Over the last several months, members of Families for Books Not Bars have shared horror stories of violence and extreme isolation within California's youth prison system.

Last week, a judge found the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) "willfully disobeyed" court orders to provide basic treatment for youth. Recent reports confirm that DJJ's illegal practices have "resulted in youth being treated more harshly than California's adult inmates." 

One person has the power to shift this reality -- Matthew Cate, Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation -- and he is being pressured from all sides to make change.

In fact, a judge has threatened to hold him in contempt of court if the DJJ doesn't change its ways, and your voice will increase the pressure.

Confirmed abuses in the DJJ include:

--- Youth held in solitary confinement. In once case, a youth had one-hour outside his cell in 10 days.

--- Guards beat and pepper spray youth regularly even when they pose no threat.

--- Youth denied meals as punishment. In one case, a girl on suicide watch was denied a meal for not giving her rosary to staff.

Will you join Books Not Bars to demand that Secretary Cate immediately guarantees an end to all of these abuses? 

We have three essential demands:

-- End solitary confinement: Provide at least 8 hours of quality educational and rehabilitative programming outside of cells for all youth.

-- Stop the violence: Ensure youths' safety, particularly mentally ill and disabled youth, from fights and chemical spraying. Guards who abuse youth, instigate or fail to prevent violence must be held accountable.

-- Provide adequate food: Denying people, especially growing youth, adequate food is antithetical to rehabilitation. Depriving youth of meals is outright abusive.

Demand that Secretary Cate, the head of California’s prison system, immediately guarantee an end to all of these abuses. Our youth and their families cannot wait!