§ 209. — 209. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 10, Sec. 22.)

California § 209.

• Jurisdiction: California
• Code WIC: Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC
• Div. 2.: DIVISION 2. CHILDREN
• Part 1.: PART 1. DELINQUENTS AND WARDS OF THE JUVENILE COURT
• Ch. 2.: CHAPTER 2. Juvenile Court Law
• Art. 1.: ARTICLE 1. General Provisions

Text

(a)
(1)
The judge of the juvenile court of a county, or, if there is more than one judge, any of the judges of the juvenile court shall, at least annually, inspect any jail, juvenile hall, lockup, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility situated in this state that, in the preceding calendar year, was used for confinement, for more than 24 hours, of any juvenile.
(2)
The judge shall promptly notify the operator of the jail, juvenile hall, lockup, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility of any observed noncompliance with minimum standards for juvenile facilities adopted by the Board of State and Community Corrections under Sections 210, 875, 885, and subdivision (e)
of Section 207.1. Based on the facility’s subsequent compliance with the provisions of subdivisions (d) and (e), the judge shall thereafter make a finding whether the facility is a suitable place for the confinement of juveniles and shall note the finding in the minutes of the court.
(3)
(A)
The Board of State and Community Corrections shall conduct, at a minimum, a biennial inspection of each jail, juvenile hall, lockup, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility situated in this state that, during the preceding calendar year, was used for confinement, for more than 24 hours, of any juvenile. The board shall promptly notify the operator of any jail, juvenile hall, lockup, special purpose
juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility of any noncompliance found, upon inspection, with any of the minimum standards for juvenile facilities adopted by the Board of State and Community Corrections under Section 210, 210.2, 875, 885, or subdivision (e) of Section 207.1.
(B)
Any duly authorized officer, employee, or agent of the board may, upon presentation of proper identification, enter and inspect any area of any juvenile local detention facility, without notice, to conduct an inspection required or authorized by this paragraph.
(4)
If either a judge of the juvenile court or the board, after inspection of a jail, juvenile hall, special purpose juvenile hall, lockup, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility finds that it is not being operated
and maintained as a suitable place for the confinement of juveniles, the juvenile court or the board shall give notice of its finding to all persons having authority to confine juveniles pursuant to this chapter and, commencing 60 days thereafter, the facility shall not be used for confinement of juveniles until the time the judge or board, as the case may be, finds, after reinspection of the facility, that the conditions that rendered the facility unsuitable have been remedied, and the facility is a suitable place for confinement of juveniles.
(5)
The custodian of each jail, juvenile hall, special purpose juvenile hall, lockup, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility shall make any reports as may be requested by the board or the juvenile court to effectuate the purposes of this section.
(b)
(1)
The Board of State and Community Corrections may inspect
any law enforcement facility that contains a lockup for adults and that it has reason to believe may not be in compliance with the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 207.1 or with the certification requirements or standards adopted under Section 210.2. A judge of the juvenile court shall conduct an annual inspection, either in person or through a delegated member of the appropriate county or regional juvenile justice commission, of any law enforcement facility that contains a lockup for adults that, in the preceding year, was used for the secure detention of any juvenile. If the law enforcement facility is observed, upon inspection, to be out of compliance with the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 207.1, or with any standard adopted under Section 210.2, the board or the judge shall promptly notify the operator of the law enforcement facility of the specific points of noncompliance.
(2)
If either the judge or the board finds
after inspection that the facility is not being operated and maintained in conformity with the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 207.1 or with the certification requirements or standards adopted under Section 210.2, the juvenile court or the board shall give notice of its finding to all persons having authority to securely detain juveniles in the facility, and, commencing 60 days thereafter, the facility shall not be used for the secure detention of a juvenile until the time the judge or the board, as the case may be, finds, after reinspection, that the conditions that rendered the facility unsuitable have been remedied, and the facility is a suitable place for the confinement of juveniles in conformity with all requirements of law.
(3)
The custodian of each law enforcement facility that contains a lockup for adults shall make any report as may be requested by the board or by the juvenile court to effectuate the purposes of this
subdivision.
(c)
The board shall collect biennial data on the number, place, and duration of confinements of juveniles in jails and lockups, as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 207.1, and shall publish biennially this information in the form as it deems appropriate for the purpose of providing public information on continuing compliance with the requirements of Section 207.1.
(d)
(1)
Except as provided in subdivision (e), a juvenile hall, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, secure youth treatment facility, law enforcement facility, or jail shall be unsuitable for the confinement of juveniles if it is not in compliance with one or more of the minimum standards for juvenile facilities adopted by the Board of State and Community Corrections
under Section 210, 210.2, 875, 885, or subdivision (e) of Section 207.1, and if, within 60 days of having received notice of noncompliance from the board or the judge of the juvenile court, the juvenile hall, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, secure youth treatment facility, law enforcement facility, or jail has failed to file an approved corrective action plan with the Board of State and Community Corrections to correct the condition or conditions of noncompliance of which it has been notified.
(2)
(A)
A
corrective action plan shall outline how the juvenile hall, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, secure youth treatment facility, law enforcement facility, or jail plans to correct the issue of noncompliance and give a reasonable timeframe, not to exceed 90 days, for resolution, that the board shall either approve or deny.
(B)
Subject to revocation, the board may delegate the authority to approve or disapprove a corrective action plan to the board’s executive director or a deputy director. A delegee shall approve or disapprove the corrective action plan in accordance with criteria and considerations for approval or disapproval, which the board shall develop. The approval or disapproval of a corrective action plan by a delegee shall be effective as of
the date the determination is made by the delegee. If that determination is made more than 15 days prior to the board’s next regularly scheduled meeting, the board shall either ratify or overrule the delegee’s approval or disapproval of the corrective action plan at its next regularly scheduled meeting. If that determination is made 15 days or fewer prior to the board’s next regularly scheduled meeting, the board shall either ratify or overrule the delegee’s approval or disapproval of the corrective action plan at the first regularly scheduled meeting occurring after the next regularly scheduled meeting. The board’s ratification or overruling of the corrective action plan shall not alter the effective date of the delegee’s initial determination to approve or disapprove the corrective action plan or extend any time period for compliance.
(3)
In the event the juvenile hall, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, secure youth treatment facility, law enforcement facility, or jail fails to meet its commitment to resolve noncompliance issues outlined in its corrective action plan, the board shall make a determination of suitability at its next scheduled meeting.
(e)
If a juvenile hall, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility is not in compliance with one or more of the minimum standards for juvenile facilities adopted by the Board of State and Community Corrections under Section 210, 875, 885, or subdivision (e) of Section 207.1, and where the noncompliance arises from sustained occupancy levels that are above the population capacity permitted by applicable minimum standards, the juvenile hall shall be unsuitable for the confinement of juveniles if the board or the judge of the juvenile court
determines that conditions in the facility pose a serious risk to the health, safety, or welfare of juveniles confined in the facility. In making its determination of suitability, the board or the judge of the juvenile court shall consider, in addition to the noncompliance with minimum standards, the totality of conditions in the juvenile hall, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility, including the extent and duration of overpopulation as well as staffing, program, physical plant, and medical and mental health care conditions in the facility. The Board of State and Community Corrections may develop guidelines and procedures for its determination of suitability in accordance with this subdivision and to assist counties in bringing their juvenile halls, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility into full compliance with applicable minimum standards. This subdivision shall not be interpreted to exempt a juvenile hall, special purpose
juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility from having to correct, in accordance with subdivision (d), any minimum standard violations that are not directly related to overpopulation of the facility.
(f)
All reports and notices of findings prepared by the Board of State and Community Corrections pursuant to this section shall be posted on the Board of State and Community Corrections’ internet website in a manner in which they are accessible to the public.
(g)
For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)
“Juvenile” means a person who meets any of the following criteria:
(A)
A person under 18 years of age.
(B)
A person under the maximum age
of juvenile court jurisdiction who is not currently an incarcerated adult as defined in paragraph (2) of this subdivision.
(C)
A person whose case originated in the juvenile court and is subject to Section 208.5.
(2)
“Incarcerated adult” means a person who is 18 years of age or older, not subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, and has been arrested and is in custody for, or awaiting trial on, a criminal charge, or has been convicted of a criminal offense, and is not a juvenile defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of this subdivision.
(3)
“Subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court” means a person alleged or found to be subject to Section 601, 602, 607, or 875.
(h)
This section does not require the judge of the juvenile court
or the board to make determinations of suitability for local correctional facilities based on standards adopted pursuant to Section 6030 of the Penal Code.
(i)
(1)
The board may bring a civil action to enforce compliance with minimum standards for juvenile facilities or closure, as described in this section, in the superior court in the county in which a facility is located if the facility has received notice pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a).
(2)
This subdivision does not preclude the Attorney General from conducting an independent investigation or bringing a civil action of its own to address violations of any applicable law.
(3)
The board may seek any appropriate relief available under existing law,
including, but not limited to, injunctive relief, orders compelling compliance, sanctions, and equitable relief it deems necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of juveniles in custody within the applicable county. The board may also seek attorney’s fees to the extent authorized by existing law.
(4)
The board’s authority to bring a civil action pursuant to this section is in addition to any other enforcement authority and remedies available under existing law.
(5)
The board’s authority to bring a civil action does not limit the ability of the affected county to seek any temporary or permanent relief from the obligations or consequences imposed by this section, to the extent that relief is available under existing law.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 10, Sec. 22. (AB 134) Effective June 27, 2025.