Issue | Background | Findings | Conclusions | Recommendations | Responses | Attachments Camp Glenwood Should Remain An

Conclusions 15

• CL1 Page 4
  The review process, utilized by Probation in partnership with the Court, maximizes a youth’s chance for community integration and minimizes recidivism.
• CL2 Page 4
  The increased ratio of two counselors to fifteen juveniles has reduced the number of walk-aways.
• CL3 Page 4
  A significant number of juveniles have a host of mental, social, and emotional disorders. An allocation of a full-time mental health professional for forty hours per week would allow for additional juveniles to receive needed counseling.
• CL4 Page 4
  The San Mateo County Sheriff‘s Office’s community alert system has been effective, although it is still difficult to ascertain which walk-aways are from Glenwood and which are from San Francisco County’s Log Cabin Ranch juvenile facility.
• CL5 Page 4
  The San Mateo County Probation Department’s (Probation) development and implementation of its new policies and procedures and the “30-Day Assessment Plan” have been effective by reducing the number of walk-aways since the time of the homicide that resulted from a Camp Glenwood (Glenwood) walk-away in August 2008.
• CL6 Page 4
  Fencing Glenwood will not prevent escapes altogether. A perimeter fence would be a negative factor because it would change Glenwood’s culture from an honor camp to a fenced facility. Furthermore, with a fenced facility, the possibility of sentencing youth who have committed more serious crimes may be an issue that could compromise the purpose of this honor camp.
• CL7 Page 4
  Some aspects of the physical facility, including the buildings’ roof and plumbing, are past their normal life span. Probation should begin much needed repairs to prevent catastrophic failures that might suddenly and indefinitely close Glenwood. However, with the current economic conditions, San Mateo County may not have sufficient financial resources to make all of the necessary repairs in year one, but Probation can begin needed repairs with available funds.
• CL8 Page 4
  Continue to keep Camp Glenwood (Glenwood) as an unfenced honor camp. Response: Agree. This recommendation has been implemented. The Probation Department agrees that fencing Camp Glenwood or otherwise making it a secure custody environment would lead to a shift in the focus of the camp. One of the keys to the success of the camp is that there is an environment focused on treatment and counseling. Securing the grounds would limit staff efforts to guide youth toward self-control and positive decision-making. As noted in the Grand Jury Report, the department developed and implemented a protocol to assess a youth after his first 30 days to determine whether he is suitable for the camp program. The youth returns to court after the first month and staff present their assessment. The court then makes a decision about whether the youth should remain at the camp. In addition, as noted above, Probation has implemented new procedures to respond quickly in the event that a youth tries to leave the grounds. These procedures include timely notification of the Sheriff’s Office and Probation field supervision officers, so that youth can be located quickly and safely.
• CL9 Page 4
  Evaluate the capital improvement plan to consider allocating funds to repair critical areas to the facility to avoid potential catastrophic failures, which may result in long-term costly repairs. Response: Agree. This recommendation will be implemented. The Probation Department’s Capital Improvement Plan, which was submitted in February 2008, has been granted preliminary approval for $3.28 million over the next five years. The plan still must obtain final approval from the Board of Supervisors in the September revision process for the County’s budget. Probation anticipates working with the Department of Public Works thereafter to triage critical improvements to the buildings and grounds.
• CL10 Page 5
  Maintain a staff ratio of two counselors to fifteen juveniles. Response: Agree, but this recommendation cannot be implemented at this time. While the Probation Department agrees that the 2:15 staff-youth ratio would lead to improved outcomes for youth, it will be unable to maintain the increased level of staffing due to budget constraints. However, the Department will stay in compliance with state supervision guidelines. Also, the Department reassigned two additional staff from the Juvenile Services Division to provide roaming security on the late afternoon / evening shift, the time when youth are more likely to leave the camp.
• CL11 Page 5
  Direct the County Manager to work with the San Mateo County Probation Department (Probation) to budget and allocate funds for a full-time mental health professional at Glenwood. Response: Agree. This recommendation will be implemented. The County Manager’s Office and the Probation Department engage in regular collaboration on all aspects of Department operations. The Department’s 2009-10 budget provides for an increase in existing mental health services; providing one full-time Marriage and Family Therapist II (MFT). The increase will be funded through the Youthful Offender Block Grant, which is provided by the state as a result of the gradual closure of Department of Juvenile Justice facilities. In addition to the full-time MFT, Youth and Family Enrichment Services, a community-based organization, already provides some youth with drug and alcohol counseling and group sessions.
• CL12 Page 5
  Work with the Chief Probation Officer to ensure that the “30-Day Assessment Plan” is followed. Provide a semi-annual report that includes audit assessment as to the appropriate youth who are in the camp to the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission. Response: Agree. This recommendation has been partly implemented. As described above, the Probation Department implemented 30-day assessments of youth who are sent to Camp Glenwood. At this time, the process is working smoothly. The Chief Probation Officer will meet with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission to determine the content and format of the audit assessment.
• CL13 Page 10
  Work with the Chief Probation officer and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, on an as-needed basis, to ensure that Probation’s policies and procedures and security assessments are preventing as many walk-aways as possible. Response: Agree. This recommendation has been implemented. The Sheriff’s Office completed a comprehensive security assessment of the camp in January 2008 and again in the summer of 2009. As required by state guidelines, the Department will work with the Sheriff’s Office Countywide Security Unit to do annual assessments of all three Probation residential facilities for youth. In addition, Probation will work with Countywide Security regarding any capital improvements. In terms of policies and procedures, this fall Probation will be training all institutions staff (permanent and Extra Help) in policies and procedures, safety and security practices, and emergency procedures. This training will include policies regarding youth who leave Probation’s camps unsupervised.
• CL14 Page 5
  Work with the Chief Probation Officer to develop an objective measure of success by tracking the juveniles after leaving Glenwood to see whether they have been incarcerated by the County or anywhere else in the United States. Response: Partially agree. Unfortunately this recommendation cannot be implemented because of legal, technical, and logistical barriers. Youth who successfully complete Camp Glenwood are usually terminated from probation. At that point, the Department loses jurisdiction and their right to privacy returns to full force and effect. In addition, there is no nationwide or even local cross-departmental database to determine if Camp Glenwood graduates are rearrested in San Mateo County or elsewhere.
• CL15 Page 5
  Continue to work with the Chief Probation Officer to evaluate other models to successfully operate honor camps. Response: Agree. This recommendation has been implemented. In the past year, staff toured Sonoma’s boys camp and Santa Clara County’s James Ranch. The Sonoma camp puts a heavy emphasis on vocational programming and rehabilitation. James Ranch has implemented the Missouri Model of low staff-youth ratios and a home-like environment. Probation staff plans to continue visits to other best-practice sites. Finally, this

No Responses Found 3

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