After nearly a year without a chief probation officer, San Benito County plans to fill the void soon, possibly by year’s end.
That’s good news, especially as gang violence this past year has heated up in Hollister while the violent crime rate has also spiked.
San Benito County has been without a chief probation officer since Deborah Botts left in October 2006 after being placed on paid administrative leave for undisclosed reasons. A search for her replacement stalled for months because the local Juvenile Justice Commission, which plays a role in the hiring, wasn’t up to state code.
Competition with other counties paying higher salaries also complicated the search, prompting the county to raise the position’s compensation from $86,900 to $98,500. That pay raise appears justified, as this leadership role is crucial to this area’s safety – to the goal of reducing the county’s recidivism rate – and should be paid accordingly.
The absence of the department’s top job undoubtedly hurt the agency and the overall justice system due to the wide-ranging implications of the department’s role in keeping tabs on criminal offenders and reducing the number of those residents who don’t escape the revolving door.
Strong leadership in the probation department should result in a fair justice system in which lawbreaking citizens get a reasonable chance to pay their price, learn their lessons and move on to a more fruitful lifestyle.
What’s so crucial about the probation department is that its professionals deal so often with the same re-offenders who make up a large portion of the criminal element here – particularly gang members.
San Benito County needs a probation chief, therefore, who understands the gang culture and has experience dealing with its effect on a community, on families and on individuals who don’t see another, more enlightening path.
We urge the county to take a close look at the remaining candidates, make a decision soon and find a strong leader with the right perspective to understand San Benito County’s dynamics.
