Juvenile Collaborative Reentry Unit

The Juvenile Collaborative Reentry Unit is a partnership between San Francisco Juvenile Probation, the Public Defender, the Center for Juvenile and Criminal Justice, and the Superior Court of California. The program aims to improve the outcomes for youth returning from long-term commitment. The JCRU is a fully staffed probation unit that works with a dedicated reentry court and attorneys to develop and oversee intensive re-entry plans for youth returning home.

According to the Counsel of State Governments Justice Center, “[t]he juvenile’s reentry plans are developed and approved by the reentry court up to 90 days prior to the juvenile’s return to allow for a seamless transition back into the community. The plan covers family relationships, housing, education, employment, mental health, substance abuse treatment, and social recreation. All components of the plan must be addressed prior to the juvenile’s return home. Because JCRU’s reentry plans are developed and approved by the entire JCRU team including the attorneys prior to the court hearings, court time is used to support the child and reinforce his or her success. This model has proven to be effective. In the first three years of the program pilot, which focused on youth committed to out-of-home placement, probation violations fell by 14 percent, new subsequent bookings by 17 percent, and new sustained petitions decreased by 57 percent. In the first 6 months of the expanded JCRU model, recidivism among youth served fell 8 percent.”