The De-Incarceration of California’s Juvenile Justice System
|
The juvenile justice system in California has been evolving faster than most other parts of the country. While Missouri, Texas and other states have reduced their youth prison populations, California has made the most drastic reductions. At its peak in 1996, California housed more than 10,000 adolescents in its youth prisons. Today there are 1,096 youth held in just four facilities with one of those scheduled to close in a little more than a month. The idea of de-incarceration is not new. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the closure of Massachusetts’ youth training schools.