Irvine, CA – April 29th, 2026 – The University of California (UCI) Center for Psychology & Law recently hosted its Distinguished Fellows Event, Journeys Through Justice: Age, Experience, and Incarceration, bringing together faculty, practitioners, and members of the public to explore critical issues at the intersection of psychology and the legal system.
As part of the evening’s program, Chief Probation Officer Daniel Hernandez was honored and formally welcomed as one of the Center’s newest Distinguished Fellows. Chief Hernandez expressed his gratitude to the community and a passion for data driven practices at the forefront of his leadership approaches.
As a Distinguished Fellow, Chief Hernandez will help bridge the gap between research and real world practice by drawing on more than thirty years of service in Orange County. Through a collaborative model, Distinguished Professor Dr. Elizabeth Cauffman and Chief Hernandez will identify a topic and partner with a researcher who specializes in that area. Together, they will deliver a joint presentation that combines current research findings with Chief Hernandez’s firsthand experience as a practitioner in the field.
In addition, Presiding Judge Sheila Hanson of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, was also appointed as a Distinguished Fellow.
Their appointments recognize a shared commitment to advancing justice through evidence-based practices and leadership grounded in experience. Both honorees bring decades of expertise to the Center’s mission of improving legal systems through psychological research and policy innovation.
Protecting Communities, Creating Opportunities
The Orange County Probation Department conducts regular operations to safeguard neighborhoods, reduce crime, and promote rehabilitation. Through these efforts, the department balances accountability with transformation. Officers hold probationers accountable for their actions, while also working to connect them with the resources they need to rebuild their lives.
About the Orange County Probation Department
As a public safety agency, the Orange County Probation Department serves the community using effective, research supported rehabilitation practices and collaborative partnerships to successfully resocialize justice involved individuals. The Probation Department is proud to serve the Orange County community. It is dedicated to continuous improvement, searching out and applying “effective and research supported practices” to assist justice involved youth, their families, and adults to successfully navigate and successfully complete probation. Further, the Probation Department assists the criminal court system through investigations, probation reports and community supervision of thousands of adult and juvenile clients on court-ordered probation or in diversion programs. The Department operates the Orange County Juvenile Hall, and two camps for youth. In addition, the Department operates a Youth Reporting Center serving all of Orange County.