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Judge Bruce Chan honored for leading young‑adult court model
Summary
Judge Bruce Chan received an Aranda Award for founding San Francisco’s Young Adult Court, a decade‑old program providing wraparound services (housing, education, therapy) for 18–25 year olds; presenters said about 200 graduates have completed the program.
Judge Bruce Chan of the San Francisco Superior Court received the Aranda Access to Justice Award for creating and leading the Young Adult Court, a collaborative justice model focused on rehabilitation and supports for 18‑ to 25‑year‑olds. Presenters described the court as a coordinated program offering housing support, therapy, education and employment assistance to address trauma and systemic disadvantage.
Chan described the court’s model of frequent participation and individualized planning: participants come to court regularly early in the program, set goals and are held accountable while staff help solve practical problems such as housing, health care, identification documents and education. Presenters and the honoree noted the program’s reported results: "10 on, 200 graduates later, we've made 1 small step in tryin' to right a wrong," Chan said, summarizing a decade of work and the court’s objective of reducing recidivism by addressing underlying needs.
Speakers emphasized that the court’s approach is rooted in neuroscience about brain development in transitional‑age youth and in community‑based services rather than punishment. The award citation highlighted Chan’s work bringing the model to other jurisdictions and his role in founding Asian American Recovery Services and juvenile drug treatment efforts in San Francisco. The ceremony presented video tributes and multiple colleagues who called the Young Adult Court a national model.
