Nancy Dominguez
Juvenile Probation Officer, Central Fresno

June 1998

Fresno began an innovative program of stationing probation officers like Nancy Dominguez on school campuses, where they can interact with children in a proactive way. The program has served as a model for other counties. Dominguez works with school children as young as 5th graders all the way through high school. The program aims at diversion and keeping children out of the criminal justice system.

In a typical case, a child might be cited for a misdemeanor, such as stealing a candy bar. A probation officer like Dominguez then meets informally with the child and the parent or guardian to discuss the case and implements some consequences for the child, such as attending a property offenders class. If the child complies, the incident does not become part of the child's criminal record.

The visibility of probation officers on campus also acts as a deterrent. "We get to know the kids, and a lot of times they will come to us and tell us about situations involving drug use or thefts, because they have nowhere else to go. Sometimes I feel like I become their parent, because they don't have that structure at home. Their parents are in denial about the children's drug use or involvement in crime," Dominguez explains.

Like most juvenile probation officers, Dominguez chose the career because she likes working with kids and wanted to do something that would help the community. Previously she worked for Head Start, at boys' and girls' clubs, and at a shelter for runaways. She became a probation officer in 1995 and immediately joined the union.

"I joined the union because I grew up. I realized how politics plays a role and the need to influence the legislative process. The only way to do that is to get people involved. And that is what the union is trying to do," she said. Dominguez served as vice-president of the Deputy Probation Officers Association last year. She is currently a Local 535 state executive board delegate and a member of the Justice Workers Committee, where she is working with Elvira Dominguez to develop projects to help at-risk kids.

In March Dominguez attended SEIU's state legislative conference and lobbied legislators about issues she felt were threatening working people. "We informed them about our concerns about privatization of the probation department," she stated. "With all the building of prisons and contracting out of private companies to run them, we are concerned that they will hire people who don't have the qualifications or expertise to understand the people they are supposed to be taking care of. Right now we all have degrees and training so that we can understand and empathize with our clients. Our clients have so little already, they need a lot of help and understanding. Most probation officers are there not because of the money, but because they want to help. With privatization we worry that people will be hired not based on their ability to help but based on who can be paid the least."