Voices of Youth Justice
The Youth Bill of Rights Gives Young People in Custody a Voice
Share: Designed to empower young people in youth justice facilities across the state, California’s Youth Bill of Rights ensures they not only know their rights, but have a voice in defining and defending them. The Youth Bill of...
Voices of Youth Justice: Q&A with Kent Mendoza
Share: The Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR)’s mission to provide comprehensive services for young people involved in the youth justice system relies on collaboration with a range of partners. We spoke with Kent Mendoza, Director of Policy at...
Voices of Youth Justice: Leaders Who Are Shaping Youth Justice
Share: Across the state, young people with experience in the justice system, community-based organizations, probation leaders, and advocates are working toward a shared vision: a youth justice system grounded in accountability, health, and healing, not punishment....
Voices of Youth Justice: Listening and Centering Culture and Community for Tribal Youth
Share: Across California, tribal youth navigate child welfare and justice systems that were not designed with their cultures, histories, or communities in mind. The state is home to more than 660,000 Native American residents—the most of any state in the nation—and...
Voices of Youth Justice: For Youth Who Are Incarcerated, Staying Connected to Family Matters
Share: Carlos Cervantes still remembers what it felt like to be a teenager in a cell, navigating the justice system as a young person. At 16, he was incarcerated at a time when visiting with family usually came with metal detectors, shackles, or speaking...
Voices of Youth Justice: Here’s What Young People and Research Tell Us
Share: It should not take an arrest for us to invest in the safety and success of our youth. However, when we spoke to young people across California, a powerful pattern emerged: real support and services often only came after they entered the court...
Voices of Youth Justice: A Case Study Two Years Post-DJJ Closure
Share: “I’m so proud of our state. I’m so proud of all the stakeholders here… It’s the energy, radiance, warmth, and compassion that we have in California that is leading the entire United States in this movement.” —Dr. Renford Reese, Prison Education Project Founder...
Mistakes Are a Normal Part of Growing Up
Share: The report “Please Don’t Give Up on Us: Stories From Children and Youth Incarcerated in California” was commissioned by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration. The report explores youth justice through the perspectives of young people who are or have...
Voices of Youth Justice: A Q&A with Madera County Youth Manuel Hernandez
As California embraces a rehabilitative approach to youth justice, it’s essential to center the voices of young people with lived experience in the system. In this Q&A, 19-year-old Manuel Hernandez—who was in Madera County’s juvenile detention facility at the time...
The Importance of Feeling Seen and Heard: Alexis J’s Journey
Share: “Young adults and teenagers, they get punished for not being heard…Instead of trying to understand us on an emotional and psychological level…we get punished by them telling us ‘you’re a bad kid.’” — Alexis J. Alexis’s experience of...