About Us
In California, 26,000 young people navigate the complexities of the criminal legal system each year, facing outcomes and disparities that can irreversibly alter their futures. The California Youth Defender Center (CYDC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of these young individuals.
*2022 Juvenile Justice in California, California Department of Justice.
Our mission is to promote positive outcomes for all young people by ensuring excellence in youth defense and by advocating for systemic reforms in California.
CYDC was established in 1999, driven by a vision that all young people in California have access to outstanding legal representation, receive fair and equitable treatment in the courts, and be provided with credible, trauma informed, and community-supported alternatives to incarceration that foster success.
Prior to CYDC’s founding, many trial and appellate lawyers did not have the specialized training to defend youth effectively. Today, under the leadership of our Board of Directors and a volunteer network of 2400 attorneys, policy advocates and social workers from around the state, CYDC is a leading voice in youth justice in California with four major initiatives:
Legal Training and Support. CYDC guides over 2400 youth defenders and advocates so all young people in California are represented by informed counsel with the requisite expertise to vigorously defend their clients’ rights.
Coalition Building and Public Advocacy. CYDC collaborates on policy strategies as an integral member of the California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice (CAYCJ), the largest statewide coalition of system impacted and grassroots groups addressing racism and systemic reform. With CAYCJ, CYDC zealously advocates for community-based solutions that deliver better long-term outcomes for more than 25,000 youth annually and mitigate the trauma of incarceration.’
Legislation and Amicus Briefs. CYDC co-sponsors transformative legislation, provides technical assistance to California lawmakers, and authors amicus briefs for landmark CA Supreme Court cases.
Fighting Systemic Injustice. CYDC strives to expose, challenge, and correct discrimination and the disproportionate incarceration of young people of color through litigation, policy, media outreach, and publications.
CYDC operates almost entirely through the contributions of volunteer attorneys who are committed and passionate about this work. As the only statewide organization in California entirely dedicated to juvenile delinquency defense, CYDC is the “go to” organization for attorneys seeking training, practice materials, litigation support, and assistance with youth policy development.
We need your help!
CYDC’s vision is that young people in California have access to excellent legal representation, receive fair and equitable treatment in the courts, and be provided with credible, trauma-informed, and community-supported alternatives to incarceration that foster success. We’ve made progress, but we need your help to turn our vision into reality. Learn how to support CYDC’s mission here.