I was fortunate enough to attend a three-day conference recently hosted by the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators (CJJA), a national membership council which brings best practices for Juvenile facilities to its members from all over the United States. Lisa S. Jacobs, Associate Director of the Legislative and Policy Clinic at Loyola University Chicago School of Law reminded all of us of the enormous opportunity that we have been given to shape lives during the time that young people are in secure facilities. Research and science have evolved over the last 25 years about emerging adulthood, and it tells us that the period of life between ages 18-25 is one of great promise and is full of possibility for positive outcomes.
Emerging adults respond very well to incentives, positive peer influence, and being given an opportunity to learn and cultivate their life purpose. Emerging Adults are in the process of defining themselves, and everyone around them has the opportunity to make sure that their self-definition is healthy, pro-social and creates the possibility of moving past whatever brought them into the criminal justice system and on to a life of purpose. It is critical that the system responds to emerging adults in the youth justice system in a developmentally appropriate manner which emphasizes strengths coupled with a safe environment for them to thrive.
Programs should include an opportunity to amend harm, access to vocational and educational courses, and robust family engagement. When the youth is supported in these ways, we have safer communities, lower costs to society, and can shift the course of generations.
We no longer must choose public safety over individual support and success planning for youth who have violated the law, because one equals the other.
Jeffrey Arnette who authored the Theory of Development from Late Teens Through Twenties (American Psychologist May 2000) said that “The things that shape our lives are the things that happen during emerging adulthood”. To help shape adolescent lives, it is imperative that we are guided by the concepts of Positive Youth Development as well as accountability through Restorative Justice which teaches youth to address harm, repair harm, and take responsibility. When youth do enter the criminal justice system, they should be viewed as individuals full of promise and potential in search of their purpose. This is not soft on crime; this is actually an evidence based public safety strategy. Everyone wins.
Judge Katherine Lucero (ret.) Director
Office of Youth and Community Restoration California Health & Human Services Agency
Youth Spotlight
My name is John John Gomez. I am a student, an athlete, and an advocate for my peers. Most of all, I am grateful for the chance to build the future I am building for myself. In July 2025, I was blessed to be released to LA Room and Board. They provided me with the opportunity to pursue my goal of obtaining a degree in Communications. I am very grateful to my mentors at LA Room & Board who guided me throughout the process. There were many times when I struggled, and with the support of everyone there, I was able to persevere and overcome challenges. This allowed me to focus on school and be intentional with my time. I’m currently in my second semester at Cal State Northridge (CSUN) as a transfer student, and I completed my first semester with 2 As and 2 Bs. After this semester, I have one academic year remaining before completing my bachelor’s degree. Following graduation, I plan to attend the Ventura Training Center, an 18-month fire academy, with the goal of becoming a Fire Public Information Officer (PIO).
I was first introduced to Hoops 4 Justice in 2024 while incarcerated at Campus Kilpatrick. This was one of the main programs that supported my rehabilitation. They have been a consistent and unwavering source of support and encouragement for me. Despite having back-to-back court dates, they never hesitated to show up to court on my behalf or offer letters of support. They helped me understand what a genuine relationship and support system looks like. Following my release, they have continued to support me just as much, if not more, than they did while I was incarcerated. I was offered the opportunity to become one of their first Communications Interns, alongside a peer I was incarcerated with. They designed the internship around my interests and goals to support my career pursuits. In this role, I help publish their monthly newsletter.
Through Hoops 4 Justice, I attended the ABMoC statewide convening in Oakland alongside my mentors, where the focus was empowering youth and identifying what is and isn’t working within the juvenile justice system. Hoops 4 Justice also brought me to Sacramento for a statewide convening hosted by The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). There, I became connected to a network of individuals & organizations addressing the harm caused by Adverse Childhood Experiences and working to create safe spaces for youth. During this convening, I helped host a basketball workshop, toured the State Senate, and met with legislative offices to discuss juvenile justice reform. I am deeply grateful for the entire Hoops 4 Justice team and everything they have done for me.
Prior to my first semester at CSUN, I participated in a summer bridge program at the Avalon Carver Center to help prepare me academically for my first semester on campus. Part of the curriculum included martial arts classes, which I quickly took a liking to. When I was younger, I wrestled, and being back on the mat brought a sense of nostalgia. Beyond that, martial arts gave me more than just physical benefits, it helped me develop discipline, manage stress, and apply its lessons to my daily life. I learned that even the smallest movement can change the outcome of a situation, and I carry that mindset with me. When I began my first semester at CSUN and saw there was a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu club, I didn’t hesitate to ask how to get involved. I joined the club and trained on campus every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Through CSUN, I competed in two competitions. The first was a regional competition hosted on campus, where I placed first in my weight division. The second was a national competition held at Louisiana State University, where I was accompanied by Albert Brady, my former housing staff member and mentor. This was an experience I never imagined possible for me.
So much of my re-entry journey still feels surreal, and I feel incredibly blessed by the opportunities that have come my way. Since my release, I have also been able to travel to Hawaii with the Prison Education Program, accompanied by my peers from LA Room and Board Opportunity House. During this trip, we visited a juvenile hall, provided mentorship, and facilitated workshops with incarcerated youth. Today I look forward to the future knowing that I have the tools, support and encouragement needed to succeed.
Probation Spotlight
Riverside County's $30 Million Reinvestment in Community to Transform Juvenile Justice
Riverside County is advancing a significant shift in juvenile justice through a $30 million reinvestment strategy focused on prevention, diversion, and community-based support. Rather than relying solely on traditional supervision models, the county is directing resources toward programs that strengthen families, expand access to services, and promote positive youth development.
Led by Probation leadership and developed in partnership with community stakeholders, the three-year plan prioritizes culturally responsive services, reentry support, and collaborative decision-making. This reinvestment reflects a broader commitment to reducing system involvement while improving outcomes for youth and communities.
Amelia Ann Adams Whole Life Center (AAAWLC) in Stockton is a community-rooted nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of youth and families across San Joaquin County. Grounded in a healing-centered and restorative philosophy, the organization works to build equitable systems that nurture young people’s growth, resilience, and long-term well-being.
Founded in memory of Pastor Amelia Ann Adams, the Center continues her legacy of service by addressing the interconnected challenges facing system-impacted and underserved youth. Through a holistic framework centered on health, education, social justice, and faith-informed healing, AAAWLC creates pathways for young people to thrive beyond adversity.
Signature initiatives such as Youth Thriving Beyond Bars provide restorative justice, reentry support, leadership development, and trauma-informed case management for youth ages 12–26. The Center also advances policy reform, youth leadership, community health outreach, scholarship support, and culturally responsive healing circles—ensuring that young people are not only supported in crisis but empowered to become leaders in their communities.
By strengthening families, expanding access to wellness resources, and advocating for systemic change, the Amelia Ann Adams Whole Life Center is helping reshape San Joaquin County’s youth-serving landscape—moving from punitive responses toward restorative, community-driven solutions that honor dignity, culture, and possibility.
The Youth Bill of Rights Gives Young People in Custody a Voice. Here's How It Came to Be.
“This is about giving youth power over their own lives. These are their rights — not because we gave them, but because they exist.” —Elizabeth Calvin, Human Rights Watch attorney and senior advocate
California’s Youth Bill of Rights is more than a law—it’s a promise to young people that their voices matter and their rights count. It gives youth who are systems-involved clear information about their rights and a real say in shaping and defending them. From focus groups to statewide implementation with posters in multiple languages, our latest blog shows how advocates, young people, and OYCR worked together to make sure every young person can be heard. Read the full story.
News and Updates
OYCR Bay Area Visit
In January, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration organized two days of tours and site visits in the Bay Area to support information-sharing and cross-system learning among youth justice partners. Day one began in Santa Clara County with a visit to William F. James Ranch, a juvenile camp that also serves as a Less Restrictive Program for youth transitioning from the Secure Youth Treatment Facility. Visitors learned about the range of programming available at the Ranch and how Santa Clara County Probation uses evidence-based assessments post-disposition to inform individualized rehabilitative services, including educational and vocational pathways aligned with each young person’s interests. The visit highlighted how intentional planning supports continuity of care within Santa Clara County’s internal Less Restrictive Program, and as a young person moves from that program into Less Restrictive Programs in the community.
On day two, OYCR hosted tours and site visits in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties with more than 40 participants, including court and system partners from Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties, as well as local community-based organizations and credible messengers. The day began with a visit to Keys 2 Life, a home located in Santa Cruz County that is available to be utilized as a Less Restrictive Program. Attendees learned about available supports, including intensive case management, credible messenger engagement, and connections to local community colleges’ Rising Scholars programs. Participants also learned about the formal partnership between Keys 2 Life and Rancho Cielo, which allows youth ordered to Keys 2 Life as a Less Restrictive Program to access a broad array of educational, vocational, and workforce training opportunities. During the visit to Rancho Cielo’s campus, participants experienced young people engaged in classroom-based and hands-on training across multiple trades and enrichment activities, offering concrete examples of how coordinated partnerships can support pathways to education and employment.
New Report on Education and Youth Impacted by the Justice System
Every year, thousands of California's young people fall into a well-documented trap: school struggles lead to suspensions, suspensions double the odds of arrest, and a single arrest dramatically cuts a young person's chance of graduating high school or enrolling in college. Once incarcerated, the damage deepens. Dropping out of high school becomes more assured, employment prospects narrow, and the likelihood of adult criminal involvement increases sevenfold.
This school-to-incarceration pathway is one travelled at alarmingly high rates by Black, Latino, and American Indian youth. Fewer Chutes, More Ladders, a new report from Forward Change commissioned by the California Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR), maps both sides of this equation: the predictable sequence of setbacks that push young people toward the juvenile legal system, and the 22 evidence-based programs and system reforms that have proven to help break the cycle. The research makes clear that these outcomes are not inevitable. They are the product of system failures we know how to fix.
The report identifies interventions that work across the full continuum, from early literacy and attendance programs that keep students engaged, to alternative discipline practices that reduce suspensions, to reentry supports that help young people returning from detention reconnect with school and community. What unites these approaches is a shift from punishment to investment, and from siloed responses to cross-agency coordination. For policymakers, agency leaders, and practitioners shaping how California and the nation serve its most vulnerable youth, this report offers both the evidence based and the practical roadmap to act.
To learn more about the report, view the webinar with the authors and others involved in its creation.
OYCR and USC Launch Youth Justice Partnership
On February 9, 2026, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) officially kicked off a new partnership with the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, marking the launch of an innovative Youth Justice Workforce Development / Youth Justice Minor pilot program.
This multi-year pilot is designed to strengthen California’s youth justice workforce by creating a dedicated Youth Justice academic track for undergraduate students pursuing degrees in social work, psychology, sociology, human services, child development, and related fields. The program prepares students to work with justice-involved and justice-impacted youth through a combination of academic coursework, hands-on field experience, and evidence-based training.
Through the pilot, participating students will complete required coursework alongside extensive practicum placements within youth justice and community-based organizations, gaining real-world experience while building a pipeline of trained, culturally responsive professionals committed to youth rehabilitation, prevention, and community-based supports. Graduates of the program will be positioned to enter the youth justice and behavioral health workforce with foundational experience and eligibility to pursue Wellness Coach certification pathways.
This initiative directly supports OYCR’s mission to advance healing-centered, non-punitive approaches and to build a diverse, representative, and well-prepared workforce capable of meeting the complex needs of youth and families across California. The program also aligns with broader statewide goals to reduce recidivism, improve youth outcomes, and strengthen cross-system collaboration.
The kickoff meeting brought together OYCR leadership, USC faculty, and project partners to align goals, implementation timelines, and shared outcomes as the program moves into its initial phase. OYCR looks forward to continued collaboration with USC as this pilot advances and contributes to the future of youth justice in California.
Live Beyond and Rising Scholars Network
The Live Beyond team is conducting outreach to Rising Scholars Regional Coordinators within the Rising Scholars Network across the state at California Community Colleges, sharing campaign resources and fulfilling orders for campaign toolkits and materials. The Rising Scholars Networkexpands the number of justice-involved students participating and succeeding at California community colleges and now serves almost 20,000 justice-involved students both on campus and federal or state prison, county jail, juvenile facility, or other correctional institutions. Live Beyond is presenting resources at Rising Scholar Networkregional meetings and providing materials to individuals who are directly working with these justice-impacted students.
Come work with us - open positions at OYCR!
OYCR is hiring a Supervisor II in the Ombudsperson Division in Sacramento County.
OYCR is hiring an Analyst III in the Systems Change & Equity Division in Sacramento County.
OYCR is hiring an Analyst III in the Health Policy Division in Los Angeles County.
Webinars, Meetings & Events
Where Discipline Meets Behavioral Health: Restorative Approaches to Supporting Students Without Exclusion
February 26, 2026
Exclusionary discipline practices can harm students’ mental and behavioral health, increasing stress, disconnection, and disengagement from school. This moderated panel will explore how behavioral health–aligned restorative approaches can shift school discipline from removal to connection, leading to stronger academic and wellbeing outcomes.
This webinar is being presented by California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS), in partnership with UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools and the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR).
The next meeting of the CWC Youth Justice Committee (YJC) will take place on Wednesday, March 11 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. This meeting will be held in-person at 925 L St Sacramento, CA 95814, Suite 1275, as well as virtually on zoom. The agenda and materials can be found on the CWC YJC webpage.
State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Meeting
March 18, 2026
Join us for the next quarterly meeting of the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (SACJJDP).
Date: March 18, 2026 Time: 11:00-3:00pm
Location: Bay Area (for more location information visit the SACJJDP page of OYCR’s website) Zoom Link
More information about the committee, including meeting materials, can be found on our website.
Past Webinars
January 2026 Youth Justice in Action Webinar: Juvenile Justice Legal Updates
The January 2026 Youth Justice Action webinar focused on new legislation and appellate cases shaping youth justice, offering important updates on the latest changes and their implications for juvenile justice systems statewide.
February 2026 Youth Justice in Action Webinar: Insights from the California Youth Advisory Board (YAB)
The February 2026 Youth Justice Action webinar featured members of the California Youth Advisory Board sharing reflections on advancing youth voice in the justice system, highlighting their accomplishments and upcoming initiatives.
View links to webinar information and recordings on our website.
