CAI Research Cited in The San Diego Union-Tribune on San Diego Juvenile Justice Commission Dispute
SAN DIEGO — A report from the Children's Advocacy Institute (CAI) at the University of San Diego School of Law was cited in a San Diego Union-Tribune article titled, "San Diego court sought to intervene in independent oversight board, newly released records show."
The article details newly released records showing that San Diego Superior Court officials sought to rewrite the bylaws of the county's Juvenile Justice Commission, the volunteer, state-mandated board charged with independent oversight of the juvenile court and juvenile justice programs, months before the court withdrew its administrative support for the commission entirely. Commission Chair Caitlin Radigan says the court's actions undermine the board's ability to provide independent oversight, including of the court itself.
In examining how oversight of juvenile justice commissions is structured statewide, the reporter turned to CAI's research on the issue.
"According to a recent report by the Children's Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego, there is little consistency across California about which entity — the courts or the county — should oversee the oversight boards," the article said.
The November 2025 CAI analysis found that the law governing how juvenile justice commissions should be administered "is not explicitly clear," making it difficult to determine whether individual commissions are operating in compliance with legislative intent. The report also found that 17 of California's 58 counties operate commissions administered by the courts, 22 are overseen by counties, and supervision in 18 counties is unclear.
The report was student-produced as a project of CAI's Child Advocacy Policy Clinic.
To read the full article by Jeff McDonald, visit The San Diego Union-Tribune. [subscription may be required]
About the Children’s Advocacy Institute
The Children's Advocacy Institute (CAI), founded at the nonprofit University of San Diego School of Law in 1989, is one of the nation's premiere academic, research, and advocacy organizations working to improve the lives of children and youth, with special emphasis on improving the child protection and foster care systems and enhancing resources that are available to youth aging out of foster care.
In its academic component, CAI trains law students and attorneys to be effective child advocates throughout their legal careers. Its Child Advocacy Clinic gives USD Law students three distinct clinical opportunities to advocate on behalf of children and youth.
CAI's research and advocacy component, conducted through its offices in San Diego, Sacramento, and Washington, D.C., seeks to leverage change for children and youth through impact litigation, regulatory and legislative advocacy, and public education. Active primarily at the federal and state levels, CAI's efforts are multi-faceted—comprehensively and successfully embracing all tools of public interest advocacy to improve the lives of children and youth. To support CAI’s work, please visit our website.
About the School of Law
Each year, USD Law educates approximately 800 Juris Doctor and graduate law students from throughout the United States and around the world. The law school is best known for its offerings in the areas of business and corporate law, constitutional law, intellectual property, international and comparative law, public interest law and taxation.
USD School of Law is one of the 88 law schools elected to the Order of the Coif, a national honor society for law school graduates. The law school’s faculty is a strong group of outstanding scholars and teachers with national and international reputations. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.