894-898
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE
SECTION 894-898
894. In order to provide a sentencing alternative for the juvenile courts, one or more pilot regional youth educational facilities shall be established as short-term intensive residential programs to which primarily 16- and 17-year-old minor juvenile court wards not committed to the Youth Authority who fit the description in Section 602 may be committed. Participating minors shall be those who are awaiting out-of-home placement in county juvenile halls, educationally behind in school, educable, able to participate in vocational activities, and able to participate in work projects. Each facility shall provide a short-term intensive educational experience, including program elements such as competency-based education services, assessment for learning disabilities including visual perceptual screening and treatment, remedial individual educational plans for diagnosed learning disabilities, electronic and computer education, physical education, vocational and industrial arts and training, job training and experience, character education, victim awareness, and restitution. Wards who complete the short-term intensive program who need continuing services shall be transferred to local facilities for up to 60 days of additional education and training. Following institutional placement, all wards in the program shall receive intensive supervision by a probation officer in their county of residence for a minimum of 120 days. Intensive supervision means a 10 to 15 person caseload per deputy probation officer. 895. (a) From any state moneys made available to it for that purpose, the Youth Authority shall assist counties in the establishment of pilot regional youth educational facilities. Interested counties that agree to provide matching funds or resources, in compliance with standards established by the department, may enter agreements with the Youth Authority to establish these facilities. The facilities shall be operated by participating counties, either solely or under a joint powers agreement. The counties may contract with private agencies to provide job training consultation or other services. (b) The Youth Authority shall develop selection criteria for participating counties to include, but not be limited to, all of the following factors: (1) Eligible target population. (2) Demonstrated ability to administer the program. (3) Facility capability. (4) Financial ability to provide matching funds or resources. (5) Demonstrated need for the program. (6) Ability to meet regional needs. (7) Ability to provide specified program elements. 896. (a) The Board of Corrections shall establish minimum performance standards for programs of education and training and for qualifications of personnel for all youth educational facilities in the program, including local continuation and intensive supervision components. These standards and qualifications shall be designed to achieve program goals such as an increase in the educational level of participants, better community protection and offender accountability, and preparation of participants to return to the community as responsible and productive members. (b) Every person in charge of a regional youth educational facility, which, in the preceding calendar year, was used for confinement, for more than 24 hours, of any minor, shall certify annually to the board that the facility is in conformity with the standards adopted by the board under subdivision (a). The board may provide forms and instructions to local jurisdictions to facilitate compliance with this subdivision. (c) The custodian of each regional youth educational facility shall make any reports as may be required by the board to effectuate the purposes of this section. 897. The capacity of each regional youth educational facility shall be established pursuant to Sections 886 and 886.5. 898. The participating counties shall appoint a citizens advisory committee with a membership drawn from law enforcement, judiciary, probation, education, corrections, business, and the general public, whose function is to review the goals, objectives, and programs of each youth educational facility and provide input to the facility.