Overview Cameo House Community Options for Youth (COY) Detention Diversion Advocacy Program (DDAP) Expert Witness, Court Navigation, & Sentencing Mitigation Services Juvenile Collaborative Reentry Unit (JCRU) No Violence Alliance (NoVA) Overview Technical Assistance California Sentencing Institute Next Generation Fellowship Legislation Transparency & Accountability

In this issue:

CJCJ Stands with Worldwide Protests for Racial Justice

Systemic injustices facing our Black communities, rooted in a legacy of racism, must end today.

Photo Credit: Renee Menart

Black families and communities have long experienced abuse at the hands of law enforcement. Unjust tactics of over-policing, racial profiling, and state-sanctioned violence have long been used to control and suppress Black people in California and across the country.

While broader recognition of abusive policing is growing, these atrocities are not new. We mourn the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Bay Area residents Nia Wilson, Mario Woods and Oscar Grant, and the countless other victims of racist violence.

Systemic racism and white supremacy have created a culture that distrusts Black voices and devalues Black lives. CJCJ commits our direct services, public education, and policy advocacy to confronting these issues and ending racism across the justice system. In close partnership with communities of color, we must dismantle institutions of oppression and build up systems that affirm:

Black Lives Matter.

Read more in Continuing the Fight for Racial Justice »

Taking Steps to Close California’s Youth Correctional System

In response to Governor Newsom’s proposed closure of DJJ institutions, CJCJ pushes for successful implementation.

Living unit in DJJ institution

California plans to close the state’s youth correctional system, the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), which was announced by Governor Newsom within the revised budget. This proposal presents an exciting opportunity for youth justice by ending new admissions to DJJ and ultimately closing the four remaining state-run institutions.

For decades, CJCJ has monitored DJJ and educated the public about dangerous conditions inside the institutions. Our newest report recommends a phased approach to closing DJJ in favor of local alternatives, which the Governor echoes in this proposal.

We support the Governor’s intentions, and will continue to press for a responsible closure process as we re-imagine juvenile justice in California. We honor the efforts of youth, families, community-based organizations, and advocates who have laid the foundation for this step forward.

Find out more about the Governor’s plan for DJJ closure »

CJCJ Direct Services Remain Open to Support Families Amid COVID-19

In partnership with World Central Kitchen and many others, CJCJ is addressing the critical unmet needs of our community members.

Cameo House staff receive a WCK food delivery for families.

CJCJ’s team continues to work fervently to support youth and families through our direct service programs, while families face new or heightened challenges amid the pandemic.

During May and June, we have partnered with World Central Kitchen (WCK) to feed 16 families, supporting 64 family members with 896 meals per week in our community, while so many are facing food challenges. WCK is also graciously providing dinners to families in CJCJ’s Cameo House, a long term residential alternative sentencing program for formerly-homeless women and their children.

Thank you to WCK for providing thousands of nutritious meals and thank you to Ashley Smith Juarez from the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Health Matters Initiative for connecting us to help put wholesome meals on the table for families. CJCJ’s Director of Behavioral Health Sean Cochrun and Clinical Case Manager Filemoni Matavao have further supported these efforts by delivering food boxes to families’ homes from Sunset Youth Services and Polynesian Islands Together (PIT) partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank.

Since shelter-in-place orders began, CJCJ has continued service delivery while developing safe strategies to accept new clients into our programs. In support of our team’s self-care, yoga teacher Lael Caitlin has donated financially while offering free classes to CJCJ staff. If you would like to support our work, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Thank you to everyone supporting us in staying safe and serving our community.

Make a tax-deductible donation to CJCJ’s direct service programs today »

CJCJ IS HIRING: