Division of Juvenile Justice

As part of the state's criminal justice system, the DJJ works closely with law enforcement, the courts, district attorneys, public defenders, probation, and a broad spectrum of public and private agencies concerned with, and involved in, the problems of youth.

About DJJ

The DJJ, originally known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), was created by statute in 1941 and began operating in 1943, providing training and parole supervision for juvenile and young adult offenders.

In a reorganization of the California corrections agencies in 2005, the CYA became the Division of Juvenile Justice within the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, whose Secretary reports directly to the Governor and serves on his Cabinet.

As part of the state's juvenile justice system, the DJJ works closely with law enforcement, the courts, district attorneys, public defenders, probation, and a broad spectrum of public and private agencies concerned with, and involved in, the problems of youth.

Currently, the DJJ receives its youthful offender population from both juvenile and superior court referrals. Those youths are sent to the DJJ to receive various training and treatment services.

The DJJ carries out its responsibilities through three divisions: the Division of Juvenile Facilities, the Division of Juvenile Programs, and the Division of Juvenile Parole Services. The Juvenile Parole Board, an administrative body separate from DJJ, determines a youth’s parole readiness.

The DJJ's mission, as described in Section 1700 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, is to protect the public from criminal activity. The law mandates the Division to:

• Provide a range of training and treatment services for youthful offenders committed by courts
• Direct youthful offenders to participate in community and victim restoration
• Assist local justice agencies with efforts to control crime and delinquency
• Encourage the development of state and local programs to prevent crime and delinquency

Offenders committed directly to the DJJ do not receive determinate sentences. A youth’s length of stay is determined by the severity of the committing offense and their progress toward parole readiness.

The DJJ provides housing for juveniles under the age of 18 who have been sentenced to state prison; however, the DJJ’s jurisdiction for juvenile offenders ends on the offender's 25th birthday.

Executive Office
4241 Williamsbourgh Drive, Suite 201
Sacramento, CA 95823
Voice (916) 262-1470    FAX (916) 262-1767