CJCJ: Sentencing Service Project

Often defense attorneys lack the time and resources that are necessary to develop and advocate for individualized sentencing, probation or parole options for their clients. To address this issue, the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice developed the Sentencing Service Project (formerly the Alternative Sentencing Program [ASP]).

SSP Summary
The Sentencing Service Project (SSP) provides a variety of sentencing and mitigation services, including pre-trial, pre-plea, parole consideration, disposition and sentencing reports and recommendations.

Experience has shown that absent viable alternatives, courts rely solely on the recommendations of probation or correctional staff for sentencing decisions. SSP staff stay abreast of the frequently changing and complex sentencing laws and examines on an individual case-by-case basis, issues that may affect these sentencing decisions.

CJCJ's expert staff are able to present reasoned and appropriate sentencing proposals through the development of a comprehensive social and developmental history, an examination of applicable mitigating circumstances and current criminal justice research. Recommendations are then made which may include a mitigated sentence or an alternative to jail, prison or CYA. Using our knowledge of correctional and community based facilities, CJCJ staff are able to present appropriate alternatives. This includes advocating for institutional programs, which can actually shorten a defendant's length of stay and provide real rehabilitative objectives. Alternative options may include fines, community service, victim reconciliation and/or restitution, house arrest, work release, or placement in a residential, out-patient, halfway house.

SSP Results
Working with some of the most experienced criminal defense attorneys, the Sentencing Service Project has presented over 1,000 cases in State and Federal Courts throughout the Western United States, some resulting in landmark decisions. Over two-thirds of the cases were for indigent clients. SSP proposals have been accepted by the courts in whole or in part in over 65% of the cases.

SSP Specialized Services
SSP has grown considerably over the years. In addition to our pre-trial, disposition and sentencing services, CJCJ's expertise makes CJCJ able to provide specialized reports in the following areas:

Juvenile Disposition and Fitness Hearings
Over the years, CJCJ has published and accumulated extensive research on juvenile institutional placements, like the California Youth Authority, which has been instrumental in advocating successfully for institutional alternatives. In addition to creating reports, CJCJ can offer expert testimony about conditions in these facilities that can have significant public safety consequences.

A California Advocate's Guide to Juvenile Placements
Additionally, CJCJ has developed and published a comprehensive guide to non-institutional placement programs for children that are often considered by the court as an alternative to institutional placement, such as CYA. In its new 2003 revision our juvenile placement guide contains valuable information on over 260 residential and rehabilitative programs throughout California and nationally. We are pleased to make this publication available to juvenile court advocates, families and youth so that they may effectively advocate for alternatives at disposition.

To order a copy of A California Advocate's Guide to Juvenile Placements, please call our national office at 415.621.5661 x319 or email your request to cjcj@cjcj.org
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Also, in dispositional matters, CJCJ can assist the court in identifying funding options, which allow a county to provide troubled children with individualized rehabilitative programming. Because CJCJ has developed its considerable network of service providers and identified sources of available funding options we have become a valuable tool for juvenile defense advocates.

In instances where a juvenile offender is being considered for a waiver to adult court for criminal prosecution, SSP staff provides a comprehensive social and offense history and evaluation to determine whether a juvenile can be considered amenable to juvenile court jurisdiction.

Capital Case Work
Utilizing research and expertise in the effects of institutional systems, like the California Youth Authority, CJCJ can identify mitigation considerations for clients who have institutional histories and are facing a death penalty conviction and sentence.

Three Strikes/Romero Hearings
In this instance CJCJ is able to provide a thorough developmental and offense history and an analysis of the "three strikes" legal application for consideration in a Romero hearing.

The Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice has provided me with invaluable assistance throughout the years in providing well-reasoned, humane alternative disposition reports to use on behalf of my juvenile clients who were faced with unnecessary incarceration in the California Youth Authority or with another imminent inappropriate placement that would surely set them up for further failure. In each instance, their reports were well-received and seriously considered by the court.
George Lazarus, San Francisco County Attorney

[Daniel Macallair, Executive Director]
Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
54 Dore Street San Francisco, CA 94103
Tel: (415) 621-5661 x310