Research and Evaluation Services

San Mateo County, located in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, is a diverse and dynamic region known for its innovative public services, strong community partnerships, and dedication to fairness and community well-being. Home to more than 740,000 residents, the county includes urban, suburban, and rural communities, each with unique needs and strengths.

The San Mateo County Probation Department plays a vital role in supporting community safety and individual rehabilitation by providing evidence-based supervision and services across juvenile and adult populations. The Department is seeking proposals from qualified research and evaluation firms to assist in assessing and improving the effectiveness of its programs, enhancing accountability, and advancing positive outcomes for justice-involved individuals and their communities.

The selected firm(s) will evaluate juvenile programs, funded through various grants, and operated by contracted community-based organizations. This includes producing annual reports for the County’s Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC), with a focus on program performance, measurable outcomes, and alignment with grant objectives to support data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement in juvenile services.

In addition, the firm(s) will provide consultation and technical assistance for the development of the 2030-2035 Local Action Plan, which will outline countywide strategies for addressing juvenile crime, and assist with updating the annual Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant (JJRBG) Plan, which focuses on services for youth who have committed serious offenses. Both efforts require facilitating a public engagement process in collaboration with the Department.

Finally, the firm(s) may be asked to conduct research and analysis on programs within the Adult and Pretrial Services Division. Through these combined efforts, the selected firm(s) will support the evaluation of programs and help shape future strategies to improve outcomes across Juvenile Services, and Adult and Pretrial Services.

The selected evaluation firm(s) will support the San Mateo County Probation Department in collecting and analyzing data from approximately 12 community-based organizations (CBOs) that receive state grant funding to deliver juvenile justice programs. These programs are supported through multiple funding streams, including the Youthful Offender Block Grant (YOBG), Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA), Juvenile Probation Activities Funding (JPAF) (formerly referred to as Juvenile Probation Camp Funding), and the Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant (JJRBG).

Oversight of these grants is provided by the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC), a multidisciplinary body established in 2000 pursuant to California Government Code §30061. The JJCC is responsible for developing and implementing strategies that address local juvenile justice needs and promoting effective use of funding for prevention and intervention programs.

The funded programs are evidence-based and/or promising practice, and services are offered in the community and at the Youth Services Center-Juvenile Hall (YSC), collectively serving more than 1,000 youth annually. These programs aim to reduce recidivism, improve youth outcomes, and address underlying needs through services such as mentoring, cognitive behavioral therapy, family support, education, and career readiness.

The firm(s) will also assist in the development and implementation of two key county planning efforts. The first is the five-year Local Action Plan (LAP), which serves as San Mateo County’s strategic roadmap for juvenile crime prevention and intervention. The second is the annual update of the Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant (JJRBG) Plan, required under Senate Bill 823 (2020), which outlines county-level programs, services, and facilities for youth who previously would have been eligible for commitment to the state’s Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), which has since closed.

Additionally, firms/s will assist in the evaluation of programs in the Adult and Pretrial Services Division. Which may include but are not limited to: (1) the Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) Local Implementation Plan and (2) Pretrial services for individuals accused of violating the law and/or have criminal charges filed against them.

To ensure high-quality data collection and reporting, the selected firm(s) will maintain regular communication and provide technical assistance to funded CBOs. This partnership will support consistent data submission and allow the firm(s) to incorporate program performance and outcome data into comprehensive annual reports. These reports will be shared with the JJCC and the public to promote transparency, support data-informed decision-making, and drive continuous improvement across the juvenile justice system.