EmpowerED

Funder: UC College of the Law 

PI: Johanna Folk 

Co-Is: Cynthia Valencia, Jocelyn Meza, Michael Massa 

Project EmpowerED is a collaborative grassroots effort to develop a Less Restrictive Program (LRP) for youth detained in Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF) programs who are interested in pursuing higher education. LRPs are promising alternatives to youth incarceration, allowing youth to serve their time in community-based settings. This work is being led by Cre8innovations, a community-based organization led by formerly incarcerated young professionals in partnership with the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR). The current study aims to document the LRP development process using implementation science frameworks to create a blueprint for future LRP development across California.