06/10/2026
New Report Alert!
California made history when it closed its state youth prison system. After more than a century of documented failure—violence, abuse, and poor outcomes for young people—the state shifted responsibility for youth justice to its 58 counties. This transition, known as realignment, created an opportunity to build something better. But it also created a serious risk that counties will replicate the state’s institutional failures.
County-based systems have real advantages. They are closer to families. They operate on a smaller scale. They are more accountable to local communities. But those advantages only matter if counties use them intentionally. If counties continue to rely on large living units, prioritize custody over care, or treat confinement as an end goal, they will recreate the same conditions that led to the state’s failed system.
But if counties take a different path—one rooted in human dignity, community connection, and genuine rehabilitation—California can demonstrate something it never has before: that a system can hold young people accountable while also helping them return home stronger. Read our report to explore the policy framework and implementation guidance for building a better system.
Full report on our website & link in bio
The second report in our California Juvenile Justice Realignment Series discusses why realignment demands a fundamentally different approach to confining youth with serious offenses.
