Youth Transforming Justice

What Youth Transforming Justice does

Youth Transforming Justice (YTJ) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 (originally as Marin County Youth Court under the YMCA, becoming independent in 2020) and headquartered in San Rafael, California. The organization operates a peer-driven, trauma-informed restorative justice model that diverts Marin County teens cited for misdemeanor offenses away from the traditional juvenile justice system, trains schools on suspension alternatives, and delivers drug and alcohol harm reduction programming. Core programs include YTJ Peer Solutions (a restorative diversion process with intake, pre-hearing, youth hearing, co-created restorative plan, and case management), School-Suspension Alternatives (training and consulting for teachers, administrators, and students), and Drug & Alcohol Harm Reduction (a 12-hour harm reduction curriculum including mandatory family Substance Safety Skills training). The organization also runs a Student Wellness Ambassador Program with Marin County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, a Youth Racial Equity Group, and a BIPOC Research Internship.

YTJ delivers programs through 12 full-time staff, peer youth volunteers, and adult facilitators, with referrals sourced from Marin County schools, county probation, and law enforcement. Revenue comes primarily from County of Marin and local government funding supplemented by individual donations processed via the Qgiv online giving platform; services are free to youth participants. The organization tracks strong reported outcomes (95% program completion, 7% recidivism, 74% drop in suspensions, 24% decrease in chronic absenteeism, nearly 2,000 teens diverted since inception) and has been recognized by the California Judicial Council as a model intervention. Strategic partnerships span county behavioral health, OD Free Marin, California Association of Youth Courts, Acta Non Verba (Oakland), and multiple Bay Area universities.

Name

Youth Transforming Justice

Legal name

Youth Transforming Justice

Website

https://ytjustice.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Youth Transforming Justice is a Marin County, California nonprofit that delivers peer-driven, trauma-informed restorative justice programs — diverting teens from juvenile justice, training schools on suspension alternatives, and providing substance harm reduction education, funded primarily by County of Marin contracts and individual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restorative Justice and Youth Diversion Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Parole Offices and Probation Offices (922150), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs (BPAIAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Juvenile Justice System (Courts & Detention) (BPAIAFAF), Juvenile Justice Education Programs (Detention & Correctional Education) (EDAJAEAB), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Transition Programs (Reentry, Workforce Readiness & Life Skills for At-Risk Youth) (EDAJAEAF), Community Corrections (Probation, Parole & Reentry) (BPAIAFAE), Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management) (BPAKANAH), Therapeutic & Behavioral Health School Programs (Day Treatment) (EDAJAEAE)

Keywords

• Restorative justice services
• Juvenile diversion programs
• School suspension alternatives
• Trauma-informed youth support
• Harm reduction training

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. County of Marin and Local Government Funding: Primary funding from Marin County and local government officials as a nonprofit organization providing juvenile justice diversion services.
2. Individual Donations: Donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission to end the school-to-prison pipeline.
3. Donations via Qgiv Platform: Online donation platform for supporting the organization's programs and operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Youth Transforming Justice provides peer-driven restorative justice diversion programs for teens cited for misdemeanor offenses, school-suspension alternatives that train educators and students in trauma-informed discipline practices, and drug/alcohol harm reduction training for youth and families. The organization's core service is the YTJ Peer Solutions program, in which youth volunteers lead restorative hearings and co-create personalized accountability plans with referred youth as an alternative to the traditional juvenile justice system.

Product overview

Youth Transforming Justice operates as a unified nonprofit service organization offering multiple interconnected youth development programs. The core portfolio includes YTJ Peer Solutions (a restorative diversion program for teens with misdemeanor offenses), School-Suspension Alternatives (restorative discipline support for schools), and Drug & Alcohol Harm Reduction (substance safety training). Additional programs include the BIPOC Research Internship and Youth Racial Equity Group. All programs share a foundation of peer-driven, trauma-informed, and restorative justice principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of teens referred complete program requirements
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OD Free MarinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Coalition of county and community partners striving to reduce overdoses in Marin County with focus on fentanyl. YTJ interns work with OD Free Marin to reach younger audiences through research and social media. YTJ Program Director Antonio Zavala presents to young people about fentanyl dangers and harm reduction.
• 10,000 DegreesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024San Rafael-based college preparation and scholarship program that referred intern Sheila Alvarez to YTJ's BIPOC internship program. Partnership provides pathway for students to gain compensated work experience while pursuing education.
• Dominican University of CaliforniaminorOthers · 1 January 2024San Rafael-based university where YTJ intern Sheila Alvarez is enrolled as a third-year student pursuing Political Science and Psychology degrees.
• San Francisco State UniversityminorOthers · 1 January 2024University where former YTJ volunteer Katerina Valderrama-Martínez graduated with Bachelor's in Psychology, and where current intern Abigail Diaz is a senior. Katerina was accepted into Sacramento State University's Rehabilitation Counseling Master's Program.
• Sacramento State UniversityminorOthers · 1 January 2024University where former YTJ respondent Dennis graduated with Bachelor's in Ethnic Studies and where Katerina Valderrama-Martínez was accepted into Rehabilitation Counseling Master's Program.
• Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership established in 2023 with East Oakland youth organization. YTJ staff and interns travel to Acta Non Verba's Oakland facility to train junior counselors on restorative practices and developing relationships through community building circles. Focuses on helping camp counselors build trust with children they supervise and deal with conflict.
• California Association of Youth CourtsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Statewide organization holding annual summer conference. YTJ staff and youth present seminars on starting youth courts and dealing with trauma impacts. YTJ youth participate on youth advisory board for the organization.
• Redlands UniversityminorOthers · 1 January 2023Host venue for the 19th Annual California Association of Youth Court Summer Conference. YTJ team presented seminars at this conference.
• Stanford Education DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Tasked by Tamalpais Unified High School District students with updating drug curriculum to include conversations about fentanyl lethality. Curriculum awaiting approval from Marin County Office of Education.
• Marin County Behavioral Health and Recovery ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Funding partner for the Student Wellness Ambassador Program (SWAP), designed in partnership with middle and high school students. YTJ serves as one of the training partners providing youth volunteers with lessons in trauma-informed practices and how to effectively run Community Building Circles.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth (RJOY): Oakland-based nonprofit that develops and advances restorative justice programs for youth impacted by the juvenile justice system in schools and communities. Highly comparable to YTJ in mission, peer-led model, and Bay Area geography.
• California Association of Youth Courts: Statewide network of youth court programs in California with which YTJ is affiliated. Operates peer-driven youth court models and convenes an annual conference directly relevant to YTJ's Peer Solutions program.
• Community Works: Bay Area nonprofit providing restorative justice programs in schools and juvenile justice settings, including youth court models. Directly comparable in mission, geography, and target population to YTJ.

Broad incumbents

• Center for Court Innovation: National nonprofit that designs and operates problem-solving courts including youth diversion and restorative justice programs (e.g., Red Hook Community Justice Center). Larger and broader scope but shares the diversion/restorative justice mission.
• International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP): International organization providing training, graduate education, and consulting in restorative practices for schools and justice systems. Comparable in advancing restorative frameworks but operates as an educational/training entity rather than direct service provider.
• National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD): National nonprofit focused on juvenile justice reform, racial equity, and alternatives to incarceration. Operates research, policy advocacy, and direct programs comparable to YTJ's mission to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline.
• National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ): Professional membership organization promoting restorative justice practice, policy, and scholarship across sectors. Comparable mission space, with NACRJ functioning as an aggregator and convener versus YTJ's direct service model.
• National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ): National judicial membership organization that promotes juvenile justice reform and operates the National Youth Court Center. Comparable at the policy and standards level that influences funding for programs like YTJ.

Regional players

• San Francisco Unified School District Restorative Justice Program: School district-led restorative justice initiative serving SFUSD schools with practices comparable to YTJ's School-Suspension Alternatives. Operates in a different county but within the same Bay Area region and student population.

Emerging players

• Be the Change Consulting: California-based consulting and training organization that supports schools and agencies implementing restorative justice practices. Comparable overlap with YTJ's school-based services and training offerings, though smaller in scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/youthtransformingjustice
• Instagraminstagram.com/youthtransformingjustice/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Youth Transforming Justice