Blog Jan 17, 2012
Developing Leaders [guest video blog]
CJCJ’s guest video blog by Will Roy, discusses challenges to re-entry from the state’s youth correctional facilities and what he thinks should be the way forward for juvenile justice in California. Will Roy is currently a psychology student at the City College of San Francisco. He was made a ward of the California Youth Authority (now the Division of Juvenile Facilities) in 1997, as a first time offender at the age of 15, and remained a ward until 2003. During his six year CYA…
Since 2007, San Bernardino County’s Probation Department has made strategic, bold changes in order to align their systems with modern and effective best practices for the rehabilitation and reentry of youth offenders. Prior to 2007, San Bernardino had a history of state-dependency for their youthful offender population and was the subject of a lawsuit for facility conditions and practices. Over the last four years, the county has demonstrated admirable leadership and innovation in utilizing…
Blog Jan 11, 2012
Counties’ responses to the budget triggers
While it costs approximately $193,111 per ward annually to house youth in California’s state youth correctional system (Division of Juvenile Facilities: DJF), under the budget triggers (implemented Jan 1, 2012) counties would pick up approx. 65% of that tab ($125,000 per youth), while the rest continues to be paid for by California taxpayers. Counties like Monterey, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Kings have voiced concerns that they would not be able to pay for the 20+ youth they each have in DJF…
Blog Jan 11, 2012
Why taxpayers should care about juvenile justice
Last week Governor Brown proposed, for the second time, the closure of California’s state youth correctional facilities, the Division of Juvenile Facilities (DJF). In fact, this week CJCJ released a report including five policy recommendations for full juvenile justice realignment. CJCJ has been advocating for a 21st century approach to juvenile justice for years. CJCJ is not alone is this recommendation, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, Little Hoover Commission, and the Ella Baker Center…
A recent report by the W. Haywood Burns Institute indicates that while California’s current corrections policies appear to be race-neutral, data shows that many young people of color are being incarcerated at higher rates than white youth for non-criminal acts rather than being treated for mental health and behavioral health needs. The report, titled “Non-Judicial Drivers into the Juvenile Justice System for Youth of Color” , highlights multiple studies that point to the same conclusion: …