonging among its clients. Life Builders celebrates differences and strives to make mental health services accessible and equitable for all people it serves offering after school programming, financial literacy, job readiness, gang intervention, family supportive services, counseling, and community outreach. Life Builders is committed to community engagement and improving outcomes for all its participants.

Erika Fortuna-Huizar

Erika Fortuna-Huizar is dedicated to the youth she serves. As social services practitioner for the juvenile Public Defender’s Office, Ms. Fortuna-Huizar goes the extra mile to address the needs of her clients. Over the course of her employment, she has spearheaded the Public Defender’s Office Parent Engagement Project where she partners with parents to focus on student challenges such as academics and truancy. She utilizes a positive strength-based approach to build rapport with students and she does not give up. Through her efforts, Ms. Fortuna-Huizar has reduced truancy and has connected youth to a variety of services to reduce barriers to student success. She takes great pride in her work and is an example of advocacy and commitment.

Deputy District Attorneys Henry Rosas and Alfredo Tigerino

This year Deputy District Attorneys Henry Rosas and Alfredo Tigerino devoted significant time, care and effort toward the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s commitment to increasing the understanding of basic civil liberties among our county’s youth. In association with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, Rosas and Tigerino provided high school students insight into fundamental civil liberties.  Over the course of six weeks, Rosas and Tigerino provided lecture on the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th Amendments engaging students in discussion at Bob Murphy Community Day School, Chaffey West High School, Barbara Phelps, and Tri City Community Day School. They discussed subjects such as the right to remain silent, search and seizure, and police investigations. The final session included the collaboration of Public Defender Thomas Sone wherein students discussed how and when to assert their personal rights. Rosas’ and Tigerino’s dedication and commitment empowers youth to become informed and active citizens through civil liberties education.

Love 4 Literacy

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Reentry Division in collaboration with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools created the Love 4 Literacy Program to enhance literacy and to maintain bonds among incarcerated parents and their children. Every week, Program Coordinator Nancy Sherod, Social Worker Nilda Yanez and their support staff reunite parents and their children in a day care like setting for one hour learning sessions. Together, they read books, draw, paint, and utilize the Footsteps 2 Brilliance reading application on iPads under the guidance of Nancy and the literacy coaches. To encourage parent child bonding, after each lesson parents and children play together. Upon parents release from incarceration, Social Worker Nilda Yanez engages participant families through case management guiding them toward long-term success. Since its 2023 inception, Love 4 Literacy has served 21 incarcerated adults and 33 children. To date, 15 of the participants have been released and 11 of those individuals have remained arrest free.  

Tasha Rocco

Tasha Rocco is a community health worker for the Loma Linda University Medical Center Trauma Department Violence Intervention and Prevention Program where she serves as a front-line intervention specialist linking victims of violence to services and resources to stop the cycle of violence and recidivism among youth in our community.  She visits patients at their homes, and serves as a liaison between patients, medical staff, social workers and the courts. Tasha comes equipped with personal lived experience and is personally invested in stopping gang violence in San Bernardino County. Tasha’s motto is “Transforming lives from the inside out”. She seeks to find the root of problems patients are working through and links them to supportive solutions. In addition to her work at Loma Linda, Tasha started nonprofit Genuinely Me to train community members to work with marginalized and diverse communities during episodes of violence.

JJDPC Contact information

Supervising Probation Officer Nathan Clark
JJDPC Coordinator
900 – 4 E. Gilbert Street
San Bernardino, CA 92415
jjdpc@prob.sbcounty.gov
(909) 387-7351