Judge Faye D'Opal listened to the panel, who belong to Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity, which links homeless teenagers with 22 services in the county, including housing and job placements. They discussed what works to help get homeless youth off the streets and what does not.
Also listening to the panel were district attorneys, public defenders, probation officers and social workers; the people who become acquainted with those teens that are unable to stay out of the judicial system.
They learned the cost of the AHO program is $5,000 to help one person, compared to the $52,000 it costs to jail them for one year.
