California Governor Schwarzenegger Releases $23 Million for Counties to Implement Juvenile Justice Reforms

09/12/2007 -- California Governor Schwarzenegger today requested the State Controller's Office to release nearly $23 million in Youthful Offender Block Grants in the 2007-2008 budget for counties to implement new juvenile correctional reforms. The recently approved block grants will allow counties to oversee those offenders with less serious crimes in their home communities.

"I am a firm believer that California's youthful offenders are among the most responsive to programs that will steer them away from trouble and keep them from turning toward a life of crime," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "These new reforms will shift away from uprooting less-serious youthful offenders from their families and support networks, by investing in programs and services in their local communities."

“This is real reform that attacks juvenile crime at its roots and focuses on rehabilitation in the home community," said Bernard Warner, Chief Deputy Secretary for the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Beginning September 1, 2007, the DJJ stopped accepting juvenile court commitments and parole violators, except those convicted of violent, serious, or sex offenses. Juvenile offenders with less serious crimes will now be kept in their local jurisdictions, where they can benefit from programs within their communities and be closer to potential support networks. The 2007-08 state budget includes $24 million from the General Fund, growing to a total of $92 million by 2010-11, in Juvenile Offender Block Grant funding that will provide counties with resources to provide services to juvenile offenders who will no longer be housed in DJJ facilities or supervised by the Division of Juvenile Parole Operations. This is based on approximately 700 juvenile offenders being housed or supervised on parole at the county level, growing to approximately 1,300 by 2010-11.

The 2007-2008 California state budget also includes $100 million in lease-revenue bonds to finance the acquisition, design, renovation, or construction of local juvenile facilities in order to ensure that local governments have adequate capacity and program space to house and serve juvenile offenders. Counties will have the opportunity to apply for these funds after putting together comprehensive infrastructure plans that address programming and housing needs of juvenile offenders.

Source: California Governor

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