A Policy-Oriented Guide to California Juvenile Justice

Principal Investigator: Jesse Jannetta, M.P.P., University of California, Irvine

The analysis of the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) by the Center for Evidence-Based Corrections serves as a companion piece to “Understanding California Corrections” by Dr. Joan Petersilia (2006). The analysis provides a clear, concise and comprehensive overview of the state’s juvenile correctional system, written for the California policymaker who may not be a juvenile justice specialist, but wishes to make informed decisions regarding juvenile justice policy in California.

Broadly, the analysis focuses on the process by which juveniles are committed to DJJ, the characteristics of youth who come under its supervision, and comparisons between juvenile justice operations in California and in other states. This task was approached as “systems analysis” which specifies the precise role that DJJ plays in California’s overall management of juvenile offenders.

A copy of the report can be found at: The Role of the DJJ in the CA Juvenile Justice System.