

Lawyers & Youth Justice Advocates
This section provides PJDC members with access to motions, briefs, and other resources to assist them in their advocacy.
Youth, Families & Community
We believe children in the justice system must be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. If your child is going through the court process, we provide free resources to help you understand the challenges your child faces. If your child was in the juvenile delinquency system, we have information regarding sealing and other collateral consequences of system involvement.
News & Announcements
(San Francisco, CA – February 25, 2021) In a highly anticipated opinion filed in O.G. v. Superior Court today, the California Supreme Court unanimously upheld S.B. 1391 against challenges to its constitutionality. The measure, enacted in 2018, prohibits the transfer of 14 and 15-year-olds to the adult criminal system. The case was successfully argued by… Continue reading →
PJDC/YLC Call for Rethinking Juvenile Hall Commitments As California prepares to shutter its state juvenile facility system it is critically important for counties to carefully consider how they will serve youth who previously would have been committed to the Division of Juvenile Justice. On November 12, 2020, the Pacific Juvenile Defender Center (PJDC) and Youth… Continue reading →
On September 30, 2020 Governor Gavin Newsom signed two measures that will have lifechanging consequences for young people in the youth justice system. First, SB 823, sets into motion the closure of California’s State Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and creates a system in which youth will be served in the counties. This will usher… Continue reading →
Our Work

Amicus
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Youth Justice Reform
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Training & Technical Assistance
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“The child requires the guiding hand of counsel at every step in the proceedings against him.”
— In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967)