The Youth AuthorityDepartment of the Youth Authority
Section § 1710
This section clarifies that any mention of the Department of the Youth Authority is now a reference to the Division of Juvenile Justice under the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The section outlines the purposes of various divisions: the Division of Juvenile Justice focuses on societal protection by securely housing youth, the Division of Juvenile Programs emphasizes education and rehabilitation to reintegrate young offenders back into society, and the Division of Juvenile Parole Operations oversees the successful reentry of youth into society to reduce their repeat offenses and enhance public safety.
Section § 1711
This law states that whenever you see mention of the Director of the Youth Authority, it actually refers to the Director of the Division of Juvenile Justice under the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, unless specified otherwise.
Section § 1712
This law explains who has the authority and responsibility for the care and treatment of wards that aren't specifically given to other juvenile justice entities in California. The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is in charge of these duties, and can assign responsibilities as needed. Starting from July 1, 2005, the Secretary is also authorized to create and enforce rules for the Division of Juvenile Facilities, Programs, and Parole Operations. These rules should be clear and understandable to the public.
The Secretary is required to keep a collection of these rules so they are accessible to everyone. If a new rule is to go into effect, it should be posted in institutions and sent to interested individuals or organizations at least 20 days before becoming active. Additionally, when considering changes to rules, summaries of information used in decision-making must be kept as public records for one year.
Section § 1712.1
This law ensures that juveniles in correctional facilities are encouraged to keep in touch with family, clergy, and others to help with their rehabilitation and becoming a productive member of society. It requires a list of allowed visitors or contacts to be easily transferable between facilities. The law mandates at least four phone calls to family each month, prohibits reducing these as punishment, and allows communication in the ward's native language. If visits are suspended, facilities must inform loved ones and provide a toll-free number for visiting information. Materials for correspondence should be safe but available unless posing a risk, with any such seizures documented in the ward’s records.
Section § 1712.5
This law prohibits anyone in institutions or camps run by the Department of the Youth Authority from possessing or using tobacco products. The Director of the Youth Authority must create rules to enforce this ban, but there can be exceptions for approved religious ceremonies.
Additionally, people not covered in part (a), such as visitors or staff, cannot use tobacco on the grounds of these facilities. The only exception is in residential staff areas where no inmates or wards are present.
Section § 1713
This law outlines qualifications and appointment processes for the Director of the Division of Juvenile Justice within California's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. It requires the Director to have significant administrative experience in programs that focus on rehabilitation or preventing delinquency among youth or adults. The Governor is allowed to ask the State Personnel Board to help find candidates using recruitment and merit selection methods. While the Governor can select a candidate from a provided list, they also have the option to choose someone else who meets the necessary criteria.
Section § 1714
This law allows the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to move individuals from one juvenile detention facility to another. One factor they consider when deciding where to transfer someone is how close the new location is to the person's family.
Section § 1715
This law allows the director of the Youth Authority to pay back employees who are certified radiologic technologists for the costs they face when they get or renew their certification. These payments come from the Youth Authority's budget and apply to any such costs incurred since July 1, 1971.