Yesterday, California Gov. Jerry Brown took a major step to avoid compounding penalties for struggling families by signing SB 190, which ends the collection of administrative fees from families whose children end up in the juvenile justice system.
 
Juvenile administrative fees are often devastating for youth and families. They can quickly add up to thousands of dollars and can throw struggling families further into poverty, threatening the ability of parents to care for their children when their children need them most.

Ending the collection of these punitive and often prohibitive fees will eliminate a source of sometimes grave financial harm to some of the state’s most vulnerable families, support the reentry of youth back into their homes and communities, and reduce the likelihood of recidivism.

 This bill is a welcome move toward a fairer justice system in California. We thank every state legislator who supported it and Gov. Brown for signing it into law.

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