LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeWelfare and Institutions CodeDiv. 2.5Ch. 1Art. 4§ 1771 Juvenile Offender Release Age

§ 1771 Juvenile Offender Release Age

Welfare and Institutions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 1771 Juvenile Offender Release Age

Key Takeaways

  • •If a young person is sent to a juvenile facility for a serious crime, they are usually released when they turn 25, unless a court says they need to stay longer.
  • •For some serious crimes committed after July 1, 2012, the person is released after 2 years or when they turn 23, whichever comes later.
  • •For very serious crimes (like those that would mean 7+ years in adult court), the person is released after 2 years or when they turn 25, whichever comes later.
  • •These rules don’t apply to people sent to juvenile facilities before July 1, 2018, for certain crimes.

Example

A 17-year-old is sent to a juvenile facility for robbing a store with a weapon in 2020.

Since this is a serious crime, the person will be released after 2 years or when they turn 23, whichever is later. If they turn 21 during those 2 years, they’ll stay until they turn 23.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 1771 Juvenile Offender Release Age

(a) A person who is convicted of a felony and committed to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities, shall be discharged when he or she attains 25 years of age, unless an order for further detention has been made by the committing court pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 1800) or unless a petition is filed under Article 5 (commencing with Section 1780). If a petition under Article 5 (commencing with Section 1780) is filed, the division shall retain control until the final disposition of the proceeding under Article 5 (commencing with Section 1780). (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a person who is committed by a juvenile court to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities, on or after July 1, 2012, and who is found to be a person described in Section 602 by reason of the commission of an offense listed in subdivision (b) of Section 707, shall be discharged upon the expiration of a two-year period of control, or when the person attains 23 years of age, whichever occurs later, unless an order for further detention has been made by the committing court pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 1800). This subdivision does not apply to a person who is committed to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities, by a juvenile court prior to July 1, 2012, pursuant to subdivision (a). (c) (1) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) or (b), a person who is committed by the juvenile court to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities, on or after July 1, 2018, and who is found to be a person described in Section 602 by reason of the commission of an offense listed in subdivision (c) of Section 290.008 of the Penal Code or subdivision (b) of Section 707 of this code, shall be discharged upon the expiration of a two-year period of control, or when the person attains 23 years of age, whichever occurs later, unless an order for further detention has been made by the committing court pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 1800) of Chapter 1 of Division 2.5. (2) A person who at the time of adjudication of a crime or crimes would, in criminal court, have faced an aggregate sentence of seven years or more, shall be discharged upon the expiration of a two-year period of control, or when the person attains 25 years of age, whichever occurs later, unless an order for further detention has been made by the committing court pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 1800) of Chapter 1 of Division 2.5. (3) This subdivision does not apply to a person who is committed to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities, or to a person who is confined in a state hospital or other appropriate public or private mental health facility by a court prior to July 1, 2018, pursuant to subdivision (a). (d) The amendments to this section made by Chapter 342 of the Statutes of 2012 shall apply retroactively. (Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 36, Sec. 37. (AB 1812) Effective June 27, 2018.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

detentionsentencejuvenile facilitiesrehabilitationcommissioncrimefelonyoffense

Related Statutes

  • § 1769 Juvenile Commitment Discharge Rules
  • § 1752.16 Juvenile Housing Contracts
  • § 1732.6 Minor Sentencing To Youth Authority
  • § 1766.2 Juvenile Parole Release Timing
  • § 1768.8 Youth Authority Inmate Assault Penalties

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Welfare and Institutions Code. Section 1771.
View Official Source