2. Survey Methodology 1,042 online interviews with California adults
84% registered to vote
Interviews conducted June 19-23, 2017
Interviews conducted online
Quotas set to ensure representative, demographically-balanced sample
Some percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding

3. Issue Context

4. Two in five know someone who was incarcerated and youth make up two-thirds of those cases.
Do you have any close friends or family members who are or ever have been incarcerated?
Were any of those friends or family members you know incarcerated before the age of 25?
Total Yes 44%
QD7.
QD8. Asked Only if have friends or family members who are or were incarcerated

5. Only about half of California adults initially view youth prisons as an important issue.
Below is a series of issues facing California cities and counties, as well as the state as a whole. Indicate how important this issue is to you.
Ext./Very Impt.
87%
83%
81%
80%
79%
73%
49%
QB3.

6. Drugs, employment, and quality of education are seen as the most serious local problems for youth.
In a few words of your own, what would you say is the most serious problem facing youth in your community?
Youth are smoking and drinking
Not having good schools
Social pressures and lack of clear guidance
QB1. Open-Ended; Responses of 2% and Above Shown; Split Sample; n=521

7. Improved education, access to after-school programs, and job training are the most commonly mentioned positive changes.
In a few words of your own, what is the one positive change you would most like to see happen to benefit youth in your community?
More family events for the youth to have and maybe another youth center in our area
Access to mental health
More after school programs available
QB2. Open-Ended; Responses of 2% and Above Shown; Split Sample; n=521

8. Support for Reducing Arrests/Closing Youth Prisons

9. More than two-thirds of Californians support reducing youth arrests and reliance on youth prisons.
Some people have suggested that we should aim to reduce the number of youth arrests in California and rely less on youth prisons. Does this goal sound like something you would strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose?
Total Support 68%
Total Oppose
25%
QB5.

10. In addition to reducing youth arrests, 61% support eliminating youth prisons entirely
Others say we shouldn’t have youth prisons at all, and instead invest in holding young people accountable for wrong-doing in ways that don’t involve incarceration. Does this goal sound like something you would strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose?
Total Support 61%
Total Oppose
33%
QB6.

11. The proposal to eliminate youth prisons is supported across genders, age, party and ethnicities.
Demographic Group
Total Support
Total Oppose
Don’t Know
Gender
Men
62%
34% 4%
Women
60%
32% 7%
Age
18-49
63% 5%
50-64
59%
35% 6%
65+
57%
39%
Ethnicity
Latinos
61%
36% 2%
African-Americans
30% 8%
Asians/Pacific Islander
56%
29%
16%
People of Color
Whites
Party
Democrats
67%
29% 5%
Independents
60%
34% 7%
Republicans
50%
47% 2%
QB6. Others say we shouldn’t have youth prisons at all, and instead invest in holding young people accountable for wrong-doing in ways that don’t involve incarceration. Does this goal sound like something you would strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose?

12. Residents of the Bay Area and Central Valley are especially supportive.
Demographic Group
Total Support
Total Oppose
Don’t Know
Region
Los Angeles County
61%
34% 5%
Counties Surrounding Los Angeles
57%
38%
Bay Area
68%
26% 6%
San Diego
55%
36% 8%
Sacramento/Rural North
56%
35% 9%
Central Valley/Central Coast
66%
30% 4%
Voters
Non-Voters
63%
11%
QB6. Others say we shouldn’t have youth prisons at all, and instead invest in holding young people accountable for wrong-doing in ways that don’t involve incarceration. Does this goal sound like something you would strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose?

13. Jail is a learning environment about future crime.
Actual Responses Given When Respondents Were Asked Why They Support Closing Youth Prisons
Putting kids in prison is only going to make them angrier when they are released. Teaching them self discipline is a better answer.
Jail is a learning environment about future crime.
Imprisoning them can turn some of them into criminals and they will go on to do bigger and worse crimes.
Incarceration often tends to make the youth get hardened, while they could be better assisted outside prison walls.
Sending a youth to prison is destroying the young person's future and guaranteeing that the young person will not be a productive member of society.
It all depends on the crime/misdemeanor. Just because they're children doesn't mean they shouldn't be taught lessons.
Our prison and incarceration system doesn't work with many that get out reoffending. We need a better system, especially for youth for which will have a better opportunity to change their future.

14. Additional Background Provided
California has one of the nation’s largest youth prison systems, with more than 125 state and county lockups that cost taxpayers more than $1 billion a year. About 6,000 young people, nearly all under the age of 18, are locked up on any given day. Three fourths of them are incarcerated for non-violent offenses such as theft, vandalism or running away from home. African-Americans and Latinos make up 80% of incarcerated youth, and are locked up more often than white youth who commit the same offenses.

15. Once respondents learned more about the issue, support for closing youth prisons increased by seven percentage points.
Total Support 68%
Total Oppose
26%
QB9.

16. Reactions to Facts About Youth Prisons

17. Facts about abuse, recidivism, rates of teen pregnancy, and unmet mental health needs are most concerning.
Next, is a series of facts describing the juvenile justice system in California. Please indicate whether you find this fact extremely concerning, very concerning, somewhat concerning, or not concerning. If you don’t believe it, you can select that too
Ext./Very Conc.
80%
79%
77%
QB10. Split Sample

18. The unfair treatment of black and brown youth and inadequate education in youth prisons are also concerning.
Ext./Very Conc.
75%
74%
QB10. Next, is a series of facts describing the juvenile justice system in California. Please indicate whether you find this fact extremely concerning, very concerning, somewhat concerning, or not concerning. If you don’t believe it, you can select that too. Split Sample

19. The treatment of youth with disabilities and similarities to the adult prison model are seen as very concerning.
Ext./Very Conc.
72%
71%
70%
QB10. Next, is a series of facts describing the juvenile justice system in California. Please indicate whether you find this fact extremely concerning, very concerning, somewhat concerning, or not concerning. If you don’t believe it, you can select that too. Split Sample

20. Support for Alternatives to Youth Prisons

21. Restorative justice, community reinvestment, and ensuring providers are equipped to deal with youth trauma are the most strongly supported alternatives to youth prisons.
Total Supp.
Total Opp.
89%
11%
88%
12%
QB16. You will read about specific policies California could adopt to prevent youth arrests and reduce the number of youth who are incarcerated with the goal of ultimately eliminating juvenile incarceration. For each, please indicate if it sounds like something you would strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose.

22. Respondents also supported an array of other policies, although less intensely.
Total Supp.
Total Opp.
86%
14%
85%
15%
QB16. You will read about specific policies California could adopt to prevent youth arrests and reduce the number of youth who are incarcerated with the goal of ultimately eliminating juvenile incarceration. For each, please indicate if it sounds like something you would strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose.