Juvenile probation is not a new practice, but it is continually evolving. Over the years, juvenile probation has shifted from social workers who work with youth on a court-ordered mandate to probation workers who seek to take away the freedoms of probationers under their control. There are some trends, both past and present, that point in the direction society as a whole wants programs to go. Current views on juvenile probation are more of a balanced approach, where probationers seek to restore the community and the victim. to their pre-crime status. Sixteen states currently have a balanced approach to juvenile justice, while others have adopted something similar. This balanced approach is a blend of restorative justice, rehabilitation, and classical criminology (Whitehead & Lab, 2013). While juvenile probation has moved back and forth between aspects over the years, it has more recently shown a renewed emphasis on status-related offenses. This can be seen in Kern County, California, where they have implemented a truancy program for youth who fail initial resolution efforts. Deputy probation officers work closely with youth, school, family and community in an effort to reduce and ultimately eliminate truancy before it becomes a larger problem. Another direction at least one state is taking is to combine the forces of the juvenile justice department and child welfare departments. This is done with the understanding that both departments deal with juveniles and can combine their resources to help reduce truancy and further crime by identifying high-risk juveniles before they have the opportunity to become criminals. Although this conjunction of departments may be more financial… halfway through the document… it will be necessary to implement along with the achievement rates for each of these programs to show which legislature they are working on. If they start talking about budget cuts, citing Lynn Urban (2008) where reducing budgets for programs that have demonstrated proven track record or success can actually cause them to fail or result in negative outcomes. With these tactics at their disposal, it would be difficult for the legislature to reject the budget request. Works CitedPeters, C. M. (2011). Social work and juvenile probation: historical tensions and contemporary convergences. Social Work, 56(4), 355-365.Urban, L. (2008). Issues in youth program implementation: A case study. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 33(1), 99-112. doi:10.1007/s12103-007-9023-xWhitehead, J. T., & Lab, S. P. (2013). Juvenile justice: An introduction (7th ed.). Waltham, MA: Anderson Publishing.