In this issue:
- Tell Governor Brown to sign SB 439 to end the criminalization of young children
- A young man journeys home and flourishes with the support of CJCJ program
- San Francisco youth explore the great outdoors with CJCJ’s support
CJCJ co-sponsored bill to protect children under 12 from the justice system is on the Governor’s Desk and needs your support today!
Photo Credit: Alexander Raths | Shutterstock
Senate Bill (SB) 439, a bill co-sponsored by CJCJ and juvenile justice advocates across the state, passed through the Legislature and is awaiting a signature from the Governor by the end of this week. This bill can help children and families across California, but we need to stand together to make it happen.
If you have 30 seconds right now, you can make a difference by placing a call to the Governor’s office at (916) 445‑2841. All you need to do is state your name and your support for the bill — it’s that easy to help make history. Here’s a sample script:
“Hello, my name is _____ and I’m calling in support of SB 439. The juvenile justice system is no place for young children. I urge the Governor to sign SB 439 into law. Thank you.”
California currently has no minimum age for prosecuting children in its juvenile justice system despite the clear harm this causes to children’s health, development, and future life outcomes. Each year, hundreds of children aged 11 and younger are subject to juvenile justice system processing mostly for child-like behavior or minor misbehavior, such as schoolyard fights. This bill will end the prosecution of children under the age of 12 and empower alternative child-serving systems, including mental health, education, and child welfare agencies, to deliver treatment and family support in place of prosecution.
Find out more about CJCJ co-sponsored legislation »
A young man journeys home and flourishes with the support of CJCJ programCJCJ youth successfully completes probation with the combined support and collaboration of the Placement Diversion Reentry Program (PDRP) team.
For youth who experience the justice system firsthand, the process of returning home after a period of confinement can be confusing, scary, and emotional. CJCJ’s Placement Diversion Reentry Program (PDRP) helps youth navigate the reentry process by pairing youth with case managers to create individualized treatment plans that ensure their needs are met.
Photo Credit: Aron | unsplash.com
This month, a hard-working 19-year-old young man successfully completed probation! He enrolled in college at San Francisco State University, began a job, and made strides toward his personal passion: creating music. Just a few months ago, this young man was at San Francisco’s secure juvenile justice facility, Log Cabin Ranch, and had been in out-of-home placement for over two years.
He was connected to PDRP Clinical Case Manager, Guadalupe Palomino, and Clinician, Deva Segal, when he was released from Log Cabin Ranch and returning to his San Francisco community in the spring. Together, they provided support to the young man and his family through consistent check-ins and Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings, addressing challenges the family was facing and holding the youth accountable to achieve his goals.
Guadalupe and Deva are both optimistic about the young man’s future and excited for him to move forward with the same integrity, dedication, and grit that he showed when he began with PDRP. The team will continue to work together in order to provide coordinated care for probation-involved youth and their families.
Learn more about Placement Diversion and Reentry Program »
San Francisco youth explore the great outdoors with CJCJ’s supportCJCJ and San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department staff provide an exciting opportunity for justice-involved youth to connect in nature.
Youth enjoy time in the lagoon on a trip to Cull Canyon.
On a sunny day last month, CJCJ’s staff traveled to Cull Canyon on a Juvenile Probation Department-led trip to support youth on probation as they enjoyed some outdoor recreation and participated in team-building activities. The youth had a ton of fun kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, hiking, slacklining and playing flag football.
This year’s program served as an alternative to the annual trip to Camp Mather at Yosemite National Park due to recent forest fires. CJCJ has been requested to support the Camp Mather program for numerous years, which is sponsored by the San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department, San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department, law enforcement, other city agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
The trip provided justice-involved youth with the chance to connect with nature and build positive relationships with adults. CJCJ staff turned out to support the Cull Canyon trip out of a strong commitment to our community’s youth. CJCJ’s Trang Nguyen reflects on the trip as “a day filled with laughter, fun, excitement, and relaxation. At the end of the day, no one wanted to go home.”
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