Published by San Jose Spotlight
Raymond Goins spent four years as a teenager inside Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall, where he said he faced conditions that were damaging to his well-being. Goins, along with more than 50 others, rallied in front of that same juvenile hall on Thursday demanding the center no longer be used to incarcerate youth.
Organizers at the rally claim the facility’s conditions violate a state law passed in 2020 that forced counties to restructure juvenile halls by easing restrictions, addressing racism and working to reduce recidivism rates once they were released.
Analisa Ruiz, policy director for the Young Women’s Freedom Center, said she hopes the county’s juvenile justice subcommittee works to become more inclusive by reaching out to formerly incarcerated individuals to learn how to better serve the vulnerable youth population.