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 celebrates the success of its Probation Enrichment Program

CJCJ’s Probation Enrichment Program (PEP) has provided meaningful community-engagement experiences to San Francisco youth on probation and their families since 2011.

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For the past seven years, CJCJ has worked diligently with the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department (JPD) to support youth through the Probation Enrichment Program (PEP). This community-based program serves youth who have violated their probation orders and began out of the county’s need to support youth in a healthier and more appropriate way than secure detention. Now, as fewer young people in San Francisco face detention for probation violations, CJCJ’s PEP is set to come to an end next month. The monthly PEP weekend workshops have provided meaningful educational programming and community service opportunities to youth on probation and their families. CJCJ’s long-time PEP facilitator, Fil Matavao, emphasizes the unique importance of justice-involved youth participating in community service, explaining that the youth feel good knowing that they’re helping the community — knowing that they’re giving back to those less fortunate. It makes them feel like they’ve actually done something. They enjoy that part the most.” Through a focus on family engagement and culturally-responsive services, PEP seeks to identify the challenges each youth is experiencing and meet their specific needs for future success. CJCJ Case Manager, Abdul Ali Akbar, reflects on his recent experience in a PEP workshop: It was incredibly rewarding to listen to the youth and their parents engage in positive solutions that will help heal their relationship moving forward. They sincerely want to engage in social activities that promote relationship-building.” As the program comes to a close, the successes of PEP will continue to serve as a model of meaningful community-based programming for justice-involved youth. Find out more about CJCJ’s youth services »

New report investigates how CA counties spend millions intended to support youth locally

CJCJ’s new report, which examines two major state funding programs across California and five Bay Area counties, finds an opportunity for community reinvestment. CJCJ’s new report examines how California’s counties use millions in state funding intended to serve youth locally. In the fiscal year 2016 – 17, the state provided nearly $280 million to counties through two major funding programs: Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) and the Youthful Offender Block Grant (YOBG). The report specifically considers local planning and spending processes among five Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo), which receive a significant share of state funds and may provide insight into larger statewide trends. Among these five counties, an average 72 percent of spending went directly to county probation and department staffing in FY 2016 – 17 with variation between counties in their use of funds and levels of community engagement. For example, San Francisco County invested 64 percent of its funds to community-based organizations to serve youth during this period. Meanwhile, Alameda County reported spending 1 percent and Contra Costa County spent none of these funds on community-based organizations. As California’s rates of youth crime and confinement continue to decline, state funding for justice-involved youth through these programs has increased by 23 percent ($52 million) in the four years since FY 2013 – 14. The report finds the implementation of these two funding programs are largely out of step with juvenile justice trends and best practices. Greater accountability and justice reinvestment can help these state dollars provide critical services in areas such as education, mental health, and housing to serve youth and communities most impacted by the justice system. Read the full report » Learn more about CJCJ’s Policy Analysis »

Cameo House residents learn about their voting rights in a civic engagement workshop

The San Francisco Department of Elections met with residents of CJCJ’s Cameo House to provide insight into the democratic process and discuss current ballot measures. CJCJ’s Cameo House program, an alternative sentencing opportunity for homeless justice-involved women and their children, is committed to serving its residents through a wide range of supports. The program provides opportunities for residents to build skills in areas such as personal development, educational and vocational attainment, parenting support, and civic engagement. As San Franciscans prepare for the upcoming Election Day, representatives from the San Francisco Department of Elections facilitated a voter education workshop for residents of Cameo House. The workshop emphasized the voting rights that individuals have at various points in the justice process. Notably, as Cameo residents learned, California residents with records can vote as long as they are not currently in prison or on parole for a felony conviction. Beyond the discussion on voting rights, residents asked thoughtful questions and discussed important local and state-level issues that are on the ballot this year. Moving forward, Cameo House will continue to collaborate with CJCJ’s policy and communications staff to provide opportunities for civic learning and engagement. With the support of the San Francisco Department of Elections, and the power of their vote, Cameo House residents can ensure their voices are heard and their communities are represented within the democratic process. Find out more about CJCJ’s Cameo House program » Find out more about CJCJ’s transition to Cameo House » GET INVOLVED!