In an ongoing battle between the city of Santa Clarita and Los Angeles County (L.A. County), a meeting was recently hosted by prominent county officials and representatives to hear the concerns of the community. 

Earlier this year, members of the board of supervisors of L.A. County approved the use of Camp Scott in Saugus as the site of a new rehabilitation center for violent juvenile offenders. 

Since the announcement of this transfer, the officials and residents of Santa Clarita have vehemently opposed this proposed action for multiple reasons, mostly in the realm of safety.

Wednesday night, a group of representatives and officials from L.A. County held a community listening session in the Santa Clarita City Council chambers where residents could voice their concerns.

This panel consisted of Stephanie English, representing the office of L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Karen Fletcher and Adam Bettino, the chief deputy officers of the L.A. County probation department, Franky Carillo, chairperson of the probation oversight commission, as well as Lieutenant Don Meredith and Executive Director Wendelyn Julien. 

Both Mayor Bill Miranda and Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste opened the floor making it clear to the representatives present that using Camp Scott as a rehabilitation home for violent juvenile criminals is both against the wishes of the community and is largely unsafe for the inmates.

“As we have expressed to the subcommittee and board of supervisors, our position remains that Camp Scott is unsafe and unsuitable for the proposed use included in the division of juvenile justice plan. The locational hazards identified at Camp Scott, including that facility, are located in a high fire and flood zone, posing a significant physical danger to youth and county personnel, as well as local residents that will need to evacuate the area in case of emergency,” Mayor Miranda said. 

According to Weste, this conclusion is supported by multiple officials at a county level, declaring Camp Scott unsafe to house inmates that would require intensive, coordinated evacuation in the event of a fire or flood.

“Camp Scott is in an extreme fire hazard area prone to natural disasters, especially wildfires, a fact established by the state fire marshal. This concern is acknowledged by the L.A. County sheriff’s department to the board of supervisors last June,” Weste stated. 

In this one meeting, over three dozen community members attended with concerns to make the panel aware of. Community members were given 60 seconds to speak before moving on to the next person. Many of them expressed similar concerns, showing a unified community that has reached a consensus on the issue. 

Some of the concerns brought to the attention of the panel included the residents’ safety, some of them residing in homes less than 1,000ft from Camp Scott, concern for a potential drop in property value, as well as the chance that crime rates may go up.

According to Bettino, this new wave of facilities and revamp of rehabilitation for those in the justice system comes after a decision from Governor Newsom to put the responsibility of rehabilitation into the hands of the counties rather than the state. 

“When the governor decided to close those down those services and supports were realigned to the counties. So L.A. County is now responsible for housing and programming for these young people…Our plan is to build a program that is transformational, that allows folks to restore their lives in a safe and secure environment,” Bettino said. 

Though the panel that met with the residents of Santa Clarita Wednesday night does not hold the power to make the final decision about Camp Scott, they assure the audience that their concerns are being heard and recorded. 

According to a Thursday statement, Supervisor Barger opposes the designation of Camp Scott as a Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF).

Instead, she supports the Probation Department’s recommendation that Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall should be used instead, and is currently considering introducing a different approach, according to her office.

“Barry J. Nidorf is the option that best ensures continuity of services, is fiscally and programmatically responsible, and supports the County’s commitment to lowering its juvenile justice footprint. This option will also have the biggest impact because it has the capacity to serve the most justice impacted youth,” read the Thursday statement. “We ask and encourage you to share your support of Barry J. Nidorf as the fiscally and ethically responsible alternative to the current proposed motion during the March 15, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting.”

Camp Scott underwent an evaluation process that eliminated 13 of 17 potential facilities for this rehabilitation center, and of the four options left, Camp Scott scored the least compatible for this plan, but remains the only available facility in the eyes of the county. 

“Furthermore, as we have expressed previously, Campus Kilpatrick and Miller is the most comprehensive, modern, and secure youth facility that already offers the desired L.A. model treatment for a population that is in most need for rehabilitative resources,” said Mayor Miranda, on behalf of the city council.

To view a full recording of the Wednesday night meeting, click here. 

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