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…
Behind Governor’s Plan to Close State’s Juvenile Justice System Bay Citizen, January 10, 2012
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…
A new report from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) entitled Juvenile Justice Realignment in 2012 provides support for Governor Brown’s realignment proposal and offers five policy recommendations that include a three-year process that allows counties time to design new services and infrastructure. At the end of three years, the state will no longer manage youth correctional institutions and the resources that used to sustain these facilities will be transferred to the…
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…