Counties across the state are facing unprecedented new challenges in their adult and juvenile criminal justice systems. Pressures are increasing on local systems due to adult corrections realignment under Assembly Bill 109 and unprecedented drops in federal funding for rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. California counties are responding to these challenges with a wide variety of responses. While county responses vary, one factor remains constant throughout the state: The…
The Red Rose Culinary Academy is an innovative program from Brothers for Change, Inc . Led by head chef Henry Howard, the program is designed to enable formerly incarcerated individuals to engage in vocational and academic training in the food industry, which will eventually lead to sustainable employment. The 16-week culinary arts course prepares students with the skills necessary to enter the food industry workforce upon graduation. Curriculum modules include a strong foundation in the…
Last Thursday, Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cárdenas traveled to San Francisco to meet leading juvenile justice policy experts from Northern California at the San Francisco State University Downtown Campus . Councilman Cárdenas is running unopposed this November in a new Congressional district in Los Angeles and will be sworn into office in January 2013 as one of California’s newest members of Congress. Mr. Cárdenas was very explicit with the policy advocates that his number one issue…
Blog Jul 31, 2012
California’s myriad sentencing practices
Yesterday, CJCJ launched the California Sentencing Institute’s (CASI) new interface that allows for quicker, easier visual representations of California’s statewide sentencing practices. Immediately apparent upon visiting the site are the huge sentencing disparities among California’s 58 counties. Further exploration of the site indicates various interesting trends. For example, while Kings County is ranked at the top of every metric related to use of state prison, it is not the highest…
Blog Jul 26, 2012
Juvenile justice policy roundtable in San Francisco
Today CJCJ hosted a group of policy advocates, foundations, and LA City Councilman Tony Cárdenas for a roundtable discussion on state and federal juvenile justice reforms. Councilman Cárdenas has a strong record in juvenile justice policy with his passage of the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (Schiff-Cardenas Act) as a State Assemblyman in 2000 and his work on lifting the gang injunction in Los Angeles. The discussion focused on the intersection between efforts in Washington D.C. to…