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California moves to phase out its state-run youth prisons

Advocates say the move reflects a renewed push toward reforming youth offenders.

Credit: AP

FILE - In this Jan. 22, 2019, file photo, Ashley Ma, left, a senior digital visual designer with Google, reviews a website design done by Osvaldo Moreno Jr., a youth offender at the O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facility, in Stockton, Calif. California is phasing out its state-run youth prisons and shifting the responsibilities to the counties. The state will not only keep offenders closers to home but transfer oversight form the corrections department to the Health and Human Services Agency. The three remaining state-run lockups, including there O.H Close Youth Correctional Facility, will stop admissions Thursday, July 1 and close for good two years later. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is phasing out its state-run youth prisons and shifting the burden to counties.

The three state-run lockups will stop admissions Thursday and close in 2023. The state also is moving oversight from the corrections department to the Health and Human Services Agency.

Advocates say the move reflects their belief that children who commit crimes can be reformed and are better served closer to home.

Prosecutors want to know where youths who commit the most egregious crimes will be held and how they will be helped.

There is concern that it could be difficult for smaller counties to provide specialized programs, such as for youths who commit sex crimes.

Read the full AP News story HERE.

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