Human Resources
Human Resources is responsible for administering human resources, employee benefits administration, risk management, labor relations, workers’ compensation benefits, and various other administrative duties for the approximately 300 staff members of the District Attorney’s Office. Staff ensure the consistent interpretation and application of applicable Memoranda of Agreement between the County and various unions, labor laws and the County’s Personnel Rules and Regulations. Employee and witness travel arrangements are also handled by the unit, which involves out of county, out of state and, occasionally, out of country travel. Additionally, staff serve as the office liaison with County HR/Benefits, Labor Relations, Risk Management, and various other county agencies as well as outside vendors. For those interested in employment with the District Attorney’s Office, please visit the county’s web site at www.ventura.org/hr for a listing of current job opportunities.
Grants/Special Programs
Grants Administration is responsible for administering and collecting revenue in the form of federal, state and local grants as well as special programs exceeding $20 million annually. Many of these grants are funded from federal and state programs designed to augment the District Attorney’s Office with the resources needed to investigate and prosecute specialized crimes. Grants and dedicated program revenues greatly improve our ability to address the needs of vulnerable populations susceptible to being harmed by crimes involving elder abuse, real estate fraud, workers’ compensation insurance fraud, welfare fraud, and gang violence. Grants administration staff assist with the preparation and submittal of grant progress reports, routine grant renewal applications, program audits and Board of Supervisors agenda items and letters.
Fiscal
Fiscal Services is responsible for administering the fiduciary responsibilities of the District Attorney’s Office by providing professional fiscal oversight and monitoring of the department’s budget. Fiscal staff manages budget preparation and monitoring, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, timely deposit of revenue and coordination of fiscal audits. Additionally, staff maintains accurate financial records and internal fiscal controls to ensure compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, policies and procedures, collect and analyze financial information, and prepare periodic accounting and financial reports. Lastly, staff provides technical advice and assistance regarding fiscal matters as well as ensuring compliance with purchasing procedures and serve as the liaison to the County’s Auditor/Controller’s Office and Purchasing Department.
Workers’ Compensation Fraud
The Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit actively investigates and prosecutes crimes involving employees who knowingly make misrepresentations to obtain workers’ compensation benefits to which they are not entitled, or employers who knowingly deny valid workers’ compensation benefits to their employees. Employers and insurance companies that suspect fraudulent claims report cases to the Department of Insurance for investigation which refers cases to the unit’s prosecutors and investigators. Other cases are initiated from undercover investigations into workers’ compensation fraud mills involving unscrupulous attorneys, doctors, and insurance agents. Workers’ compensation fraud causes honest employers to incur increased operating costs due to higher premiums in today’s challenging economic climate. This higher cost of doing business is passed directly to consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services. Moreover, honest workers who are genuinely injured face delays in receiving benefits because of the closer scrutiny their claims receive. Workers’ compensation fraud prevents healthy…
Truancy Prevention
The District Attorney’s Office participates in a county-wide truancy reduction program called Truancy Habits Reduced Increases Vital Education (THRIVE). The schools have programs set up to telephone parents each time a minor is absent from school. If a pattern of truancy emerges, a series of three letters are generated to inform parents of their responsibilities and legal ramifications of non-compliance. The student and parent are invited to a conference at the school to discuss the matter. If truancy continues, the student and parent are referred to a School Attendance Review Board (SARB) meeting to discuss the causes of the truancy as well as potential solutions. Every effort is made to come to a resolution that ends truancy. SARBs are active in almost all school districts in the county and consist of educators, mental health professionals, public health nurses, community based organizations, probation officers, and police officers. Deputy district attorneys from…
Small Claims Advisor
Small Claims Advisors with our office are available to help you free of charge at Small Claims Courts in Ventura or Simi Valley. The Ventura office is located at the Ventura Courthouse, 800 S. Victoria Avenue, Room 314. The Simi Valley Courthouse is located at 3855-F Alamo Street, Simi Valley, CA 93063. Small Claims cases are currently heard in Oxnard at the Juvenile Justice Center Courthouse, located at 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and on Mondays at the Simi Valley Courthouse at 9:00 a.m. The Small Claims Advisor can answer your questions and assist in completing the necessary court forms. Our hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. No appointment is necessary to speak with an advisor in person, however assistance is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or…
Real Estate Fraud
Fueled by the real estate boom and bust in the early 2000’s, unscrupulous real estate practitioners and fly-by-night criminal enterprises began preying upon the Hispanic community, the elderly and an increasingly desperate public seeing their home values decline. In 2005, the District Attorney’s Office created the Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Program to address the rise of real estate and mortgage fraud sweeping the nation and Ventura County. The Real Estate Fraud Unit is dedicated to deterring, investigating, and prosecuting real estate fraud. Prosecutors and investigators work closely with the Ventura County Real Estate Fraud Awareness Team (REFAT) click here, comprised of real estate professionals, to educate industry professionals and the general public about real estate crime. Investigators and prosecutors also work closely with other law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Housing and Urban Development Office’s Inspector General. The…
Major Fraud
Major fraud or “white collar” crimes are some of the most complex cases prosecuted in the criminal justice system. Major Fraud Unit attorneys and investigators often conduct lengthy investigations into fraudulent transactions involving businesses, insurance companies, banking institutions, owners of real estate, and investors in corporate securities. Investigations generally involve substantial documents, forensic accounting, forensic computer analysis, and complex legal issues. These cases often involve individual victims as well as businesses that may have suffered millions of dollars in losses. Prosecutors and investigators may coordinate enforcement actions with officials from the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, the Employment Development Department, the State Franchise Tax Board, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and other agencies to form specialized teams, using the latest technology and asset forfeiture procedures to investigate, prosecute and recoup restitution for victims of these sophisticated criminal enterprises. Inquiries or referrals about major fraud cases may be directed to…
Computer Crimes
In 2000, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office joined other Southern California law enforcement agencies to create the Southern California High Technology Crime Task Force (SCHTTF). The Task Force is made up of investigators from the District Attorney’s Office, civilian computer forensic examiners and representatives from other law enforcement agencies. The SCHTTF provides highly technical support and forensic technology services for the District Attorney’s ever-growing number of cases involving digital evidence and provides specialized training to other law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. Hundreds of computers, data storage devices and cellular phones are analyzed annually by the SCHTTF. Digital evidence has proven crucial in the prosecution of capital murder cases, sexual assaults, and other serious cases. Task Force personnel also work with law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases involving Internet crimes against children and other computer crimes.
Code Enforcement
Criminal misdemeanor violations of county ordinances and various California laws relating to the areas of weights and measures, building and safety, environmental health and general property maintenance are evaluated for prosecution by an experienced deputy district attorney. This attorney works with the Ventura County Resource Management Agency to coordinate enforcement for zoning, land use and building code violations occurring in unincorporated areas of Ventura County. Cases are generally submitted to this office for review through the Ventura County Resource Management Agency’s Planning, Environmental Health, and Code Enforcement Divisions. Information regarding the assignment of a code enforcement criminal case being handled within the office may be obtained by calling (805) 662-1709.