What is this bill about?
SB 1057 provides healing-centered, culturally competent, and community-based approaches for youth involved in the juvenile court system by ensuring equitable community representation and improved decision-making within county Juvenile Justice Coordinating Councils.
How does it align with yli’s values?
In 2000, the Schiff-Cárdenas Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act was created to support youth in their communities and limit their involvement in the justice system. The grant requires that each county establish a Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council that consists of representatives from a variety of local agencies and community groups to ensure the county’s multi-agency juvenile justice plan is collaborative and comprehensive.
However, in 2020, the California State Auditor released a report which found that most counties are deeply failing our youth by leaving mandatory seats vacant – or lacking councils altogether – and misusing funds.
At yli, we have witnessed first hand the brutal impacts of our state’s harmful “justice” system on their lives, and the lives of their families. We know that community-based and youth development organizations are best positioned to help make crucial decisions about our youth – especially systems-involved youth, who have already been failed by our systems, and have experienced trauma and face high risks in terms of poor adolescent and adult outcomes.
SB 1057 will advance the health-first approach to youth justice envisioned in California’s Juvenile Justice Realignment Plan, ensure equitable community representation and improved transparency and decision-making, and promote positive youth development for California’s most vulnerable youth.
This policy aligns with our Racial Justice Platform, which address the impacts of the carceral system on communities of color.
What is yli doing about it?
We have just submitted a letter endorsing this bill, and we are showing our support on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Who supports this bill?
Co-Sponsors:
- Alliance for Boys and Men of Color
- Anti-Recidivism Coalition
- Bend the Arc
- California Alliance – Youth & Community Justice
- Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
- Children’s Defense Fund – California
- Community Interventions – Kern
- Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice
- Fresh Lifelines for Youth
- National Center for Youth Law
- National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives
- SBX Youth & Family Services
Support:
- Access Reproductive Justice
- ACLU California Action
- Amelia Ann Adams Whole Life Center
- Arts for Healing and Justice Network
- Black Parallel School Board
- California Public Defenders Association
- Californians United for a Responsible Budget
- Children Now
- Collective for Liberatory Lawyering
- Courage California
- Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
- EmpowerTHEM
- Freedom 4 Youth
- Immigrant Legal Resource Center
- Initiate Justice
- Meztli Projects
- Milpa Collective
- Pacific Juvenile Defender Center
- Safe Return Project
- Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos
- Silicon Valley De-Bug
- Students Deserve
- Uncommon Law
- Underground GRIT
- Urban Peace Institute
- Vera Institute
- W. Haywood Burns Institute
- Women’s Foundation California
- Young Women’s Freedom Center
- Youth Law Center