California Youth Justice pROJECT

“Abolition is about abolishing the conditions under which prison became the solution to problems, rather than abolishing the buildings we call prisons.”


-Ruth Wilson Gilmore

WHAT WE DO

The California Youth Justice Project is an organization created to challenge the systems that criminalize and devalue Black and Brown young people amid California’s accelerating return to mass incarceration. We advance statewide and local policy change, support community organizing through political education, and work to shift power to communities working to realize Youth Justice Reimagined across Los Angeles County and the state.

589

Youth incarcerated today

96.1%

are Black and Latinx youth

72%

Percent of youth in facilities operating unlawfully or failing to meet minimum standards

$431M

Probation Juvenile Institutions Budget

$77M

Department of Youth Development budget

*Excludes mental health services, education, medical services and the $4.8B+ sex abuse settlement*

OUR INITIATIVES

Policy Advocacy

Policy/Political Education

Power Shifting

YJ IN THE NEWS

Find out how YJ is impacting Youth Justice in the media.

GET INVOLVED

Upcoming Events

Your support and engagement strengthens our advocacy and provides the resources needed to continue building healthy, loving and safe communities

01.06.26, 11AM - 1PM

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01.06.26, 11AM - 1PM

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Stay in touch with CAYJ

Join the movement to end youth incarceration.

Support CAYJ:

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