Despite the continued conversations about probation reform and experiencing changes across Los Angeles County, there are still critical gaps that existed 20 years ago. I know this firsthand because I myself have been arrested and put on probation twice in L.A. County. Despite some constructive improvements that have slowly occurred within the system since I was 18, the county still hasn’t provided realistic resources to allow it to point probationers in the direction where they can easily access tools to become productive members of society.
I’d been involved with gangs since the age of 10. When I was arrested at 18 for a drug-related crime, I asked my probation officer for help. I felt like I had no one to turn to, and I wanted to change. I asked him what resources were available to me to help me rehabilitate, but he didn’t have an answer. What he did was send me to state prison, where I served time for five years. That incident fed much of my destructive behavior over the next 20 years.
Experiences like this opened my eyes to see what is consistently missing in the way Los Angeles County deals with those who commit crimes: access — access to resources and programs during and after sentencing, and geographical access for probationers to see their families.
Access, or lack thereof, is why I joined Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world, and why I now serve as chief workforce development and mission officer for The Meaning Foundation. I wanted to contribute and help pave a path for people in similar situations to mine, and give them their lives back.
The relationship between offender and family is key to a successful diversion from criminal behavior. In a county as big as Los Angeles, we have juveniles detained in facilities that are almost physically inaccessible to their families.
Let’s put some perspective on this: There are over 650 Los Angeles youth in juvenile camps and halls today. We have probationers in Lancaster facilities who have families in South L.A., Long Beach and other border areas of the county. These family members are burdened with transportation issues and inflexible jobs, yet are told to go all the way to Lancaster to see their incarcerated family member. It’s here I challenge decision-makers to think about how families can more easily access their incarcerated family members. Most people would consider that to be a contributing member of society, you need to earn your keep. That means hold a job, pay your taxes and provide for your family and kin. When it comes to criminal rehabilitation, society always talks about substance abuse and mental health, but we are just beginning to look at the impact of jobs and financial security.
Some jobs aren’t local enough for someone who has no money. They realize they have to resort to criminal activity out of desperation. What we need are more county-funded organizations for teens and adults centrally located that provide meaningful skills and assistance.
Compared to previous reform efforts, I’m hopeful for change, especially with the current Los Angeles County Probation Reform Implementation Team. I, alongside four other volunteers, have been tasked with creating the Probation Oversight Commission. The Board of Supervisors have been willing to let us push boundaries on reform. In my experience, never has a team had this much pressure from the community to bring about change, nor such unwavering support from the supervisors for true reform.
If a probationer has paid her or his debt to society, then they have the right to have meaningful and happy lives, with purpose and direction. Just because an individual, like me, has made a mistake, doesn’t mean it is necessary for us to live in poverty the rest of our lives.
Jose Osuna is chief workforce development and mission officer for The Meaning Foundation.
