California Court Programs ("CCR") is leading among court approved and directed counseling programs to address this epidemic. Just recently management of CCR 's affiliate, Family Harmony, distributed a Fact Sheet to every Judicial Officers, Court Administrators, Clerks, City and District Attorney's Office, Public Defenders and Los Angeles Co. Probation Officers containing some of the staggering statistical data regarding the raising epidemic of retail and employee sealing, raising awareness of the issue and offering guidance in the type of counseling and education that can be provided along with the solutions offered by CCR.

Shoplifting and employee theft counseling programs are appropriate for anyone convicted of stealing and ordered by the Court or Probation Department to attend this program. We intend for participants to learn there is a pattern of thinking and intent that often precedes and goes on during the act of stealing. We focus not on punishment or judgement but education and prevention, on development of an "internal control system" to maintain awareness of what may be going on in individual cases and then take steps to change future outcomes. We believe that by educating the perpetrators and giving them opportunity to adjust their thinking before committing the act they will learn to empathize with the victims of their behavior and understand that these actions have real consequences for many people, including perpetrators themselves and their families.