Second Chances
‘It Can Change Your Life’ – County Pop-Ups Offer Justice-Involved Clients a Path to a New Beginning
Santa Clara County Court Pop-Up and Resource Fairs have expanded since starting in April 2024, offering expungement, warrant clearance, re-entry assistance and more. Events are planned for South County and San José in coming months.
New Library at Elmwood Jail Offers Women an Oasis for Solace, Learning
The new women’s library at the Elmwood Correctional Facility had its grand opening in December, opening the doors to an allowable form of escape for the patrons who avail themselves of the library’s literary treasures.
Public Defender’s Office Outreach Team Brings Courthouse Services to the People
A program that was created out of necessity during the pandemic continues to serve the unhoused population and others who may benefit from legal resources.
County Hosts Adult Probation Job and Resource Fair
The County of Santa Clara Adult Probation Department will host a Job and Resource Fair on April 24. The event is meant to support individuals with criminal records and will offer a diverse range of services.
April is Second Chance Month
The County of Santa Clara joins in celebrating Second Chance Month in April. This campaign, originally launched in 2017, is a nationwide effort to raise awareness and improve perceptions of people with a criminal record, encourage second-chance opportunities, and drive policy change to help formerly incarcerated individuals in their reentry journey. We believe in Second Chances!
"Reading Has Given Me Hope": Bringing the Library to Incarcerated Youth
The Santa Clara County Library District and the County of Santa Clara Probation Department have come together to create professionally curated library spaces at the Juvenile Justice Center in San José and the Juvenile Rehabilitation Facility in Morgan Hill.
County of Santa Clara program helps formerly incarcerated individuals become entrepreneurs
In partnership with the County of Santa Clara's Office of Diversion and Reentry Services and ESO Ventures, a new program has launched to assist justice-involved individuals with resources necessary to start and build their own business.
Breaking the Cycle: The County of Santa Clara Provides Services to Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
People reentering a life after incarceration often struggle with unemployment, homelessness, food insecurity, and, in some cases, support for sober living. To address these challenges and to break the cycle of incarceration, the Office of Diversion and Reentry Services (ODRS) offers essential services to help people successfully transition back into the community after being released from jail or prison.
County’s College Collaborative System Is a Game-Changer for Justice-Involved Students
The County of Santa Clara has partnered with six community colleges to break down barriers and offer second chances through continuing educational opportunities for those in custody.
Mural Gives Elmwood Inmates a Voice, Celebrates the Power of Hope and Rehabilitation
The 10-by-4-foot painting, titled "Rising," explores the theme of fatherhood. It is the result of a collaboration between the County of Santa Clara Office of Diversion and Reentry Services, County Sheriff’s Office, Gilroy-based nonprofit Carry the Vision, and the Gilroy Center for the Arts.
