Santa Barbara County Courthouse

Conclusions 7

• CL1 Page 97
  The drug drop box at the Santa Maria Sheriff’s Substation was not properly maintained.
• CL2 Page 98
  The Coroner’s Office urgently needs a new facility.
• CL3 Page 97
  The 2015-2016 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury wishes to express its appreciation to the law enforcement officers and support personnel that aided the Jury in the inspections of the detention facilities within Santa Barbara County. The Grand Jury inspected detention facilities throughout Santa Barbara County and was impressed with the new City of Santa Maria Police Station. However, the Grand Jury found that some of the issues identified in past years continue to be unresolved, such as overcrowding at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail, and the dismal and unhealthy condition of the Coroner’s Office facility. In addition, there were several new areas identified by this year’s Jury that need improvement, such as the police department facility in Lompoc and the Lompoc Court holding facility. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Finding 1 The drug drop box at the Santa Maria Sheriff’s Substation was not properly maintained. Recommendation 1 That the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s staff regularly monitor and maintain the new drug drop off boxes throughout the County. 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 79
• CL4 Page 98
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT Finding 2 The Coroner’s Office urgently needs a new facility. Recommendation 2 That the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors immediately allocate funding for a new facility. Finding 3 The Lompoc Court Holding Facility does not have recording capability on its video surveillance system. Recommendation 3 That the Santa Barbara County Sheriff obtain and install video recording equipment in the Lompoc Court Holding Facility. Finding 4 The Lompoc Police Department refrigerated storage for evidence is inadequate. Recommendation 4 That the Lompoc City Council provide funding for the Police Department to purchase commercial grade refrigeration and freezer units that will meet the current and future needs for evidence storage. Finding 5 The City of Lompoc’s Police Department building is inadequate for its operational needs. Recommendation 5 That the Lompoc City Council update or replace the Police Department building. REQUEST FOR RESPONSE Pursuant to California Penal Code Section 933 and 933.05, the Jury requests each entity or individual named below to respond to the enumerated findings and recommendations within the specified statutory time limit: Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors – 90 days Finding 2 Recommendation 2 Santa Barbara County Sheriff – 60 days Findings 1 and 3 Recommendations 1 and 3 80 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
• CL5 Page 99
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT City of Lompoc City Council – 90 days Findings 4 and 5 Recommendations 4 and 5 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 81
• CL6 Page 100
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT This Page Intentionally Blank 82 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
• CL7 Page 102
  LOS PRIETOS BOYS CAMP EFFECTIVE, BUT UNDERUTILIZED SUMMARY The following report is issued by the 2015 – 2016 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury regarding the operation of the Los Prietos Boys Camp (LPBC). The Jury found that the facility is well-run and constitutes a major community asset. The Jury also found that the facility is currently operating well below its maximum capacity and recommends that more youth could be served for minimal additional cost. Presently, the LPBC is not open to female juveniles. As the number of female juveniles in incarceration has increased in recent months, the LPBC could be expanded to include them in this program. The Jury found that there is a mentoring program in place for youthful offenders who live in the South County. A similar program should be made available to those who live in the North County. INTRODUCTION In January 2016, several members of the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury (Jury) made a scheduled visit to the Los Prietos Boys Camp (LPBC) as part of its annual charge under the California Penal Code, Section 919 (b), to “inquire into the condition and management of the public prisons within the county.” Throughout the visit, jurors were accompanied by the Director of Los Prietos Boys Camp (Director). Jurors questioned staff and some youth as well as the Director. All were responsive to questions the jurors asked. The Director made a presentation and provided an Informational Packet describing the curriculum including several ongoing Programs, Educational, Vocational, and Fine Arts/Special Activities. LPBC is a seven day-a-week, 24 hour a day minimum security correctional and treatment facility owned by the County of Santa Barbara (County). The LPBC is located on 17 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, 20 miles north of the City of Santa Barbara. The LPBC is operated by the County Probation Department and provides residential services to selected medium and high risk male offenders, ages 13 to 18. These offenders are considered wards of the Juvenile Court and are sent to LPBC for varying periods of time, usually between 120 and 180 days. Established in 1944, the LPBC now has a maximum capacity of 96 youth.

Observations 12

• OB1 Page 90
  General Observations Staffing The hiring process for all law enforcement agencies is lengthy due to the stringent qualifications for the positions. Recruitment has become more challenging. There are fewer applicants now than in the past. It was reported to the Jury that, out of approximately one hundred applicants who apply for vacant positions, 75 may qualify and of those 75 who pass the initial screening, 80 percent may be eliminated due to failed background checks or medical issues. The staff interviewed at all facilities were professional, courteous, and knowledgeable. The Jury recognizes the challenges that the decreased staffing has created and commends the staff for the professional manner in which they handle their law enforcement duties. Finally, the jury learned the main jail has a need for more correctional staff, especially female custody officers. Monitoring All facilities appear to make good use of video monitoring equipment, however, not all areas of the facilities have monitoring equipment installed. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Office In 1987 the County of Santa Barbara’s (County) Board of Supervisors (BOS) identified an “emergency need” to build a Coroner’s Office. The facility was built with County inmate labor. It has been in continuous operation since 1988. The forensic pathologist who had been commuting to Santa Barbara from Chicago weekly, or as needed, has been hired to work here full time. He is medically licensed in New York, Illinois, and California. The Jury was informed that autopsies are performed on victims of homicide, infants, and adults (under 55 years of age), with no known medical history and as requested. Approximately 120 autopsies are performed each year. The 2014-15 Grand Jury wrote a report identifying several issues with the existing Coroner’s Office facility. A few of the minor findings and recommendations from that Jury’s report were addressed. For example, the opening that previously existed between the office and lab has been walled off. TB testing is now in place and the staff is immunized against common pathogens. There is a backup generator that is adequate to keep refrigeration functioning during a power failure. However, the Coroner’s Office facility remains inadequate in many respects. Most importantly, the ventilation in the autopsy room continues to be deficient and the system has not yet been updated. The Jury learned that the stench can be so bad that employees have had to stand in the parking lot in order to continue working. The BOS has authorized funds to replace the ventilation system, but it is not clear at this time if it will be enough to properly retrofit the current building. Some progress has been made to assess the adequacy of the electrical system 72 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
• OB2 Page 91
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT for the proposed air handling system. Additionally, there is no transition room for staff to remove protective clothing and clean up. At this time, the staff does this outside the building in the open. These minor corrective actions already taken and those in the planning stages are not adequate long term solutions to the poor condition of the Coroner’s Office. The Jury was told that planning for a new Coroner’s Office facility has been raised to the top of the County’s capital improvement project request list. Santa Barbara County Main Jail The Main Jail (Jail) houses pretrial detainees as well as sentenced inmates. Pretrial detainees are arrestees awaiting to post bail, appear in court for arraignment, or stand trial. During the Jury’s inspection of the Jail the Jury learned that up to 75% of the inmates in jail at any time are in this classification. It is a facility with male and female offenders housed separately. While the Jail population fluctuates, the final report by CGL Companies dated October 22, 2015 states that the Jail had a rated capacity of 847 with an average daily population of 8341. The Jail receives prisoners from all areas of Santa Barbara County. The oldest section of the jail is dated and overcrowded. It has insufficient video monitoring as only the main corridors are monitored. Some inmates are sleeping in plastic structures that are on the floor and are commonly called "boats" (see Figure 1). The Jury noted the presence of bedding on the floor in the hallway of one of the newer sections. The Medium Security section was crowded and hot as there is no air conditioning in this section. Figure 1. A Typical “Boat” Other items the Jury noted include:  No drug screening, even though they have admitted drug use in the facility  Fire inspections are done annually  Religious services are provided by volunteer religious leaders The staff was professional and the jail seemed to be well run. Kitchen The newly remodeled kitchen is well designed. It is clean, has new equipment, with ample room to work, and substantial refrigeration and dry storage space. The Sheriff’s Office contracts with a private company, Aramark, for food services. The Jury learned that this service works well, with excellent staff and inmate workers. 1 Jail Staffing and Cost Analysis Santa Barbara County Final Report, CGL Companies, October 22, 2015 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 73
• OB3 Page 92
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT Medical Services Services for inmates are contracted through Corizon Health and provided by: “one full time administrator; one full time Director of Nursing; one on call physician; one subcontracted backup physician; seven full time Registered Nurses; two part time Registered Nurses; three full time Licensed Vocational Nurses; one part time Licensed Vocational Nurse; one full time Administrative Assistant; and three full time Medical Records Clerks. Complete dental facilities are provided for a dentist who is scheduled at the Jail once a week2.” The medical facility has at least one nurse on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A doctor is at the facility three half days a week and on call 24 hours a day for the rest of the week. All inmates are expected to be medically screened on intake. There is no medical dorm, but because the South Dorm is located close to the medical clinic and has wider doors, it is used to house inmates with medical needs and those with limited mobility. This area was in disarray when the Jury visited. Inmates were just standing around with bedding on the floor and the room was generally unkempt. Some inmates were sleeping on the floor with “boats” for beds. The Sheriff’s custodial staff interviewed was satisfied with the job that Corizon Health is doing, stating that “they are as good as any of the other medical service vendors.” Other As in past years, the Jury was notified of and observed overcrowded conditions in the Jail. The new Northern Branch Jail, currently scheduled to be open in 2018, will ease overcrowding. Once the new facility is operational, sections of the existing Jail may be shut down. There is a need for a rehabilitation program for long-term inmates due to AB 109 realignment. The only real job training that they can get in the facility is in the kitchen. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Substations: Santa Maria Sheriff’s Substation The Santa Maria Sheriff’s Substation is an older facility built in the 1950’s. It is slated for retirement when the Northern Branch Jail is built. The building shows signs of wear (chipped paint, dated equipment). However, it was serviceable, clean, and well maintained for the age of the structure. It was designed to house up to 40 inmates, but is currently only used to house up to ten arrestees (for a maximum of 12 hours) awaiting transfer to the Jail. Since it was downgraded to a holding facility, last year’s Jury recommendations are no longer applicable. The day of the Jury’s visit there was one arrestee with a second being processed. Both were scheduled for transfer to Santa Barbara that day. Two to three custody officers are normally on duty to handle and process the arrestees. Medical Services Along with visual observation, a medical questionnaire is completed during intake. Arrestees with a medical condition such as diabetes are not held in this facility but are immediately transferred to the Jail. Any arrestee needing urgent medical care is taken to Marian Regional Medical Center. If this occurs, medical clearance is obtained prior to transfer to the Jail. Custody officers also look at available previous booking histories for medical problems. 2 http://www.sbsheriff.org/mainjail.html 74 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
• OB4 Page 93
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT Kitchen A fully equipped kitchen is available, but is unused due to reduced numbers of inmates. Inspection records indicated that the kitchen had not been used since April 2015. Bag meals consisting of two sandwiches, fruit, and milk were available and provided daily by the Jail. During the Jury visit, labeling on packages indicated that they had been prepared that morning. Other It was observed that a medication drop box was overflowing outside the main door to the jail. This was brought to the attention of the jail staff. A follow up that day by a Jury member indicated that the drop box was still full. The Jury member followed up again the next morning, and the drop box had been emptied. The Jury is pleased that since its visit, new medication drop boxes (see Figure 2) have been installed at all County locations. Isla Vista Foot Patrol Substation The Isla Vista (IV) Foot Patrol facility has two holding cells that are seldom Figure 2 New used because detainees are transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail. The Medical Dropbox facility is relatively new, well-kept, and located strategically near the border with the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB). There are 21 Sheriff’s Deputies and office staff members assigned to the station, including two deputies on bike patrol. California Highway Patrol Officers and UCSB Campus Police collaborate on a daily basis. A new email system has been established by the IV staff called Property Email Notification (PEN) to notify property owners in advance of large gatherings in IV. This allows property owners time to place temporary protective fencing around their property to protect against vandalism. Isla Vista Halloween activities in 2015 were kept under control. Local, regional and state law enforcement were activated as in past years to deal with potentially large groups. UCSB sponsored several concerts on campus that presented alternative activities for the students. The City of Goleta and IV Foot Patrol enforced restricted parking, which provided an additional deterrent for out of town visitors. Members of the Jury who observed the Halloween activities found law enforcement personnel to be professional and patient in doing a difficult job. New Cuyama Substation There are two Sheriff’s Deputies assigned to the facility. Both were raised in New Cuyama and are active members of the community. Hence, they have a higher awareness of community problems and can quickly address them. It was reported to the Jury that although they have the same problems as the rest of the county proportionally speaking, they make fewer arrests. This is attributed to their involvement with the community. Law enforcement in New Cuyama could be used as a model of true “community policing.” The substation is an adequate facility for its use. It is a rustic looking facility, reminiscent of an old west sheriff's office with the brands of the local ranches burned into the weathered wood paneling. The single holding cell is in good condition. (see Figure 3) No discrepancies were noted. The last time the holding cell was used was in 2011 and that was for less than one hour. 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 75
• OB5 Page 94
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT The officers usually transport arrestees directly to the Santa Maria Sheriff's Substation. Solvang Substation The Solvang Sheriff’s Substation consists of a single holding cell. The facility was clean with no discrepancies noted. The facility is adequately staffed. The staff is satisfied with the facility and stated that it fulfills its purpose. The interview room doubles as a holding cell when there are females or juveniles that need to be separated from other arrestees. Figure 3 New Cuyama Sheriff's Substation Lompoc Substation The Lompoc Sheriff's Substation is located on Harris Grade Road just outside the city limits of Lompoc. Built in 2008, it is a fairly new facility. There are two interview rooms that are used as holding cells. They are secure, but since they are interview rooms, they have no toilet or washbasin. The arrestee has to be escorted to the restroom across the hallway from the interview rooms. It was reported to the Jury that the maximum hold time for an arrestee is six hours. Court Holding Facilities Lompoc Court Holding Facility, Cypress Street The holding facility consists of five cells. Three of the cells are used to separate inmates who cannot be housed with others due to gender, medical or other reasons. There is video monitoring of all the cells, but no recording capability. Other than this one issue, no other deficiencies were noted. Santa Barbara Court Holding Facility, Figueroa Street The holding facility is used to hold inmates while they wait for arraignment or trial. It is located in the basement of the Figueroa Street Courthouse. The inmates are brought from the transport vehicle through a secure area. The deputies constantly have to shuffle the inmates due to lack of space. Inmates in restraints have to be walked across Figueroa Street to the courtroom, posing a security and safety risk to the public. The facility is old and in need of updating. It is an inadequate facility. Santa Maria Court Services Holding Facility, Cook Street The Santa Maria court holding facility is an old but serviceable facility that serves the courthouse in downtown Santa Maria. The facility is only open on court days and can accommodate up to 110 inmates. No deficiencies were noted during the grand jury visit. Santa Barbara County Probation Department: La Posada Juvenile Hall, Santa Barbara La Posada is currently used as a temporary holding facility in Santa Barbara for the South County juvenile offenders held at the Santa Maria Juvenile Justice Center while they wait to attend court. There is a small courtroom used several times a week for the juveniles. This facility was previously the juvenile facility for the entire county. 76 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
• OB6 Page 95
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT The facility has 60 cells which can accommodate up to six juveniles each, if needed. This facility has also been used when the Los Prietos Boys Camp was evacuated due to fires. There is a large modern kitchen, which can prepare a large number of meals three times a day. Susan J. Gionfriddo Juvenile Justice Center, Santa Maria This is a maximum security facility for youthful offenders, both male and female, ranging from 12 to 18 years of age. The facility has six units with a total capacity of 140. At the time of the Jury’s visit, there were 54 minors in custody with an average age of 16 years. Medical services are available seven days per week and are contracted with Corizon Health. The facility has an extensive video surveillance system that is monitored centrally by a Sheriff’s Deputy who also controls the movement at each doorway. The Juvenile Justice Center is sufficiently staffed. All areas were clean and well maintained. The older section is used for special group programs for females. No discrepancies were noted. Los Prietos Boys Camp Los Prietos Boys Camp was established in 1944. It is located on seventeen acres in the Los Padres National Forest. It is a correctional/treatment program for males between the ages of 13 and 18. The facility is clean, in good condition, and well organized. The camp is well-staffed and well run. It currently has 47 staff members who supervise approximately 50 boys. It was reported to the Jury that the camp has the capability of housing approximately twice that number of youth and is underutilized. The youth are remanded by the court for either a 120-day or a 180-day program. However, they can be there for up to a year depending on their behavior. The camp is run in a military style with a rigid schedule. This provides structure in the lives of boys who may not have had such structure before. The Santa Barbara County Education Office operates Los Robles High School onsite. The school provides remedial education and helps the youth to continue their high school education while at the camp. High school graduates are offered online college course work. In addition, there is work experience and vocational training in the areas of culinary arts, forestry, wood cutting and splitting for resale, and print shop operations. Scholarships offered by local service organizations are available for camp youth to continue their education. The camp has many counseling programs and services to help the boys prepare to reenter society. Medical and mental health services are contracted through Corizon Health. It was reported to the Jury that almost all of the boys at the camp are there for drug related offenses. Los Prietos Boys Camp is a model for what can be done to help troubled youth in contrast to incarceration only. Municipal Jails City of Lompoc Jail This facility was opened in 1959, has seven cells and is rated for 23 beds. Three cells are designated for females, one of which is a sobering cell. Four cells are designated for males, one of which is a sobering cell. There is also a booking area, a small kitchen, and a sally port, which is a secure, controlled entryway for the intake and transfer of prisoners. Meals are commercial, retail, prepackaged, and frozen (TV dinners). The Jury was told a new software system is 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 77
• OB7 Page 96
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT scheduled to be installed that would update their booking process. There is a motion sensing video monitoring system for the hallways that only comes on and records when it senses movement. On December 3, 2015, the staff of the California Board of State and Community Corrections conducted its 2014-2016 biennial inspection of the Lompoc City Jail. It was found to be compliant with fire inspection, heath inspection, and physical plant inspection. The inspection found the facility to be compliant in all areas in regard to policies, procedures, and practices. It was noted that “The Jail was clean and well-kept.”3 Lompoc Police Department The Lompoc Police Department building was built in 1987 around the preexisting jail. The building has exceeded its planned operational capacity. Several closets have been converted to offices. Dispatch has two workstations that are so close to each other that conversations can be heard over both telephone lines when operators are communicating with officers and callers. The furniture and equipment in dispatch needs to be replaced. There is not enough storage space in the evidence room. Several home-style refrigerator/freezers are being used and are full. The evidence room needs commercial sized refrigerated storage. The Lompoc Police Department has difficulty recruiting new officers because they cannot offer the wages and benefits competitive with departments in other areas of the county and state. The department is using interns to convert all their hardcopy records to digital. All of these issues need to be promptly addressed by the Lompoc City Council who should begin planning to update and or replace this structure. City of Santa Barbara Jail The Santa Barbara Police Department has two holding cells, which are clean, but dated. There is acoustical foam on the ceiling to limit the noise. There is video surveillance of the cells. The cells are used to detain arrestees until they can be transported to the Jail. There are several interview rooms, which are small, but serve their purpose. Arrestees with medical issues are taken to Cottage Hospital for evaluation and treatment prior to final processing. No discrepancies were noted. City of Santa Maria Jail The Santa Maria Police Department that serves a population of over 102,000 people is located in a new, state of the art facility converted from a former aerospace building. The City Council of Santa Maria and the police chief have shown fiscal responsibility in the funding and use of the facility. The department receives additional funding by leasing server space and communication bandwidth to other public service entities. The facility is not completed. It is operational; but cameras, a shooting range, and a few minor projects are still in progress. The facility represents a huge improvement over the old facility, which was built in 1953 for a community of less than 15,000 people. 3 Board of State and Community Corrections, 2014-2016 Biennial Inspection, Lompoc Police Department, January 7, 2016 78 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
• OB8 Page 97
  DETENTION FACILITIES REPORT The holding facility is used for booking and short-term holds until the arrestee can be transferred. The two cells, designed to hold up to eight arrestees, were unoccupied at the time of the Jury’s visit. The medical intake procedure consists of a verbal questionnaire form as well as observations by the processing officer. The detainees with medical issues are referred to Marian Regional Medical Center. No food is served at the facility since arrestees are only there for a few hours. City of Guadalupe “Secure Bench” The City of Guadalupe does not have a holding cell but has a secured bench, (see Figure 4) that is used to restrain arrestees while they are being booked. The arrestees are processed and transported directly to the Santa Maria Sheriff's Substation or the Jail. If an arrestee is violent or uncooperative, they are kept in a patrol vehicle until transported. The area that includes the bench has video surveillance. The only issue noted was the transport time, which can take a police officer out of the city for extended periods. It was reported to the Jury that on the day before its visit, the turnaround time to take an arrestee to the Jail took nine hours due to the travel distance and the Figure 4 The “Secure Bench" time it took to obtain medical clearances. When the Northern Branch Jail is built, it will alleviate the extended turnaround time problem
• OB9 Page 103
  Recidivism Rate Even though it is currently operating well below capacity, the LPBC has proven to be a good investment of taxpayer funds. The recidivism rate of the LPBC graduates is well below the state average. The Jury believes that the LPBC recidivism rate is also well below the rate of those youthful offenders processed through County juvenile hall. However, because of the complexity of the calculations, the Jury was unable to obtain quantitative evidence to support this belief. In order to compare rates for different facilities, identical calculation methodology is required. The Jury found that different methodologies exist at the State and Federal levels and even between facilities within the county. The County Probation Department is aware of this shortcoming and is working actively to implement a uniform recidivism computation and reporting methodology. The following table shows the recidivism rate of LPBC graduates for calendar year 2014. The data is sorted by court location. The recidivism rate is calculated using any re-offenses (not including technical probation violations), during 2014 of graduates from the LPBC from 2012 through 2014. 84 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
• OB10 Page 104
  LOS PRIETOS BOYS CAMP Table 1. Recidivism Rate by Court Location Santa Barbara Lompoc Santa Maria Total Total LPBC Graduates 108 60 104 272 Number of Graduates with No 76 44 74 194 Re-Offensesa Number of Recidivists (One or 32 16 30 78 More Re-Offenses) During 3 Year period Percent Recidivism 30% 27% 29% 29% a This includes 19 youth with a technical probation violation. As mentioned earlier, the recidivism rate for LPBC graduates is much lower than that of California as a whole. The three-year California juvenile recidivism rates for the six year period ending in 2007 are shown on Figure 11. Although it has declined somewhat since 2007, the statewide rate as of 2008 exceeded 70%. The comparable figure for LPBC graduates in 2014 was 29%. Figure 1. Juvenile Recidivism Rates for California Preadmission Screening This low recidivism rate is partially due to the intensive screening process used to evaluate 12012 Outcome Evaluation Report, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Office of Research, October 2012 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 85
• OB11 Page 105
  LOS PRIETOS BOYS CAMP candidates before admission which includes a medical/physical examination. The most current LPBC Screening form is attached as Appendix A. In addition, the process includes psychological evaluations and mental health history to determine suitability. LPBC personnel also interview youth to determine their level of maturity and commitment to complete the program. In 2015, 121 youthful offenders were referred for admission suitability evaluation. Of these candidates, 11 (or 9%) were rejected. Rejections occurred either because of the type of offense (arsonists and sex offenders are not eligible), a physical problem, or because the sentence was too short for the program to be effective. Other Support Programs A major study of the effectiveness of various intervention and treatment programs was conducted by M. W. Lipsey, Director, Peabody Research Institute at Vanderbilt University in 20092. His conclusions are: “Counseling interventions had the largest positive effects on recidivism decreasing it by 13%, followed by Multiple coordinated services (12%), and Skill building programs (12%). The counseling interventions that were most effective were group-based, mentoring focused, and those that had mixed combinations of various types of counseling.” To their credit, LPBC staff have implemented a number of support programs designed to assist the youth in their care in recognizing how their behavior contributed to their incarceration, and, more importantly, how they can modify their behavior in the future. These programs include: individual and family counseling, Moral Reconation Therapy, three different substance abuse counseling programs, a weekly public speaking and leadership skills program, and the “Aftercare” program which helps youth transition back into the community. LPBC also provides some vocational training and a rigorous online education program (Los Robles High School) that operates 12 months of the year and is administered by the Santa Barbara County Education Office. Freedom 4Youth, a non-profit corporation, offers a post incarceration mentorship program that is only available to youth who live in South County. This or a similar mentorship program should be offered to North County youth, as well. These worthy programs are well documented elsewhere and will not be discussed further in this report. Economic Analysis The Jury believes that the Los Prietos Boy’s Camp is run effectively and efficiently and is a significant asset to the community. The LPBC operating cost is more than offset by savings to society resulting from the higher education level and lower recidivism rate of young men that have participated in the LPBC program. During 2015, an average of 37 young men were held in custody at LPBC at any given time. This utilization rate is about 70 percent of one dormitory’s possible holding capacity (without making 2 Victims & Offenders, Volume 4, Issue 2, April 2009, pages 124-147, The Primary Factors That Characterized Effective Interventions With Juvenile Offenders: A Meta-Analytic Overview, Lipsey, M. W. 86 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
• OB12 Page 106
  LOS PRIETOS BOYS CAMP capital expenditures). This equates to an approximate annual cost of $151,000 per occupant3 ($414/day). This is $32,000 less than the $183,000 ($501/day) per occupant to incarcerate a youth at Juvenile Hall. The LPBC facility includes two dormitories. One dormitory, in use currently, is capable of housing 52 youth at a time. The second dormitory, currently not in use, could house an additional 44 youth, for a total of 96 youth if both facilities were placed in operation. The smaller, second dormitory, once known as the Boys Academy, was used to house the youngest offenders, keeping them separate from the older boys. It closed three years ago because of a decrease in the number of younger juvenile offenders. This dormitory could be used if the program were expanded to house females, keeping them separate from the boys. California State regulations regarding facility staffing levels also affect the LPBC housing capacity. Current staff is able to care for a maximum of 50 youth. Any youth population greater than 50 would require hiring additional staff. The LPBC annual operating costs, ($5.6 M for fiscal year 2015-16) can be divided into two categories: variable and fixed. The variable costs are proportional to the number of youth and include items such as food, medical care, uniforms, and transportation. The fixed costs are the cost of the physical plant, the beds, buildings, lockers, showers, etc. As discussed above, a sharp cost increase occurs at about 50 inmates, due to the requirement to open the second dormitory. Because of State regulations, cost of the staff is considered a fixed cost for the sake of this discussion, when 50 or fewer youth are housed. As an example, adding or subtracting one inmate would not affect the size of the staff. The cost/inmate, however (the total annual facility operating cost divided by the number of students) decreases as shown in Table 2 since the fixed expenses are amortized over a larger number of inmates. Table 2 LPBC Incarceration Cost vs. Number of Youth No. of 20 30 37 40 50 55 60 70 80 Youth Total 5.08 5.30 5.60 5.66 5.88 10.00 a 10.20 a 10.40 a 10.60 a Cost (Million $) Annual 254,000 176,667 151,351 141,500 117,600 181,818 170,000 148,571 132,500 Cost Per Inmate ($) a Estimated As mentioned earlier, average LPBC utilization in 2015 was 37 youth, as shown in Table 2 with cost/inmate of approximately $151,000. Total facility operating cost is approximately $5.6 million. Capacity exists at LPBC to increase utilization of the facility by 30% without increasing operating cost significantly. If the facility were operating near maximum capacity, housing 48 3 $5.6 M LPBC annual budget for an average of 37 incarcerated youth for 2015. 2015-16 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 87

No Responses Found 5

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