In the early 2000’s several reports began to document the existence of thousands of juveniles with diagnosed mental health issues sitting in detention facilities waiting for placement in a mental health facility. For instance, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette surveyed 172 detention centers nationally and found that more than 40% of them “said children with mental health problems stay in detention longer than others because placements can’t be found for them.” The director of a detention center in…
Blog Apr 20, 2010
Marijuana: To Legalize or Not to Legalize
Today is April 20, 2010, also known as 4⁄20. Many consider today an unofficial holiday: National Marijuana Day. Since today is 4⁄20, the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) thought no other day would be more appropriate to educate people on the fiscal and legal implications of legalizing marijuana in California. CJCJ is in no way advocating for the use of non-medicinal marijuana, however, I feel it is critical to be fully informed on the matter. As part of our various public…
In 1980, before California and the United States embarked on a massive “War on Drugs” to arrest and imprison rising tens of thousands of drug users, a total of 1,480 residents died from overdoses or chronic abuse of illicit drugs. That constituted 7.7% of the state’s death toll from all external causes (that is, accidents, suicides, murders, and violent deaths of undetermined intent). After nearly three decades of drug war, just-released Center for Health Statistics figures show a record 4,196…
The March 2010, the American Constitution Society (ACS) released, “A Just Alternative to Sentencing Youth to Life in Prison Without the Possibility of Parole ” that provides three arguments against utilizing life without the possibility of parole for youth. The issue brief also recommends state policy reform options. Youth are different from adults. The Court recognizes that youth differ from adults biologically and should be treated as such. Scientists suggest that youth differ from adults…
Blog Apr 13, 2010
CJCJ Exposes Inaccurate Media Reports
Recently, CJCJ has cultivated many policy reports and articles surrounding issues within the juvenile justice system. Through these recent publications CJCJ exposes inaccurate media reports through the utilization of data and policy analysis. This month Executive Director Daniel Macallair was featured in both the LA Times and California Progress Report reflecting on California’s current budget crisis and the state’s inablity to continue to support a youth correctional system that has been…