The Juvenile Specialty Programs unit provides supervision and services to youth who are engaged in the Repeat Offender Prevention Program (ROPP), and the Truancy Habits Reduced Increases Vital Education (THRIVE) program.
 
ROPP is an intensive, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary program that provides therapeutic and advocatory services for first-time justice involved probation youth. Youth who are 16.5 years old or younger and found to have risk factors in four areas such as: substance abuse, poor school attendance/performance, significant family problems, and pre-delinquent behaviors such as gangs, runaway and theft. ROPP is comprised of probation officers, marriage and family therapists, and youth advocates. All staff involved work collaboratively as a team to provide intensive services to these youth with the focus on rehabilitation, family harmony, increase school attendance, improve parental involvement, increase accountability through the completion of community service and payment of restitution, reduce gang association/activity, decrease recidivism and out-of-home placements, and the reduction of violent crimes. Pro-Social events are planned for the youth to expose them to constructive activities in their communities and as an incentive for improved performance.
 
THRIVE consists of a Deputy Probation Officer who works closely with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, the Ventura County Public Defender’s Office, Ventura County Public Health, and the School Attendance Review Boards (SARB). Habitual truants meet with school officials and county prosecutors to strategize ways to improve class attendance.  Appropriate remedial and community referral services are made available during the SARB meetings.  Additionally, the parents and the youth may be referred to the Public Health Nurse.  If these services prove ineffective, prosecutors may utilize formal court sanctions to hold truants and their parents responsible.