News

Board Of State And Community Corrections Announces $103 Million Dollars For Community Diversion And Treatment Programs June 9, 2017 SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday, the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) announced $103 million dollars in grant awards for community diversion and treatment programs across California. Demonstrating the largest reallocation of prison budget funds to community-based programs, this is a historic opportunity for …

Providing Public Comment on the Proposition 57 Emergency Regulations – The Proposition 57 Emergency Regulations have been released, and you can let CDCR know what you think! While there is much to be happy about, there are also areas of concern, such as the fact that many of the new credits are NOT retroactive. You may also have serious concerns …

Children’s Defense Fund-California, Youth Justice Coalition, Urban Peace Institute and Anti-Recidivism Coalition have joined together to voice concern about “voluntary supervision” by the Los Angeles Probation Department over youth who have no prior court or probation involvement. In their report, “WIC 236 – ‘Pre-Probation’ Supervision of Youth of Color With No Prior Court or Probation Involvement,” the youth advocacy organizations …

How a Hollywood Producer Shines a Spotlight on the Justice System Scott Budnick, a key player on the Hangover movies, sidelined his film career to go behind bars and help troubled young men turn their lives around. This article is available exclusively to Chronicle of Philanthropy subscribers. Visit the source link below to subscribe.

By ARC Member Michael Mendoza America is known as the land of opportunity. But opportunity is not created equal. For some, theirs is the opportunity of inferior schools, violent neighborhoods, crime and unforgiving cycles of prison and recidivism. According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, when an inmate is released from state prison, that person has a …

When Thomas Reese III was 15 years old, he made a poor decision that led to an 18 years to life sentence. After 17-1/2 years, he was released and needed to get his life on track. He found construction work, which kept him and his family afloat, but didn’t provide benefits or job security. He found a chance at a …

Last night, Californians took a huge step in the direction of a fairer justice system, and safer and healthier communities by voting in favor of Prop. 57! With over 65% of the vote, Californians chose to: 1) Protect our young people by mandating that judges, not prosecutors, determine whether a youth is best served in the juvenile or adult system. …

At the age of 11, West Sacramento native Michael Rizo first entered the juvenile justice system after he stole something from his neighbor’s yard. “I started messing up around elementary school, just started getting influenced by negative people,” Rizo said. In the years that followed, he moved in and out of foster care, often running away from home and living …

On July 6 and 7, 2016, the world witnessed the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, adding to the growing list of African-Americans who have been killed by excessive and unnecessary force at the hands of law enforcement.  Their names have also been added to the growing list of African-Americans whose deaths have been captured by cell phone …

SACRAMENTO, CA – Gov. Jerry Brown today announced his support for the amended “Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016,” a criminal justice measure that was originally filed in December 2015. This measure will strengthen California’s justice system and increase public safety by expanding rehabilitation in prisons and improving the process by which youth can be tried as adults. Some …

ARC member Sean Wilson attended Beyond the Bench 2015, a statewide conference devoted to youth and families in the California court system. In this blog post, Sean shares his experiences at the conference, where he participated in a discussion with Founder Scott Budnick and Director of CDCR’s Division of Rehabilitative Programs Millicent Tidwell showcasing four selections from TEDx Ironwood State …

The American juvenile justice system was founded over a century ago on the basic (and correct) premise that children are different from adults and that dealing with crimes committed by them requires a different set of tools. Yet it seems that over time, the system has morphed into something never intended: one that actually punishes children more harshly than it would adults in similar situations …