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Don't let our kids get sent farther away.

The dwindling population in the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is forcing the closure of Heman G. Stark youth prison, one of the state's most abusive and remote. However, instead of seizing this opportunity to place youth from Stark closer to their families, the DJJ is sending many youth even farther away.

Maria*, a Families for Books Not Bars member, hasn't seen her son in two years. A resident of East Palo Alto, she hasn't been able to visit him due to the distance and the cost of travel. When she heard the news that Stark is being closed, she hoped her son would be transferred to a youth prison closer to her home. Maria's hopes were shattered when she learned her son would remain in Southern California and not be transferred up north. Other families who want their children to remain near them in Southern California have learned their kids will be sent nearly 400 miles away.

It's not too late to stop this injustice -- tell Bernard Warner, head of the DJJ, to move the young people being transferred out of Stark closer to their families.

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(Enter your message here:) I am writing you today to ask you to keep families together. The pending closure of Heman G. Stark is an opportunity to transfer youth closer to their families. Family connection is an integral part of rehabilitation and should be prioritized when youth are transferred to other facilities. It is no surprise that youth who have regular contact with their families fare better inside the prison and are at a lower risk for recidivism. Family connection provides youth with stability while they are incarcerated and will also help youth as they re-enter their communities upon release. I respectfully request that you revise your Stark closure plan to ensure that youth are transferred as close to home as possible. At minimum, please inform and consult families about transfers before they occur. Thank you.

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*Name has been changed to protect privacy and to protect her from retribution from the DJJ.

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