Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council

Senate Bill 823 closes the California Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). Now those youth will be housed and treated locally. The Juvenile Justice Coordination Council was from to oversee, create and report on a yearly plan for the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) Youthful Block Grant (YOBG) programs.

The Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council’s Executive Board
 
Next Meeting:

JJCC Phased Response Plan Subcommittee Meeting

Thursday, March 24, 2026 @ 3:00 p.m.
Location: In-person
Juvenile Justice Campus Courthouse, 1st Floor Conference Room A123
3333 E. American Avenue
Fresno, CA 93725

JJCC Phased Response Plan Subcommittee Meeting Agenda-3-24-26(PDF, 95KB)

 

 

 

JJCC Realignment Subcommittee Meeting

Thursday, March 26, 2026 @ 3:00 p.m.
Location: In-person
JJC Courthouse, 2nd floor conference room C243/244

JJCC Realignment Subcommittee Meeting Agenda 3-26-2026(PDF, 268KB)

Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council Membership

  • Kirk Haynes – Chief Probation Officer (Chair)
  • Buddy Mendes – District 4, Board of Supervisors
  • Paul Nerland – Chief Administrative Officer
  • Amythest Freeman, Juvenile Presiding Judge
  • John Zanoni – Sheriff / Coroner
  • Lisa Smittcamp – District Attorney
  • Antoinette Taillac – Public Defender
  • Susan Holt – Director, Department of Behavioral Health (DBH)
  • Sanja Bugay – Director, Department of Social Services 
  • Mindy Casto - Chief, Fresno Police Department
  • Joe Hammond, Principal, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools (FCSS)
  • Marilyn Watts, Chari, Juvenile Justice Commission
  • Emilia Reyes – CEO, Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)
  • Tyrone Roderick Williams, Fresno Housing Authority Representative
  • Joanna Litchenberg – CEO, Focus Forward
  • Rick Virk / Dulces Gonzalez - Wellpath
  • DJ Criner – Pastor, Saints Rest Baptist Church
  • Debra Rush – CEO, Breaking the Chains
  • Sergio Coronel, Youngsters for Change – Youth Representative
  • Ruben Espinoza, Community Representative

 

JJC SUBCOMMITEE ROSTERS

Phased

Phased Response Plan

  • Rosalinda Acosta, Probation
  • Lt. Matt Alexander, Sheriff's Office
  • Emma Rasmussen DBH
  • Mindy Casto, Fresno Police Chief
  • Phillip Menchaca, FCSS
  • Joanna Litchenberg, Focus Forward
  • JoAnna Edwards - Public Defender's Office
  • Marilyn Watts, Juvenile Justice Commission
  • Debra Rush, Breaking the Chains
  • Kimberli Smith, Department of Social Services
  • Galen Rutiaga, District Attorney's Office
  • Angel Duarte, GEO Group
  • Sergio Coronel, Youth Advocate, Youngsters for Change


Membership

Membership

  • Lisa Smittcamp, District Attorney
  • DJ Criner, Pastor, St. Rest
  • Kirk Haynes, Probation
  • Amythest Freeman, Superior Court
  • Emilia Reyes, EOC
  • Joanna Litchenberg, Focus Forward
  • Vacant, Probation


Bylaws

Bylaws - JJCC Bylaws with Amendments Final-2024.pdf(PDF, 90KB)

  • Yussel Zalapa, Probation
  • Buddy Mendes, District 4, BOS
  • Jo Anna Edwards, Public Defenders' Officer
  • Sanja Bugay, Department of Social Services
  • County Counsel, TBD


Plan

JJ Realignment Plan / Required in SB 823

  • Kirk Haynes, Probation Department
  • Galen Rutiaga, District Attorney’s Office
  • JoAnna Edwards, Public Defender’s Office
  • Kimberli Smith, Department of Social Services
  • Emma Rasmussen, Department of Behavioral Health
  • Amythest Freeman, Court Representative
  • Sheri Wiedenhoefer, Community Justice Center
  • John Zweifler, Department of Public Health
  • Joe Hammond, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools (FCSS)
  • Joanna Litchenberg, Focus Forward
  • Ruben Espinoza, Fresno Barrios Unidos
  • Angel Duarte, GEO Group
  • Pastor Booker Lewis, Rising Star Baptist Church
  • Rick Virk / Dulces Gonzalez, Wellpath
  • Sergio Coronel, Youth Advocate, Youngsters for Change
  • Dominique Brown, Breaking the Chains


    Back to top