Probation Employee Receives Chief Probation Officers of California Award of Excellence

Dr. Natalie Pearl, the San Diego County Probation Department Director of Research, received the Award of Excellence from the Chief Probation Officers of California. Only one Probation employee from the state is given this award. She was honored for her work to support evidence-based practices at the regional, state and national levels. Evidence-based practices utilize risk driven supervision and treatment strategies to reduce recidivism.

Pearl joined the San Diego County Probation Department as the Director of Research in April 2005, just as the concept of evidence based practices was taking hold. She was one of the original members of the Southern California Probation Performance Measures Committee and has also been instrumental in working with Imperial and San Luis Obispo Counties in the National Institute of Corrections sponsored Strategic Planning for the Implementation of Evidence Based Practice initiative.