January 20, 2011
Budget cuts could send young offenders to adult prisons
Gov. Jerry Brown’s bid to abolish the state youth prison system could save hundreds of millions of dollars and quicken the pace of reform at county facilities. But the changes could remove important barriers that keep some juvenile offenders out of adult prisons.
Brown’s plan to close the Division of Juvenile Justice was part of drastic budget cuts he presented last week. If the budget is enacted, the division would stop accepting new wards and close by June 30, 2014, with any remaining offenders transferred to local jurisdictions. The state would save $250 million once the plan is fully implemented, according to the governor’s office...
LINK - CaliforniaWatch.org
