CJCJ’s Executive Director Daniel Macallair was a guest on KQED’s Forum 7/27/2023. Topics discussed were history of the juvenile justice system in California, the closure of their Division of Juvenile Justice, and the path moving forward for California’s most at risk youth. A link to the audio for the show is below.
California State Youth Detention Facilities Are Closed. What Happens to Incarcerated Youth Now?
Plagued by years of abuse allegations, the California Department of Juvenile Justice and the youth facilities it ran, were shut down earlier this summer. Criminal justice reform advocates considered the closures a victory, but now have other concerns. They contend most relocated youth are being moved into juvenile hall facilities that were not designed for long-term detentions and that lack adequate rehabilitation programs and resources. County probation chiefs have also raised concerns that kids who left for state facilities with no history of drug problems or gang affiliations are returning to their home counties with both, raising questions about the conditions within the waning days of state facilities. We talk to experts about those allegations, the stories shared by children coming out of state care, and the future of juvenile justice in California.
Guests:
Dan Macallair, executive director and co-founder, Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
Marlon Yarber, chief probation officer, Sacramento County
Israel Villa, deputy director, California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice
Jason Okonofua, assistant professor, Psychology Department, University of California Berkeley
Listen to the show on KQED here.
Contact: For more information about this topic or to schedule an interview, please contact CJCJ at (415)621‑5661 x.103 or cjcjmedia@cjcj.org.