Long-Term Recommendations: Restructuring the Youth Authority and Abolishing the Youthful Offender Parole Board (From Reforming the CYA, P 87-91, 1988, by Paul DeMuro, Anne DeMuro, et al, -- See NCJ-124000)

• NCJ Number: 124004
• Author(s): P DeMuro; A DeMuro; S Lerner
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 5 pages
• Sale Source: Commonweal
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This document presents two new ideas for major changes in California's juvenile justice system: dividing the Youth Authority into juvenile and youthful offender agencies, and abolishing the Youthful Offender Parole Board.

Abstract

Dividing the Youth Authority into juvenile and youthful offender agencies would potentially have a number of advantages: (1) the mission of each agency could be more clearly defined and discharged; (2) the State, over time, could completely eliminate the mixing of juveniles and adults in secure programs; and (3) a newly formed juvenile justice department would be able to work more closely with juvenile courts and probation to develop a wider range of local options for committed youth. Abolishing the Youthful Offender Parole Board would be advantageous because the current, politically-driven policy and operation of the Board has led to a situation in which institutions are dangerously overcrowded. It is time for professionals to take the responsibility for directing youth policy on the State and local level.