Close family relationships are critical to helping youth succeed when they are released from prison. The Family Communication Act (SB 1250), authored by Sen. Leland Yee with support from Books Not Bars, makes it easier for family members to keep in touch with their loved ones who are locked up in the Division of Juvenile Justice and requires youth prisons to notify family of suicide attempts and other medical emergencies.
In September 2008, the Governor signed our Family Communication Act into law. Opening up lines of communication for families, the Family Communication Act marks an important step in reforming California's broken juvenile justice system, and a great victory for our members and supporters.
Before the Family Communication Act became law, families were not only cut off from contact with their
kids by multiple barriers to communication. They were shut out when
their involvement was most crucial: when their children attempted suicide,
suffered a medical emergency, or when they faced parole hearings to
determine if they're ready for release.
On February 7, 2008, Lorena Gonzales sensed something was wrong. Immediately, she thought of her 17-year-old son, imprisoned in the California youth prison system for the last four years. Lorena called her son's parole agent to learn the gut-wrenching news: her son had tried to hang himself—four days prior. Adding to her nightmare, he'd been transferred without notice to the prison in Chino—seven hours away—for a mental health assessment. Lorena hurried to arrange a visit with her son for that weekend, even though it meant driving all night and spending money budgeted for household expenses on a hotel stay.
"I asked them why it took them four days to tell me," says a furious Lorena. "They said they were 'in training.' When my son needed me most, they were in training."
Books Not Bars heard stories like Lorena's all too often. That's why, with the leadership of Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), we helped draft the Family Communication Act. It requires that the Division of Juvenile Justice notify parents within 24 hours of a youth's suicide attempt or other medical emergency. It also requires the Division of Juvenile Justice to:
- Translate youths' rights documents into Spanish and other languages and provide translated materials to parents or guardians during orientation and upon request;
- Allow youth to communicate in their native language to family, clergy, or counsel, whether in writing or on the phone;
- Provide writing materials to youth in order to encourage correspondence with family and clergy;
- Notify youth 30 days prior to a scheduled parole consideration hearing, and give youth the right to inform parents, guardians or other persons of the hearing.
The Family Communication Act swept through the California Assembly 77-0 in August 2008, after passing in the Senate by a 30-4 vote. In late September, the Governor signed the Family Communication Act into law.
This is a major victory for the youth still held in DJJ prisons, and for the family members who seek to support them. Books Not Bars family members and activists sent hundreds of messages to their state representatives in the days leading up to the vote. With their help, we've convinced both Republicans and Democrats alike to help imprisoned youth stay connected with their families and communities.
