- SKU: 9781477272572
- BARCODE: 9781477272572
- VENDOR: BooksCloud
Quest: The California Youth Authority's Golden Years - Hardcover
Couldn't load pickup availability
Description
by Robert L. Smith (Author)
In Praise of Quest
QUEST is a must read for everyone concerned with youth corrections programs. It chronicles the rise and fall of the California Youth Authority, and tells of those who strove to make better a vital social system in a fatally politicized government structure. The author combines historical details about evolving corrections' theory, research, strategic events and most important the people, delivered with the spot-on wit of an accomplished storyteller. Set during several of the most turbulent decades in our nation's history, he describes how the youth corrections system works, or not, from the bottom up, and concludes his exposition with a series of insightful propositions for citizens, correctional administrators, and politicians wanting to avoid repeating past mistakes. Dale R. Brown, PhD, Colonel (ret), U.S. Army
QUEST is the history of the California Youth Authority and the career of the author from 1941 -1976, from trainee to deputy director. The story he shares is about the strong and interesting people he met along the way, individuals, and leaders, who took an abstract idea about administering a program for troubled youth and its subsequent development into a premier youth correctional agency recognized and admired nationally and internationally. Having worked with him during the "Golden Years," I can assure the reader that his unique writing style lets you share the Quest in triumph and failure. It is an important book for anyone interested in improving the administration of criminal and juvenile justice. Ronald W. Hayes, Deputy Director (ret), California Youth Authority
QUEST is graphic review by an insider of the "rise and fall" of the California Youth Authority. From its beginning, the Youth Authority was recognized, nationally and internationally, for the extensive innovative, progressive programs for youthful offenders. Smith's recollections of this period offer valuable personal insights into its growth and equally valuable observations as to why the agency would later experience a downward spiral to extinction. It is well written and documented, and a major contribution to corrections, criminology, and an informed public. Robert E Keldgord, Chief Probation Officer, Sacramento (ret), Criminologist
Reviews
Exceptional Support and Clean Code
I was impressed by how fast the support team responded to my questions. Even as someone with basic coding knowledge, I found the theme incredibly easy to work with. The code is well-organized, and everything runs smoothly.
Reliable Theme with Excellent Customer Service
After trying multiple themes, I finally chose Wokiee — and haven’t looked back. It’s reliable, modern, and easy to customize without coding. What impressed me most was their support team: fast, helpful, and willing to assist even with third-party issues. That level of service is rare!
Beautiful Design and Great Flexibility
Wokiee is hands down the best Shopify theme I’ve used. The design options are stunning and fully customizable. I was able to build a high-converting store without any external developers.
Top-Notch Support and Regular Updates
The customer support team is incredible — helpful, responsive, and very professional. They’ve helped me resolve everything from layout tweaks to app integrations. Plus, the theme is regularly updated with new features.
Amazing Customization Options"!
Wokiee gave me full creative control over my store’s layout and visuals. The theme’s design blocks are so flexible that I could create something truly unique — without touching a single line of code.
High-Quality Theme with Professional Code
You can tell Wokiee was built by pros. The code is clean and optimized for performance. No bloated features — just what you need. My store loads fast and looks great on all devices.