Author(s): The Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ)
Published: Nov. 9, 2021
Report Intro/Brief:
“On the brink of closure, California’s Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) requires critical attention. DJJ’s inherent flaws and high costs led state leaders to heed long-standing calls for the closure of its youth correctional institutions in favor of local alternatives, a process known as juvenile justice realignment. DJJ stopped most youth admissions as of July 1, 2021 and will close its doors by June 30, 2023. California’s counties must avoid replicating the state’s problematic prison-like environment, lack of oversight, and disparate impacts on youth of color at the local level. DJJ’s failures, and consequential downfall, should stand as a warning. Repeating these failures locally will endanger our most vulnerable youth.
This investigation is part of a series of reports by the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) to spotlight conditions at DJJ. We rely on publicly available data, data received by request, and, most importantly, conversations with youth who were recently confined in DJJ. Our research provides information on:
● California’s shifting juvenile justice landscape
● The physical conditions of DJJ facilities
● DJJ’s failing educational programs
● The culture of violence at DJJ
● Youths’ isolation from their families
● DJJ’s poor reentry outcomes
● The state’s harmful lack of oversight
We also recommend a path forward to protect youth at DJJ and strengthen oversight of California’s juvenile justice system:
● Return youth to their home counties through legal procedures known as recall petitions.
● Reinvest state funds in community-based alternatives to confinement and probation.
● Improve oversight by California’s Office of Youth and Community Restoration to protect justice-involved youth.”
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