Initiative Purpose
The Positive Youth Justice Initiative is working with communities across California to transform juvenile justice practice and policy into a more just, effective system that is aligned with the developmental needs of young people.
Initiative Design Elements
The initiative uses an approach that invests in youth, treats trauma, provides wraparound service delivery and changes systems to strengthen local infrastructure and sustain the improvements.
Initiative Phases
Phase 1: Planning Grants
Six counties received $75,000 grants in 2012 for a 12-month planning phase to create plans for reform focusing on “crossover youth” – youth who had been formally involved in the child welfare system, had experienced documented neglect, abuse and/or trauma, and were currently engaged in the juvenile justice system.
Partner Organizations
- Alameda County Probation Department
- Sacramento County Probation Department
- San Diego County Probation Department
- San Joaquin County Probation Department
- Vallejo City Unified School District (Solano County)
- Yolo County Probation Department
Phase 2: Implementation Grants
Four counties received $400,000 implementation grants in January 2014 to test a series of reforms designed to transform juvenile justice into a more just, effective system and improve the lives of the youth they engage.
Partner Organizations
- Alameda County Probation Department
- San Diego County Probation Department
- San Joaquin County Probation Department
- Vallejo City Unified School District in Solano County
A second round of implementation funding provided additional investment for the San Joaquin County Probation Department and the Vallejo Unified School District in Solano County.
Phase 3: Organizing for a Healthy Justice System
The Positive Youth Justice Initiative entered its third phase in 2017, with $1.3 million awarded to support nonprofit community-based organizations in 11 counties to advance positive juvenile justice. Funded grassroots organizations advanced their work through community organizing to accelerate a statewide movement toward a more youth development-focused juvenile justice system.
Partner Organizations
- Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (Alameda County)
- Fathers and Families of San Joaquin
- Fresno Barrios Unidos
- Resilience Orange County
- RYSE Youth Center (Contra Costa County)
- Sacramento Area Congregations Together
- San Diego Organizing Project
- Sigma Beta Xi Inc. (Riverside County)
- Silicon Valley De-Bug (Santa Clara County)
- Young Women’s Freedom Center (San Francisco County)
- Youth Justice Coalition (Los Angeles County)
News and Media
- Our justice system is failing our youth; California must reshape and redefine its approach (CalMatters.org)
Commentary by Chet P. Hewitt and Shane Murphy Goldsmith - Lift Us Up, Don’t Lock Us Down: The Battle to Close Juvenile Hall (SFWeekly.com)
- KVIE Studio Sacramento (KVIE.org)
- The Mercury News (MercuryNews.com)
- Inside Philanthropy (InsidePhilanthropy.com)
- Witness LA (WitnessLA.com)