The California legislature and governor approved $41.3 million to fund two new proposals that promote pre-arrest diversion for youth. The Youth Reinvestment Fund provides $37.3 million over three years for community-based interventions for youth accused of minor offenses instead of arrest. The Fostering Success Fund allocates $4 million to support foster youth at risk of criminalization through training for staff and increased services. These initiatives aim to improve outcomes for vulnerable youth by addressing underlying needs through developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive programs, resulting in better life outcomes and enhanced public safety compared to arrest and incarceration.

1. California Provides Major Boost to Pre-Arrest Diversion for Youth
In a stunning victory for youth justice advocates,
the California legislature and Governor agreed to fund two new NCYL-crafted proposals totaling
$41.3 million that offer meaningful diversion and rehabilitation opportunities for youth who
come into contact with the justice system. These new funds aim to improve outcomes for
vulnerable youth at risk of, or in conflict with, the law by providing developmentally-appropriate
services proven effective at promoting community health and public safety.
The Youth Reinvestment Fund is a one-time state expenditure of $37.3 million distributed over a
three-year grant period to improve outcomes for youth accused of low-level or status offenses by
increasing the availability of trauma-informed, community and health-based interventions in lieu
of arrest and incarceration. $1 million is specifically set aside to address the needs of Native
American youth. Funds are also allocated to integrate social workers into public defenders
offices in order to address the root causes that bring youth into the system.
The Fostering Success Fund provides $4 million to specifically support foster youth who are at
risk of being criminalized for minor misbehaviors and low-level offenses by providing trainings
to law enforcement, and group home and shelter staff that includes adolescent development
practices, de-escalation techniques, culturally relevant and trauma informed interventions, as
well as increasing the availability of services for children in group homes and shelters that
addresses their underlying needs.
Youth in conflict with the law who are met with community-based responses that account for
and address their underlying health and mental health needs in a culturally appropriate manner,
see far better life outcomes than youth who are not, thereby resulting in enhanced public safety.
Arresting and incarcerating youth for minor offenses leaves them less likely to graduate high
school, more likely to suffer negative health-outcomes, and more likely to re-offend. Thousands
of California youth are incarcerated every year for low-level offenses. The fact that there are
more than 120 youth lockups in California that incarcerate thousands of children at a cost of $1
billion a year is evidence that this approach has been disastrous, especially for youth of color
who make up 80% of the children in California’s youth prisons. These youth deserve a better
approach, one that will have the added benefit of reducing the disproportionate impact the justice
systems have on youth of color, children with disabilities, girls, LGBTQ youth, native youth, and
foster children.

2. NCYL and the more than 100 legal advocacy groups, youth development organizations, and
public agencies including probation and law enforcement that support these initiatives applaud
the steps the legislature and Governor Jerry Brown have taken to begin to transform youth justice
in California.