Report Examines Closing and Repurposing Youth Detention Facilities in California
Between 2006 and 2016, almost 100 youth detention facilities were closed in California, largely due to the decreasing rates of youth incarceration throughout the state. As youth detention rates continue to fall, communities where these facilities are located must decide whether the skyrocketing costs of keeping them open are worth it, and what more effective and humane alternatives could look like. A new report from Impact Justice offers considerations and strategies for community leaders to incorporate as they make these important decisions and begin planning ahead.
The report, Nothing Good Happens in There: Closing and Repurposing Youth Detention Facilities in California, offers guidance for local stakeholders, advocates, and reformers on how youth facilities can be repurposed to better meet community needs. Through two case studies of facilities in Lancaster, CA and Nevada County, CA, the report outlines a thoughtful process to support a closure and repurposing campaign.