49er Industry Chats: Careers in Criminal Justice
Chat with County of Los Angeles Probation: Careers in Criminal Justice
The County of Los Angeles Probation is currently the largest probation services agency in the United States, and presumably the world, with 6000+ sworn and non-sworn personnel and an operations budget of $1 Billion+ dollars. The County of Los Angeles Probation operates 50, fully-staffed, individual facilities that serves more than 80,000 people currently on probation in Los Angeles. The Department supervises youth in residential treatment service facilities and juvenile halls, supervises state parolees in the California Prison Realignment Plan, and supervises at-home probation youth through the Placement Services program including probation foster youth and probation youth living in group homes. Join us for this Industry Chat-panel, as we learn from four CSULB alums and their career paths with the County of Los Angeles Probation.
Panelists:
Jason C. Jackson ’03
Deputy Probation Officer II/Background Investigator, Los Angeles County Probation Department
Jason Jackson is a proud graduate of CSULB, receiving his B.S. in Management Information Systems in 2003. Mr. Jackson began his career with probation as a Detention Services Officer in 2005. He worked in juvenile hall for two years before being promoted to Deputy Probation Officer (DPO) I with the placement unit (foster care for probation youth). Five years later working in the same capacity, he was promoted to DPO II, and as of January 2019, he has held the position of Deputy Probation Officer II/Background Investigator.
Guadalupe Mendiola ’96
Supervising Deputy Probation Officer, Los Angeles County Probation Department
Guadalupe Mendiola began her career with Orange County Probation Department as a Deputy Probation Counselor assigned to Juvenile Hall in 1996. In 1998, Guadalupe was hired by Los Angeles County Probation Department as a Deputy Probation Officer and was promoted to Supervising Deputy Probation Officer in 2007 under the Juvenile Special Service Bureau. Guadalupe is also a trainer for the Juvenile Special Service Bureau and a School-Based expert. She will always be grateful for the knowledge and readiness gained at CSULB.
Jacqueline Smith ’02
Deputy Probation Officer II, Central Adult Investigations, Los Angeles County Probation Department
Jacqueline Smith, a former CSULB student-athlete and former WNBA player, is a Deputy Probation Officer II, who has served with the Los Angeles County Probation Department the past eight years. Early interests in Criminology allowed Jacqueline to pursue and highlight her passion in working with at-risk youth aged between 13-18 at Dorothy Kirby Center. In 2018, she was promoted and currently is assigned to the Central Adult Investigations Unit where she collaborates with several law enforcement agencies and court officials to tackle various criminal cases.
Leanne Steinhaus ’85, MS ’96
Assistant Probation Director/Recruiter, Los Angeles County Probation Department
Leanne Steinhaus received both her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and her Master of Science in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach. She currently serves as Assistant Probation Director/Recruiter for the Los Angeles County Probation Department. Leanne will always be grateful for the opportunities granted through higher education.
Moderator:
Dr. James M. Binnall
Associate Professor of Law, Criminology and Criminal Justice and Executive Director, CSULB Project Rebound
