Violence, Abuse & Neglect in the California Youth Authority

The film, "System Failure: Violence, Abuse and Neglect in the California Youth Authority" (2004); Human rights video group, Witness, documents the systemic failures of Califorinia's youth "justice" agency, the California Youth Authority (CYA), and the movement to change it. The video portrays the rehabilitation facililies of the system as "warehouses of abuse and neglect" citing a series of reports which "... revealed horrific conditions, including 23 hour a day solitary confinement and extreme levels of violence, sexual assault, guard abuse, and medical, educational, and mental health care neglect."; Contact Information: http://www.witness.org/jsrightsalert.html?cya+story1; Creative Commons license: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs;

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• juvenile
• juveniles
• prison
• abuse
• violence
• sexual
• human
• rights
• justice
• california
• youth
• authority
• cya
• rehabilitation
• crime

[inkaoner]

my ya#78643 1997-2001 started at srcc then preston in ione ca. I went to cedar then arbor. My peoples got me over to buckeye lodge. There I learned a good work ethic working in the F.E.A.S.T. (FOOD, EDUCATION, AND SERVICE TRAINING) cooking and serving staff,was like a restaurant in the streets. Then from there went to ventura fire camp. Learneed alot there got into shape,stayed outta trouble got my h.s.diploma. Now I'm married with 2 childeren and living life to the fullest

[rosaryfilms]

inkaoner, thank you very much for your comments and congrats on your new life and family!

[sundaycostaandfamily]

@rosaryfilms I was in Preston as well, I was in Buckeye where I worked in the kitchen, I was in band, I wasnt able to go to fire camp but I went to prison 2 times a year after I paroled from cya and after going to prison the second time I started my own tree service and I have been out of trouble for 8 years now...I met my wife and her 2 kids in 2003 and we had 2 more kids since....I now live in Kentucky with my wife and kids and I still own my own tree service.....

[rosaryfilms]

@sundaycostaandfamily - thank you for sharing -- I am glad to hear that things are going better for you...regards...

[mg5679]

Yes I do have a good life cause I have had to work for everything I have gotten in life.

Nothing is handed to you. Society does not owe you anything.

[nwselect1]

@ishoot627s Your response shows the attitude that got you assaulted. While trying to do you "job" and "help".

[ishoot627s]

@nwselect1 That's OK, I wouldn't ask for Empathy from Scum. I am very happy with my life. I don't need a punk gang to feel like a man.

[nwselect1]

And I have no empathy for you. 4 assaults in 7 years is nothing to complain about. CYA #44715

[nwselect1]

I did 6 years and 8 months straight in cya. Left on my 21st birthday. Hard time no games. Stabbings, beatings, hanging, riots, bodies. The 4 years I did later in a maximum adult prison was a cake walk in comparison. it was a free for all, staff did what they wanted. lied and denied everything

[MorningsEcho]

To say that this is painful doesn't even come close. I can't begin to describe what I feel. It's like I'm ripped open, fighting to breathe, struggling to see in the dark, and so very angry. They are all responsible, the whole state. If they had done what they promised in the first place, he would still be alive and living with his siblings. They are all liars and I hate that state with all that I am! It's funny, part of me struggles to forgive while the other part wants them them to pay.

[MorningsEcho]

I voluntarily placed my son in protective custody after I had to leave a group home at 18 with no where to go but a shelter. My son had special needs and I believed my caseworker (I was in foster care) when she told me I could place him temporarily, I believed I would get him back. I'm the biological mother of one of the young men who killed himself in 2004. I didn't find out until 7/11. Now, on my daughters birthday, January 19, I have to somehow be happy for her while I grieve for him. Why...