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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
• 2015-2016
of Investigation: Imperial County Juvenile Hall
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 4 findings
F1
Page 25
There is no permanently designated private room where confidential intake and orientation interviews with wards are done. Presently an available room in Dorm #3 is being used for this purpose. Prior to this dorm being used, intake orientation was held in the open center control room with multiple distractions and no privacy.
F2
Page 26
Paperwork is a problem and getting bigger as data is required to be input on the clients into two databases, the state CWS and the local database. POs must keep notes as they work with clients in remote locations throughout the day.
F3
Page 27
While some services are provided through Behavioral Health Services, many needs of the clients are not being met in Imperial County. Some of these needs are being met by placements outside of Imperial County, but others are not met due to lack of programs addressed to minors. Specifically, more preventive programs in the areas of drug and alcohol abuse, anger management, other mental health issues, and parenting are sorely needed. For example, there is no detox facility for minors in Imperial County, nor are there programs that address needs beyond the scope of our Behavioral Health Services Department.
F4
Page 27
POs know that their clients won’t succeed if they miss court dates and appointments with health and behavioral services. The clients come from homes without cars or access to transportation. For these reasons, the POs often provide the transportation necessary to get clients to the appointments.
Recommendations 4
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R1Page 25A plan be put in place so that there is always a designated private room to conduct the intake and orientation interviews. This is the only way for staff to insure a minor will talk openly if he/she has a confidential issue and that the orientation is conducted without distractions or eavesdropping. Overview – Probation: On January 20, 2016 a committee of the Imperial County CGJ met with Probation Officers (POs) serving the Juvenile Clients. They provided an overview of the process and answered many questions on services provided or lacking to reach their goals. The overall goal of the Probation Officers is to get their clients off probation and performing successfully back in their school and home environments. One Probation employee is assigned to screen all of the clients as they are assigned to the Probation Department (PD). A recommendation is made to the Court and, if assigned to Probation, they fall into one of three categories: (1) Informal Probation – new offenders, 6 months (2) Deferred Intra Judgment – 12 months (being adjudicated or investigated) (3) Formal Probation – 12 months and longer. Field POs are assigned by geographical areas to save on travel times since they cover a large area and visit to clients and their environment often. Since POs clients are minors, they deal with parents, schools, family members, other agencies and the regional center. AB 12 I a foster care program with additional services like special housing, ROP, special or remedial education or mental health services. This is their guide for their compliance goals. Reaching their goal requires facilitating a change in the environment as much as the individual. Success is reached in little steps: getting a client off heroin, getting a client to stay in school, or getting a guardian to get a client to an appointment for needed services. POs assigned to Placement deals with many facilities most of the out of the area and many out of the state. These are group homes certified by the state of California to provide specific behavioral, mental health issues, or physical needs. The Imperial Valley POs deal with placements in homes in Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Arizona in addition to California. The only services available to their clients in Imperial County are provided by Behavioral Health Services. Many other services addressing such issues as additional drug or psychiatric needs have been discontinued over the years due to lack of funding. Conclusion – Probation: CGJ members on this committee concluded that the Probation Department staff assigned to juvenile clients is dedicated and doing an excellent job of providing the services and guidance their clients need in order to succeed with limited resources available in Imperial County.
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R2Page 27Technology can greatly increase the efficiency of the POs and eliminate duplicate paperwork. It can also enable the POs to make more thorough reports if input at the time rather than later in the day or week when they get back to the office. Photos, if required, can be taken as needed. The jury recommends the POs have tablets to make notes and connect to databases. They can be used for many things to increase efficiency and better use of the POs time.
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R3Page 27The jury recommends funding through possible grants be researched to provide more needed programs addressing the needs of the juvenile probation clients in Imperial County. We also recommend other funding within the state and county budgets be examined to find ways to provide some of the programs necessary to allow the PO’s clients to succeed and thus avoid prison as adults.
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R4Page 27Consider establishing a program providing transportation vouchers to be used by clients to attend necessary appointments and services or an arrangement with IV Transit for a van or small bus transportation system that can be scheduled and relied on to be on time. Response Required: A written response is required ninety days from the date of public release of this report.