On January 10, 2011 Governor Jerry Brown released his proposed budget for 2011-12, promoting the elimination of the DJF by June 30, 2014.
Elimination of the DJF and realignment of responsibility for all juvenile offenders to the counties is appropriate and fiscally responsible. As highlighted in CJCJ’s and reports, California counties have the capacity to serve the dwindling DJF population, if given adequate resources to enhance and develop a continuum of non-institutional rehabilitative services. Serving youths on a county level allows for services to follow them through their placement into the community, while also enabling families to actively engage in the treatment process.
In April 2010, Executive Director Daniel Macallair, authored articles in both the LA Times and the California Progress Report reflecting on the poor quality of DJF care that costs $383 million of the state budget to serve less than 1% of the overall juvenile justice population.
CJCJ strongly supports the decision to close DJF facilities and transition to a coordinated system of individualized post-disposition and reentry services for all juvenile offenders.
~Selena Teji
Sentencing Service Program Case Specialist