Find a minor held in a California county juvenile hall or state Division of Juvenile Justice facility. Parents and guardians have the right to locate their child. Free family assistance available 24 hours a day.
Calls may be answered by a licensed bail bond agent.When a minor is arrested in California, they enter one of two systems depending on the offense severity and the court's disposition. Knowing which system applies tells you exactly where to call and what to expect.
County juvenile halls are operated by county probation departments. They hold minors awaiting juvenile court hearings, serving short-term local commitments, or being evaluated before a disposition. The vast majority of detained California minors are in county juvenile halls, not state facilities.
Contact the probation department in the county where the arrest occurred. The intake unit can confirm custody for parents and legal guardians. Provide the minor's full legal name and date of birth. Many counties require a callback number for verification before releasing custody information.
California law requires the juvenile to appear before a judge within one court day of detention. If the court orders continued detention, a detention hearing follows within 3 court days. Most pre-hearing stays range from a few days to several weeks depending on the case.
The California Division of Juvenile Justice, operated under CDCR, houses youth committed for serious offenses, primarily violent or sex felonies. Youth may be committed until age 23 in most cases, up to age 25 for the most serious offenses. DJJ emphasizes rehabilitation programming.
DJJ does not maintain a public online locator. Contact DJJ directly at (916) 445-8900 or reach the county probation officer assigned to the case. The assigned probation officer is the primary family contact once a youth is committed to DJJ custody.
DJJ operates O.H. Close and N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facilities in Stockton, Ventura Youth Correctional Facility in Ventura, and Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp in Amador County. Placement is determined by the youth's individual program needs and available space.
California law provides specific rights to parents and guardians of detained minors. Understanding these helps families participate effectively throughout the process.
Law enforcement must notify parents as soon as practicable after a minor is taken into custody under WIC 627. If the minor is detained overnight, the probation officer must notify the parent directly. Call the county juvenile hall's intake line immediately if you have not been notified and believe your child is in custody.
Every minor in California juvenile proceedings has the right to an attorney. If the family cannot afford one, the court appoints a public defender at no cost. The attorney represents the minor's interests, not the parents', though families can coordinate through the attorney throughout the case.
Parents and guardians may attend juvenile court hearings. California juvenile hearings are closed to the public but parents are entitled to be present. The court may order parents to attend and can hold them in contempt for failure to appear when required by the judge.
Parents have the right to access their minor child's juvenile court file and probation reports under WIC 827. Request records from the juvenile court clerk. Some materials, including victim information and certain police reports, may require a separate court order to access.
Parents and guardians are generally permitted to visit their child in juvenile hall, subject to the facility's schedule and rules. Contact the specific facility's visiting coordinator to confirm hours, required pre-registration, and what identification documents are needed for your first visit.
Minors in California juvenile halls generally have the right to communicate with parents and their attorney by phone. Call the facility to learn the approved call schedule, how to add funds to the phone account if the system is not free, and any restrictions based on the minor's housing status.
When a minor is taken into custody in California, the process differs significantly from adult arrest procedures. Law enforcement is required to notify a parent or legal guardian as quickly as possible following a juvenile detention. However, in practice there can be delays, especially if the minor was arrested in a different county than where they live, or if contact information for the parent or guardian was not immediately available at the time of arrest.
California operates two parallel juvenile detention systems. County-level juvenile halls are operated by county probation departments and hold minors awaiting hearings or serving shorter sentences. The state-level Division of Juvenile Justice handles more serious offenders committed by juvenile courts for longer terms. Most minors are held at the county level and can be located by contacting the probation department in the county where the arrest occurred.
Visitation for minors in county juvenile hall is typically restricted to parents, legal guardians, and approved family members. All visitors must be pre-approved and will be subject to ID verification. Phone contact is generally more restricted than in adult facilities and is often supervised or recorded. Educational programs are required by California law for all detained minors, and contact with a minor's attorney is always permitted and kept confidential.
After a minor is detained, a detention hearing must be held within 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, to determine whether continued detention is necessary. The minor has the right to an attorney at all hearings, if the family cannot afford one, a public defender will be appointed. Parents and guardians have the right to be present at all court hearings. California juvenile court proceedings are generally closed to the public and records are confidential, though they may be disclosed in certain circumstances involving serious offenses.
Contact the county probation department in the county where the arrest occurred. For youth committed to state DJJ, call (916) 445-8900. You can also call our free 24/7 line and we will help identify the right agency and contact information.
No. Juvenile court records are confidential under WIC 827. Parents and legal guardians have access rights. The general public does not have access without a court order, which distinguishes juvenile records from adult criminal records that are generally public.
County juvenile halls are local, short-term facilities managed by county probation for youth awaiting hearings or serving local commitments. The Division of Juvenile Justice is a state system for youth committed for more serious offenses, focused on longer-term rehabilitation programming.
You have the right to be notified promptly, attend juvenile court hearings, have an attorney appointed for your child at no cost if needed, access your child's court file, and visit your child subject to facility rules. The court can also order you to participate in family services as part of the case plan.
Yes. California allows juvenile records to be sealed under WIC 786 after probation is satisfactorily completed. Most records are automatically sealed when the youth turns 18 or after a set period. Serious offenses listed in WIC 707(b) may not be eligible for automatic sealing. A juvenile defense attorney can advise on specific eligibility.