“My lens has been shaped by the places I have been and things I have seen. That allows me to analyze some of the gaps, the challenges, and the strengths [within the system].” 

—Cristian Franco, Vice Chair of the State Advisory Group on Youth Justice (SAG YJ) 

In a historic first for California, the chair and vice chair of the State Advisory Group on Youth Justice (SAG YJ)—the advisory body that provides guidance on youth justice policy and programs—both bring lived experience as young people who were formerly incarcerated. Kent Mendoza from the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) serves as Chair, and Cristian Franco, previously at Motivating Intergenerational Leadership for Public Advancement (MILPA), serves as Vice Chair. Together, they are redefining what a truly youth-centered justice system looks like. 

In July 2024, OYCR took over the Title II Formula Grants program and related youth justice functions from the California Board of State and Community Corrections, including oversight of SAG YJ, as required by Assembly Bill 169 and Senate Bill 823. The advisory body has current 16 members: a judge, attorneys, youth advocates, academics, reentry and community program leaders, and experts in child welfare, youth justice, and policy—each appointed by the Governor of California and united by a shared mission to promote effective youth justice policies. By December 2024, SAG YJ had resumed quarterly meetings with both new and returning members and had elected its Chair and Vice Chair. 

“I’m a people person, a team player. I work to build strong, long-lasting relationships,” Cristian says. “And this is one of the most authentic groups that I’ve been around.” 

While incarcerated from ages 15 to 22, Cristian didn’t just earn his high school diploma and GED—he actively pursued growth, advocating for himself to be transferred to a facility focused on vocational programs, taking classes in subjects like public speaking, and mentoring hundreds of other young men. After his release, he brought that same drive to juvenile halls and nonprofits in other issue spaces. By 2016, his commitment expanded into policy organizing as he started volunteering and participating in men’s groups with the ARC. These opportunities allowed him to build relationships and share his perspective with correctional officers, legislators, and broader audiences, turning personal insight into systemic impact. 

About being in community with others and championing legislation, he says, “It created a deeper inspiration and desire to keep making change. Sometimes we doubt ourselves in this work—I’m just another person or whatever—but our experience can help uplift someone else’s story.” 

Over roughly eight years in this work, Cristian also helped open Secure Youth Treatment Facility sites and onboard new staff after the passage of SB 823. While at MILPA as Policy and Program Coordinator, he contributed to state and national initiatives like Restoring Promise.  This initiative developed a scalable model that transforms traditional, often punitive and inhumane prison housing units across the country into supportive, community-focused environments for young adults. 

When asked about his time on the SAG YJ, Cristian said, “I’m brand new. I’m trying to learn how everything operates. But I think the highlight is the honor that comes with being nominated. So many professionals have been doing this work a lot longer than I have, so many skilled people… I’m just carrying that torch.” 

SAG YJ Chair Kent Mendoza is one professional Cristian has learned from. Kent joined the advisory committee in 2016, just two years after his release from incarceration at age 20. Now the ARC’s Director of Policy—as well as a mentor, filmmaker, and artist—he was recognized with OYCR’s Outstanding Youth Justice Advocate Award in 2024. Kent spent more than five years incarcerated, where he, like Cristian, invested deeply in his growth. Through reading books, writing reflections on them, and receiving mentorship from ARC founder Scott Budnick, he found hope and a sense of purpose that ultimately changed the trajectory of his life. 

Kent faced deportation after incarceration but persuaded an immigration agent to hear his story—and was released that same day. “Ever since that day, I have dedicated my life to using my experience to change the system for the better—mentoring youth, serving my community, and engaging civically,” he says. “It felt like a field trip because I went in the system, experienced it, and made it out—and now I have all this information and understanding.”  

When attending legislative meetings in Sacramento and Los Angeles County, Kent brings with him “delegations” of young people to challenge assumptions about what youth who have been incarcerated, particularly Black, brown, and young people who were previously gang-involved like himself, can contribute. He also helps them build leadership skills and purpose. “I know what [we] bring to the table,” he says. “[Maybe we] came from the hood and are grassroots, but [we] can use that to flip the script on [our] community. We can uplift our communities from the bottom.” 

On the importance of partnering with credible messengers, Kent adds, “Sometimes our allies are advocating on our behalf, but not really what we want. You have to make sure you’re listening to the people before you try to implement a policy that’s going to impact that population.” 

Kent and Cristian embody the shift underway in California’s youth justice system, showing what it looks like when those most directly impacted by the system help guide change. For the first time in SAG YJ history, individuals who have personally navigated incarceration hold the top two roles, shaping our state’s priorities and perspective and proving that their voices and insight are indispensable. By centering their perspective and expertise, their work helps ensure young people receive the guidance, resources, and opportunities they need to successfully transition into adulthood. 

“My job now is to lift up the next wave of youth leaders, advocates, and people with lived experience,” Cristian says. “Our shared success will be seeing that other young people impacted by the justice system can overcome it—and that they don’t have to look back.” 

At its March 18, 2026 quarterly meeting, the committee voted to formally change its name from the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (SACJJDP) to the State Advisory Group on Youth Justice (SAG YJ). Committee members noted that this change was intended to remove the negative connotation associated with the term “delinquency” and better reflect the full scope of their work advising the Governor on the needs of justice-involved youth. 

The updated name also reflects a broader shift in language and framing across California’s youth justice system. By adopting “Youth Justice,” the committee sought to more fully encompass the rehabilitative and restorative reforms advanced under SB 823, and to recognize the interconnected needs of young people, families, and communities. 

Ultimately, the name change clarifies and affirms the committee’s mandate as a Governor-appointed statewide advisory body: to serve the Governor, Legislature, and people of California by advancing effective youth justice policy and programming that improves outcomes and quality of life for all young people. Learn more about the SAG YJ’s mission, membership, and role under OYCR’s oversight, as well as Kent Mendoza’s story and ethos.