The LWVDV supports the following objectives:

• Vigorous, well-staffed, and effective services for juveniles and their families. 

• Emphasis on prevention of delinquency and on early rehabilitation through establishment of adequate treatment facilities in the child’s local community provided by individuals, families, foster homes, crisis homes, group homes, churches, schools, and other community agencies, in coordination with city and county agencies. 

• Detention of juveniles as a last resort.

• Measures that de-institutionalize juveniles designated as 601s. According to the Welfare and Institutions Code, 601 refers to children whose offense would not be a crime if they were adults, such as running away, having “delinquent tendencies,” or being beyond parental control.

• Legislative change to a judicial system (e.g., family court) separate from the criminal justice system, which would have mandated control over 601s, along with: 

• Greater cooperation between agencies;
• Diversionary programs which would keep 601s out of the criminal justice system;
• Emphasis on early assessment and treatment of problems leading to runaway behavior; e.g., court-ordered counseling.

• Uniform countywide procedures for handling runaways by law enforcement agencies with flexibility allowed for specific local situations.