Books Not Bars targets California's youth prisons, which are frequently described as "draconian lockup units" under the authority of the California Division of Juvenile Justice, or DJJ. The campaign focuses on the fact that inside the DJJ, formerly known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), young people are subjected to unusually harsh conditions, as instances of 23-hour-a-day solitary confinement for months at a time, lock-ups in small cages during class time and denial of basic medical care are common. At least five young people have died since 2004 in these prisons.