Immediate Crisis: Short-Term Steps to Relieve Overcrowding (From Reforming the CYA, P 80-86, 1988, by Paul DeMuro, Anne DeMuro, et al, -- See NCJ-124000)

• NCJ Number: 124003
• Author(s): P DeMuro; A DeMuro; S Lerner
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: Commonweal
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Overcrowding poses an immediate crisis for both youth and staff in the Youth Authority's institutions; and, if something is not done in the short-term, overcrowding will get much worse before it gets better.

Abstract

The impact of crowding at the Youth Authority is pervasive and creates an atmosphere of fear and violence where many youth join gangs in order to avoid victimization. The following steps should immediately be taken to relieve the overcrowding: (1) accelerating parole for nonviolent youth who have completed their minimum sentences; (2) diverting nonviolent youth; (3) instituting new programs designed to relieve the need for institutional bed space; and (4) instituting new administrative procedures. These steps should remain in force until the population of the institutions is reduced to design capacity. Although there would be a need to allocate more resources to parole, it would not be difficult administratively to implement these steps. No new laws would have to be enacted; in most instances, staff have the experience and the tools to make the changes. 3 notes.