California Youth Authority

The California Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), previously known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), is a division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that provides education, training, and treatment services for California's most serious youth offenders. These youths are committed by the juvenile and criminal courts to DJJ's eleven correctional facilities, four conservation camps and two residential drug treatment programs. The DJJ provides services to juvenile offenders, ranging in age from twelve to 25, in facilities and on parole, and works closely with law enforcement, the courts, district attorneys, public defenders, probation offices and other public and private agencies involved with the problems of youth. The DJJ is undergoing reorganization as required by a court agreement and the California State Legislature after widespread criticisms of conditions at its youth prisons. The agency's headquarters are in Sacramento, California.

As of 2004^[update], the CYA's stated mission:

CYA vision:

The CYA is legally required to provide a high school education for every ward who does not already have a diploma. However, students are sometimes kept from class because of safety and security situations, or teacher vacancies. Validated gang associates are sometimes kept from classroom or vocational training for institutional safety and security reasons relative to gang tensions or conflict. Academic teachers and vocational instructors are credentialed through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The Education area of the institution is referred to as the "Education Corridor" or "Trade Line", reflecting the Vocational Training focus of the institution. The Trade Line is monitored by security professionals known as "Youth Correctional Officers." (YCO). Students are escorted to the Trade Line from their living areas by "Youth Correctional Counselors" (YCC). The Educational System in the DJJ is part of the California Department of Education and each site is required to maintain accreditation through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

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