Bakersfield College hosted the Juvenile Justice Employer Panel on Feb. 27 at Bakersfield College. BC Career and Technical Education and Patricia Smith presented a panel of experts in the juvenile justice field to talk about evidence-based behavior strategies to reduce criminal behavior on youth people in Kern County.

Each panelist discussed their role working with youth and the tools they use to reduce criminal behavior. Juvenile justice panelist Leticia Limon serves with the Kern County Superintendent of schools as the Program Supervisor for Prevention Services. Limon learned many techniques and evidence-based practices to provide interventions to students and families in need.

“The most challenging part is letting go,” said Sergeant Nicole Anderberg.

Anderberg works in the Bakersfield Police Department and is the supervisor of the Crisis Negotiator Team, which response to all BPD SWAT callouts as well as calls for service involving crisis.

Students got a chance to ask questions about how they deal with stress and how they do when they are stress?.

“We can lose hair, weight and many other things” Panelist Liz Gonzales said.

Gonzales is a coordinator of positive behavior and supports for social-emotional learning in the Bakersfield City District. She also has 19 years of experience in working with behavioral supports, alternative education settings, prison systems, school culture, and safety.

“Having their trust on youth can sometimes be difficult?” said Sergeant Anderberg.

She gave a quick story on which a young girl didn’t want to answer any questions until another officer came and spoke calmly to the girl started talking more and more “have experience and make them feel you care.” Every young person is different and deserves support that is specific to them explained the experts.

Program Specialist Nichol Ruiz is an advocate with the Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Prevention Team and has worked with the county for over five years.

“It gained me have more experience and know a little of how it works” BC student Angelina Ramirez said. Deputy Probation Officer Bobby Sherrill has worked for the Kern County probation department since 1997. Deputy Sherrill has spent nearly 20 years of his career working with Kern County probations juvenile division.