STANFORD FORUM ON JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM Not your father’s youth authority… For example: 71% of youth in DJJ institutions last November were committed for violent offenses 43% used a weapon during their commitment offense 71% of the boys, and 63% of the girls, were 18 or older 86% were minority; half Hispanic The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Division of Juvenile Justice

Most DJJ facilities were built decades ago for a population that no longer exists Source: CDCR Office of Research

The increase in violent offenses has been accompanied by an increase in the average length of stay Source: Planning team analysis of data provided by CDCR Office of Research

Unusual features of the California Juvenile Justice system California has the longest extended age for juvenile court jurisdiction (age 24) in the nation. Only 6 states extend jurisdiction beyond the age of 20 California is one of 6 states where length of stay is based on an indeterminate commitment with a maximum California is one of 11 states which have the juvenile authority within an adult corrections agency California is one of 7 states with a juvenile parole board

As part of the Farrell lawsuit, the parties visited various states identified as exemplary Missouri Missouri Florida Florida Texas Texas Colorado Colorado Washington Washington We made a few comparisons of California to these states …

Compared to these states, California houses a low percentage of committed youth in its state facilities * 36% of Colorado’s committed youth are excluded from this analysis due to data limitations Source: OJJDP Census of Juveniles in Residential Placements, 2003

The state “incarceration rate” for youth in California is the lowest among the comparison states * 36% of Colorado’s committed youth are excluded from this analysis due to data limitations Source: OJJDP Census of Juveniles in Residential Placements, 2003

Why do DJJ institutions cost so much?

DJJ institutions cost more than $120,000 per youth in FY Expenditures * Juvenile operations$178,589,000 Juvenile education & programs$138,523,000 Juvenile parole$ 40,468,000 Juvenile healthcare$ 56,135,000 Total$413,715,000 Less parole$ 40,468,000 Total for institutions$373,247,000 Average daily population for ,100 Cost per bed per year$ 120,402 * Source: Governor’s Budget, Budget Year 2006/07

Other states cost far less The five comparison states that were visited generally cost less than half of DJJ costs. Missouri$57,170 Washington *$68,564 Florida$57,998 Texas$56,582 Colorado(waiting for data) * Washington costs do not include education

How can this be? The analysis in not complete but preliminary findings (subject to refinement) show that: In Washington State, the average salary for the position equivalent to a Youth Correctional Officer (YCO) is 55% of that earned by a typical YCO in California. Adjusting for wage differences, the same program in California would cost about $113,000 per youth per year – a figure which does not include educational costs. The average for the position equivalent to a Youth Correctional Counselor (YCC) is 67% of a YCC in California.

Cost comparison continued In Missouri, the average salary for the position equivalent to a Youth Correctional Counselor is 41% of that earned by a typical YCC in California. (Missouri does not employ Youth Correctional Officers.) Adjusting for wage differences, the same program in California would cost about $141,000 per youth per year. ( This calculation also subject to refinement.)

How can cost be so high? While additional work is needed, it appears that the primary reason is that California pays youth correctional officers and counselors much more than other states. Additional analysis (e.g. staffing levels) may explain other cost differences. This does not explain why outcomes in California – such as parole revocations and recidivism - fail to measure up to those in the exemplary comparison states.