A motion by Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Sheila Kuehl recommending that  Camp Scott in Santa Clarita and Campus Kilpatrick in the unincorporated area of Malibu Canyon be established as permanent facilities for juvenile males formerly under the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) authority is on the agenda for next week’s L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting.

According to the City of Santa Clarita, this decision goes against the County’s own selection process.

A scorecard evaluation, which summarized the comprehensive evaluation of each licensed juvenile facility in the County, was underutilized in the Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant Subcommittee (Subcommittee) decision making when determining which facilities would be recommended, according to City officials.

See Related:  Santa Clarita City Council And Residents Make Position Clear On County’s Proposed Use Of Camp Scott

“Of the four facilities included in the Subcommittee recommendation to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Camp Scott is the least feasible selection for the proposed use,” City officials stated. “Despite Camp Scott receiving the lowest possible score for the only life-threatening category – Resiliency for Potential Fire/Flood Hazards – the facility was still recommended over other facilities with better scores.”

The locational hazards identified at Camp Scott and its dilapidated condition pose significant physical danger to County probation personnel and youth, as well as local residents that would need to evacuate the area in the case of an emergency, according to City officials.

“The recommendation of Camp Scott calls into question the integrity of the selection process and the County’s commitment to ensure evaluations and recommendations were conducted in the best interest of the youth served in the facilities, probation staff working in the facilities and surrounding communities near the facilities,” said Mayor Laurene Weste.

The City of Santa Clarita remains resolute that Camp Scott is completely unsuitable due to its dilapidated infrastructure and serious environmental dangers.

“We are unwavering in our opposition to this plan, and we will not back down,” Weste said. “We stand with all Santa Clarita residents, and we will stand for the Saugus Community. We will uphold the letter of the law regarding such serious absence of compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).”

The motion indicates that the designation and renovations to the facilities are not subject to CEQA and directs County staff to develop a plan for proposed renovations to the facilities and to present the plan for renovations to the Board of Supervisors within 120 days.

“This proposal puts a dangerous plan in motion for our residents and for the juvenile population they plan to house at the seriously decrepit Camp Scott. It is located in an extreme fire hazard area, just downstream from the Bouquet Dam, within a severe and potentially deadly flood zone, and evacuations would be near impossible on the narrow road with one way in and out. Built in the early 1930s, the Dam can hold up to 12 billion gallons of water. Camp Scott would be inundated with approximately 26 feet of water within 50 minutes of a breach in the Dam. It is extremely difficult to evacuate inmates in the quick timeframe necessary in an emergency situation. As required by law, you would need prison busses that allow for the separation of inmates by category for their own safety. CEQA review is absolutely necessary due to the proposed altered use. If the County tries to avert CEQA, the City is prepared to hold the line, whatever it takes,” Weste said.

In addition to the environmental concerns surrounding Camp Scott, there are other facilities more suitable for the proposed use. Camp Miller, also located in Malibu Canyon, was evaluated in conjunction with Campus Kilpatrick, City officials said.

“It is important to reemphasize that both Campus Kilpatrick and Camp Miller were recommended in the Youth Justice Reimagined Report, issued in December 2020, to serve as the long-term treatment facilities for the DJJ population,” according to City officials. “Considering the $45 million investment made in 2017 and the security enhancements being conducted as Campus Kilpatrick is currently repurposed as an intermediate solution for the DJJ youth, Campus Kilpatrick and Camp Miller remain the most feasible and practical options to serve as long-term facilities for this purpose.”

Additionally, the Barry J. Nidorf facility is centrally located in the County and offers the capacity and programming needed to ensure the greatest level of stability and continuity in services for the DJJ transition, City officials said.

“In addition to these concerns, today’s articles in the Los Angeles Times and Santa Clarita Valley Signal highlighted the alleged culture of abuse at Camp Scott. A lawsuit was filed on Wednesday by 20 women who were former detainees at the facility, alleging rape and sexual abuse by Camp Scott staff,” read an official City statement issued Thursday.

If you would like to review the motion (agenda item #10) or provide public comment at the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting on March 15, 2022, visit the website.

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