Books Not Bars

Complaints by both a current ward at Ventura and the Ella Baker Human Rights Center in San Francisco include charges of overuse of solitary confinement — a previously documented practice — filthy showers, toilets that overflow and leak and air vents that smell like sewage.

TOILETS BROKEN, SEWAGE, CHEMICAL AGENTS ALL DOCUMENTED IN YOUTH-LED PETITION TO VENTURA YOUTH PRISON

Assemblymember Tom Ammiano’s bill (D-San Francisco) to restore media access to prisoners, AB 1270, passed the California Assembly today. The bill would remove restrictions on pre-arranged in-person interviews with specific prison inmates. Since these restrictions went into effect in 1996, eight versions of the bill have been vetoed by three different governors.  

California, often a trendsetter, could make history if it approves Gov. Jerry Brown’s bid to close all state-run youth prisons and eliminate its state Division of Juvenile Justice.

The LA County Board of Supervisors is due to vote this month on approving Baca’s application. But groups like the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, the Youth Justice Coalition, and Californians United for a Responsible Budget, are collecting signatures to petition the County Board of Supervisors to vote against the deal.

For the second time in one year, Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed permanently closing the Division of Juvenile Justice, a move that would make California the first state in the nation to eliminate its youth prison system and shift responsibility for the most dangerous young offenders to counties.

California's youth prison system may soon cease to exist, ending a notorious legacy that included 23-hour cell confinements, using cages as punishment for misbehaving and staff beatings, sometimes caught on tape.

Almost a year after seemingly giving up on the idea, Governor Jerry Brown again announced that he’ll close the Division of Juvenile Justice, California’s youth prison system.

Families, youth, human rights groups hail Gov. Brown's aim to close youth prisons for brighter future with safer communities and more peaceful families.

Today, Governor Brown proposed to close the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) youth prisons. Brown’s 2012-2013 budget proposes that the DJJ stop taking youth beginning in 2013, eventually eliminating the state’s three remaining youth prisons.