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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Imperial County Grand Jury • 2007-2008

Imperial County Juvenile Hall

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Findings 17 findings

F1 Page 42
The Chief Probation Officer (has jurisdiction over both adult and juvenile programs)
F2
The Chief Deputy Probation Officer (in charge of the Juvenile Division) 29
F3 Page 43
The Facility Manager (in charge of Juvenile Hall facility and staff) During the interview and tour of the facility, the following was discovered: Control One
F4 Page 43
All youths arrive in Control 1 for receiving, classifying (knowing their situation or risk), room assignment and educational placement. Every youth receives a medical check within 72 hours of arriving.
F5 Page 43
The on-site health clinic has a nurse whose time is divided between Juvenile Hall and the Betty Jo Mc Neece Receiving Home. Two Physician Assistants are available as needed. If a service cannot be provided at Juvenile Hall, the youth is transported to El Centro Regional Medical Center for the necessary service.
F6 Page 43
Control 1 has single or double occupancy rooms, bathrooms (with no privacy doors), laundry rooms, showers, and recreation areas. All areas are monitored with cameras and/or staff.
F7
The dining room is clean. All youths can have a second or even a third serving if there is food left. All meals are planned by a nutritionist.
F8 Page 43
The kitchen is located in the Control 1 building. The concrete kitchen floor is uneven and worn. Other than the floor, the kitchen area was clean, and organized. Control Two
F9 Page 43
Control 2 is designed to house youth that have shown improved behavior and respect towards staff. Control 2 has 100 Square Foot single or double occupancy rooms, bathrooms, showers, laundry rooms, and recreation/dining areas. The kitchen brings food and utensils to the youth in the recreation areas. All areas are monitored with cameras and/or staff. The youth stay in the dorm areas for safety and security.
F10 Page 43
Education classes are provided for all youth and are held in Control 2. The Education staff consists of teachers and instructional assistants from the Imperial County Office of Education (ICOE), Alternative Education, Resource Specialist Assistants (RSP), Imperial Valley College Work Study students, and a Records Clerk. The youth are given a Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) for placement and resource transcripts from the school they attended. The computers and other educational tools requested by the staff have enhanced their achievements.
F11
A Drug and Alcohol counselor is on staff. Due to economic cutbacks, the counselor is only available three times during the week.
F12 Page 43
Youth are assigned rooms by infraction, temperament and gender. Girls and boys are together except for shower/bath times. A grievance system is in place for the youths to use. The number of grievances is very low due to the fact that the youth understand the rules and what is expected of them. The experienced staffs have training and experience in handling situations as they occur. The County Office of Education and the El Centro Public Library donate books to the facility. Outdoor activities consist of soccer, basketball, baseball, and volleyball. Programs
F13 Page 44
The Girls Club – Family Solutions, (previously known as Women Haven) comes every Wednesday to talk, counsel and educate the girls on issues affecting them.
F14 Page 44
Point System – Points are acquired for good behavior, being helpful, doing something extra, etc. These points can be used to make a phone call or buy snacks.
F15 Page 44
Grandparent Program – This program is in place through the Betty Jo McNeece Receiving Home and Community School. ƒ Catholic Charities Grant pays senior citizens for 6 hours. ƒ Senior citizens work with the youth individually. They help with education, art, music, etc.
F16 Page 44
RSP Programs - The Resource (RSP) program provides a mainstream curriculum in a small class setting. Students in RSP classes are expected to complete the same core subjects as mainstream students, which include passing the SAT eight or nine.
F17 Page 44
Peers Court Program – Youth (not those in the program) are the prosecutors, defendants, and jury with a Juvenile Judge overseeing the courtroom. Brawley, Calexico, and both El Centro high Schools, along with the Westmorland and Calexico Junior High Schools participate in the program. Some of the schools give class credit for participating. Youths who go through this program only have a 2% return rate. Sentencing can be community service, a tour of prison/jail, or a tour of Juvenile Hall. Conclusion The facility is well organized, orderly and clean. The staff know their jobs and work well together. The staffs that were interviewed enjoy their jobs and are proud of how well the youth do in the facility. The guards visibly hold a strong presence of authority.

Recommendations 2