Delinquency

The Best Practices Approach Initiative (BPAI) is a collaborative project of the California Administrative Office of the Courts, Assessments.com, and funder, the California Corrections Standards Authority; who are also working with the University of Cincinnati’s Center for Criminal Justice Research. Established at the direction of California’s Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, a multidisciplinary body dedicated to juvenile justice reform, the purpose of the BPAI project is to enhance and support statewide implementation of evidence-based practices, programs, and principles in the juvenile justice arena through training and technical assistance to juvenile justice agencies statewide over the course of a three-year project period. Inyo, San Diego, and Shasta counties have been selected to receive in-depth training and technical assistance with implementing evidence-based practices in their delinquency systems. CFCC staff  is working to educate the judiciary and court stakeholders on the benefits of adopting evidence-based practices  and ensure that California’s courts are exercising appropriate oversight over participating stakeholders. For more detailed information about the project, refer to the BPAI Fact Sheet.

Evidence-Based Practice policy papers are featured below.

AOC Briefing: Family-Based Treatment Models - Effective Practices for Treating Youth Who Have Antisocial and Delinquent Behaviors (April 2009)
A summary of four successful evidence-based family treatment models designed to serve delinquent and substance-abusing youth.  

AOC Briefing: Screenings and Assessments Used in the Juvenile Justice System - Evaluating Risks and Needs of Youth in the Juvenile Justice System  (February 2011)
An overview of screening and assessment instruments, including a summary of issues related to instrument validation, selection, and administration.

AOC Briefing: Screenings and Assessments Used in the Juvenile Justice System - Juvenile Mental Health Screenings and Assessments (February 2011)
An overview of screening and assessment instruments used to detect mental health problems in juveniles entering the delinquency system.

The 2008 Juvenile Delinquency Court Assessment (JDCA) was a comprehensive research study of the California delinquency court system based on surveys and focus groups conducted with delinquency court professionals and court users.

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The Probation Services Task Force was created jointly by the Judicial Council and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) in June 2000 with the purpose of assessing programs, services, organizational structures, and funding related to probation services provided by counties to the courts, probationers, and the general public. The task force identified, analyzed, and prepared a report of findings and recommendations for presentation to the Judicial Council, CSAC, the Governor, and the Legislature.

The task force completed its term on June 30, 2003, but staff of the AOC CFCC continue to collaborate with CSAC and the Chief Probation Officers of California to implement the recommendations of the task force. View the Probation Services Task Force Final Report. More information on the task force is located online here.

Restorative justice is known by many different names, including balanced and restorative justice, community justice, and restorative community justice. It is an alternative way to look at the criminal justice system. Crime is viewed as an offense against the community, which includes the victim and the offender, rather than against the state. Restorative justice focuses on repairing the harm to victims, communities, and offenders that occurs when a crime is committed.

The following restorative justice publications were produced by CFCC staff:

Balanced and Restorative Justice: An Information Manual for California (2006)
This manual catalogs balanced and restorative justice practices and model programs being used in California and around the country. It provides contact information for practitioners and descriptions of practices being followed in local communities. The manual is a resource for the courts, and it encourages judges and community stakeholders to develop collaborative partnerships that can improve outcomes for youth, victims, and communities affected by crime.

Community Justice: What's in It for You? (2004)
This pamphlet provides a brief description of the benefits that community justice programs provide to the various criminal justice stakeholders and how to apply them in your community.

Restorative Conferencing: California Community Justice Project (2006)
This pamphlet describes Restorative Conferencing and provides examples of practices that utilize restorative principles.

Victim Offender Reconciliation Programs Report (2000)
This report reviews six programs in California. It includes contact information for programs throughout California and resources such as publications, videos, organizations, and training programs.

The resources in this section include various publications and media produced by CFCC staff; and links to useful websites for practitioners and persons interested in juvenile justice and delinquency. 

AOC Briefing: Defining Recidivism in Juvenile Justice (April 2012)
This is an overview of common definitions of recidivism and the challenges of not having one standardized definition.

AOC Briefing: How Practices and Programs Become Evidence Based: A Review of Juvenile Justice Research (February 2012)
This briefing describes what "evidence based" means and the process by which a practice or program becomes a best practice or evidence based. The briefing also details the principles of effective intervention, the principles that must be adhered to in order for practices and programs to be effective.

AOC Briefing: Screenings and Assessments Used in the Juvenile Justice System - Juvenile Risk and Needs Screenings and Assessments (December 2011)
An overview of risk and needs instruments used in California’s juvenile justice system.

AOC Literature Review: Mental Health Courts (April 2012)
This is an overview of the literature on mental health diversion programs and mental health courts.

Information for Victims: Your Rights and Role in the Juvenile Court Process
(2006)
This brochure provides basic information to help victims understand the juvenile court process and exercise their rights to information and assistance.

Juvenile Delinquency Flow Chart (2010)
This flow chart outlines how a delinquency case moves through the court system.

Juvenile Delinquency Court Orientation Video
Transcript (2010)
This 13-minute video helps youth, their parents, and victims of juvenile crime to understand delinquency court. The video walks the viewer through the common types of juvenile hearings and explains what to expect during the course of a typical delinquency court case. It is appropriate for delinquency court waiting rooms, juvenile halls, and attorney or probation offices. 

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Competency to Stand Trial: Local Protocols
Welfare and Institutions Code section 709 provides the basic legal framework with respect to competency to stand trial in juvenile delinquency cases.  The local protocols below were developed to help guide the court, parties, and justice partners handle competency issues. Note: the protocols from Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Clara are comprehensive and the protocols from Sacramento and San Francisco cover expert witnesses.

Welfare and Institutions Code section 709 also requires the Judicial Council to develop and adopt rules regarding implementation of qualifications for experts who evaluate children when the court or minor’s counsel raises the issue of competency to stand trial in any juvenile proceeding. This proposal will circulate for comment as part of the Spring comment period and will be available at Invitations to Comment section.

County Protocols:

• Los Angeles
• Orange
• Sacramento
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• Santa Clara