Riverside County unveils mobile probation units to reach unhoused, transportation-limited clients
Garrett Hottle
The Riverside County Probation Department is hitting the road — literally — in a bid to bring key supervision and support services to people who need them the most.
County officials on Tuesday unveiled two new Mobile Service Centers, climate-controlled vans equipped to function as fully operational probation offices. The initiative is aimed at assisting unhoused individuals and clients who struggle with transportation access, by providing services directly in the community — at parks, libraries, shelter lots, and resource fairs across Riverside County.
“Reliable transportation should never be the deciding factor in whether someone succeeds on probation,” said Chief Probation Officer Christopher H. Wright. “By meeting people where they are, our Mobile Service Centers remove a major obstacle, helping clients stay on track, fulfill court-ordered requirements, and ultimately move forward with their lives.”
Each vehicle is outfitted with secure interview spaces, printers, Wi-Fi, and telehealth stations for virtual mental health and substance use counseling. They also offer the option to appear remotely before a judge, without the need to travel to a courthouse.
Tune into News Channel Three tonight at 4pm, 5pm, and 6pm for more details and an up close look at these new probation units.