SACRAMENTO –Assemblymember Nicole Parra (D-Hanford) announced that AB 1110 has passed out of the Assembly Public Safety Committee.  The bill received a unanimous vote and now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  The bill sets minimum standards of treatment for wards in the California Youth Authority (CYA).

“An audit by the Inspector General found that many of the Youth Authority facilities were not providing required services, including evaluations and educational and counseling services.  While better standards of care are now reportedly routine in the system, these analyses are still not required by law,” said Assemblymember Parra.  “This bill will ensure minimum standards are in place.  If the mission of the CYA is to rehabilitate wards, then the Legislature needs to ensure that basic treatment standards exist.”

In recent years, the California Youth Authority has been severely criticized for failing to provide wards committed to their custody with appropriate services to help them lead more productive lives once they are released.  Yet, in its earlier days, the CYA was considered a model juvenile justice agency for the rest of the country. 

AB 1110 proposes to establish minimum program standards for wards committed to the California Youth Authority.  These standards will help insure that wards committed to the department are provided appropriate services to give them a far better chance to succeed upon release from the CYA.  By doing so, the public is best protected from future criminal behavior. At the same time, helping wards avoid a future career of crime will significantly reduce state and local costs.  Even a slight reduction in recidivism would provide sufficient funding for the costs of AB 1110.

This bill is supported by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, Friends Committee on Legislation in California, and Taxpayers for Improving Public Safety. 

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