This is the first installment of our new series Local Perspective where Malibu residents and concerned citizens chime in on the issues affecting the community.
BoS, Probation Department Quietly Plan to Move DJJ Offenders To CVK, Malibu Location
Submitted by: Concerned Malibu
Preparation to transfer Department of Justice Juveniles (DJJ) to the Los Angeles County’s Campus Vernon Kilpatrick location in Malibu are underway.
The Board of Supervisors (BoS) proposal to transfer violent youth offenders to its Camp Scott and Scudder locations failed when the people of the surrounding Saugus, California community brought strong resistance when their concerns could not be abated at the townhall held to court the idea of placing such incarcerated youth offenders at the now closed locations.
The Probation Department’s improper facilitation of its current youth offender population is also concerning due to the uptick of staff assaults by youth offenders against deputized staff in the facilitation of their duties.
“It’s all fluff from the Supervisors on down. How are you investigating a department-trained officer who has no other reference than policy and training. Their whole plan is to abandon youth supervision and dope these kids up.” laments a current employee. She is referencing “behavior modifiers” (drugs) administered to youth who already struggle with substance abuse issues.
The Department is helmed by failed leadership and practices that directly undermine its college-degreed staff trained in methodologies and practices by the very Department whom will reprimand and investigate officers for instituting their trained methodologies toward hyper-violent, gang-affiliated youth who clash against rival gang members.
“I feel safer on the streets as a citizen than a DSO [Detention Services Officer] in the halls” said former employee.
“All I was trained and hired to do was undermined the moment I was assigned to Central Juvenile Hall,” says another.
Both of whom had their fill and resigned citing mismanagement from the BoS, pressuring the Department to allow outside agencies bent on managing violent youth offenders through idealized mental health approaches and “designer” medicines that are simply masked narcotics with severe long-term adverse effects.
The Hug-A-Thug Program is a failure!
Compounding these realities is the Department’s most recent folly. In a quickened manner, employees were notified, Thursday 10 March 2022, CJH would be temporarily closed for 90 days. Scores of unruly youth were transferred to Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall (BJNJH) in Sylmar.
This fiasco is on-going.
Unprovoked staff assaults are up! At Camp Kilpatrick, a staff was severely beaten by a minor who intended to compound his reputation against staff. As of this writing, no charges were filed by the Department in the defense of its own officer.
If a staff is assaulted and defends their self they are immediately reprimanded under investigation in support of youth offenders with extensive histories in violent assaults. Completely undermining earnings expectations and promotion opportunities.
With the Department’s current posture of managing violent youth offenders with skeleton crews and the threatening potential for overrun, it is unspeakable of the potential worst that could happen its effect upon the peaceful community of Malibu.
The people of Malibu should be informed and demand the truth about the BoS’ intentions.
Residents should know the truth!
Below are direct quotes concerning staff opinions in the Probation Department:
“The day I show up to work I’m told I will be transferring youth to Sylmar and expected to work my full shift with no plan or contingency to get my vehicle so I can drive myself home. They literally expected me to bum a ride from another employee or call my husband. I resigned at the end of my shift on the spot! I’ll never allow myself to be disrespected in such a manner.”
-former DSO
“The youth are allowed to be out of control. I have nothing against female staff, but the practice of hiring 5’3 females to supervise 5’10 and 6’3 teenage male gangbangers who have little respect for their own mothers is not an effective planvfor supervision.”
-current DSO
“For this thing to work it takes mentorship, counseling and command presence. That is the way to go. Remove these thinkers who’ve never worked this business who are poised to make inexperienced and uninformed decisions that negatively effect the Department. Do away with these clowns’ system intimidated by black and brown youth and afraid to hold them accountable.”
-former DPO
“We’re not the blame for parents’ failed supervision and guidance of their own children. We have excellent services and support for troubled children and we mean to effective in roles.”
-current DPO
“Yes, these offenders are children, but be clear these are children who will kill you!”
-current DSO
*Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and will be updates as new details come available. – Cece Woods, Editor in Chief
Photo: Chip Allen/Metropolis
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