NCJ Number
232747
Date Published
February 2011
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This is the first in a series of reports by the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice on its investigation of the consequences of California's juvenile justice realignment, which would eliminate the State's Division of Juvenile Facilities (DJF) by June 30, 2014.
Abstract
This report presents the findings of an analysis of county use of DJF and direct filing of juvenile offenders to adult criminal court by prosecutors in 2009. The study found that California's 58 counties varied significantly in juvenile arrest and incarceration policies; yet, even radical variation in reliance on State incarceration has had no effect on juvenile crime rates or trends. In 2009, 24 counties used locally reliant juvenile justice practices, and 13 counties used State-dependent juvenile justice practices that would significantly obstruct juvenile justice reform. These 13 counties accounted for 37 percent of juvenile felony arrests, but 61 percent of all direct adult criminal court filings for juveniles, and 46 percent of all DJF commitments in 2009. Twelve counties did not use the State system in 2009, either for a DJF commitment or an adult criminal court filing for juveniles, despite experiencing juvenile felony arrests during that year. Counties heavily dependent on the State for facilities to house serious juvenile offenders will be significantly impacted by the closing of State DJF facilities. The needs of these counties must be analyzed, followed by appropriate technical assistance and resources that will enable them to respond to serious juvenile offenders at the county level. This must include the development of community-based services for high-risk serious juvenile offenders. Attempting to manage such juvenile offenders through adult criminal court processing for incarceration in State adult facilities will undermine best practices in juvenile justice reform. 4 figures, 10 references, and appended supplementary information