National Experts Provide Input to Strengthen Juvenile Justice System Reform

Sacramento - Today, the Division of Juvenile Justice of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced that five national experts have completed their review of the Safety and Welfare Remedial Plan and have released their recommendations. These recommendations include steps to reduce violence and fear in the institutions and create the capacity for change. This marks a major step toward the finalization of comprehensive system reform for juvenile corrections.

Joining DJJ Chief Deputy Secretary Bernard Warner at the State Capitol this morning were Prison Law Office Director Donald Specter and Expert Panel Project Manager Christopher Murray to talk about the implications of this latest in a series of steps that are being taken to improve juvenile corrections in California.

According to the recommendations, California’s juvenile system can be fixed, but it will take great effort, money, and lots of time.

“We know of no other state that has undertaken such major reform in such short a period of time,” said Warner. We are committed to doing it thoughtfully, encouraging input from communities and stakeholders, so that the reform will truly bring about powerful and long-lasting changes. This is not a quick fix and changes of this magnitude have taken years in other states.”

The Safety and Welfare plan is one of six remedial plans that the Division has prepared over the last year to improve juvenile corrections in California in response to the state taxpayer lawsuit, Farrell v. Hickman. The other plans addressed the following areas: education, wards with disabilities, sex behavior treatment, mental health, and health care services.

The six remedial plans were developed at different times and submitted in court prior to the Safety and Welfare plan, which is the most overarching of the six plans. Because of the comprehensive scope of this reform, the State and the plaintiffs filed a stipulated agreement in January 2005 committing the state to hire five national experts to review the Safety and Welfare plan and submit a revised draft plan by March 30. DJJ will evaluate and incorporate the recommendations to file a final revised plan in court by June 30.

Christopher Murray acted as the project manager for the panel of experts. Murray has an extensive background in correctional reform and has authored state-wide and local master plans for adult and juvenile corrections in several states. His team included: Christopher Baird, the Executive Vice President of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency; Ed Loughran, Executive Director of the National Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators; Frederick Mills, a private consultant with more than 40 years experience in correctional administration and program development; and John Platt, a retired deputy director with the Illinois Department of Corrections, Juvenile Division who currently provides consulting services nationally to state and local correctional agencies.

“The outcomes we all want are safe and secure facilities and effective treatment for youth. These recommendations bring us one step closer to a better youth justice system in California,” said Warner.

Please click here for a copy of the report.