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Juvenile justice remains out of sight
by KATHLEEN STINSON

http://www.vvdailypress.com/2005/113111281669315.html

VICTORVILLE
Some people in the juvenile justice system contend the gross underfunding of programs
is directly related to California's strict laws on confidentiality of court
proceedings and anything juvenile-system related.

When Proposition 13 was passed, the government started taking money away from "hidden
systems" such as juvenile justice programs, said Michael McDowell, supervising Deputy
District Attorney for the juvenile division, Victorville. Juvenile programs are easy
targets for budget cuts because the public really has no idea what is going on in the
system.

"If the general public knew the status of this system, they would be really upset,"
McDowell said.

McDowell has worked in and out of the juvenile system for the past 30 years. Over
that period, programs for the rehabilitation of minors (juveniles charged with
crimes) has decreased dramatically in both number and quality, McDowell said.

He said the system stopped handling "incorrigible kids" and runaways in 1981. The
Kaiper Youth Centers, a program that combined trade schools with an attached farm
which was highly praised by all, was shut down in 1988.

For example, today a minor who steals several cars may start out on probation,
McDowell said. He is assigned a probation officer who already has too many cases and
sent to "counseling programs that are a joke." The minors are not given what they
really need in terms of psychological assessment or treatment.

"It's the old adage — they are gushing blood and we are handing them a Band-Aid,"
McDowell said.

There is no public support for the budget struggle in the juvenile system because
those who work in the system can't talk to the public because of the confidentiality
laws, McDowell said.

"The first thing I would do to get more funding is to open the system to statewide
exposure — you can protect minors without closing the system," he said. "Once the
public started to discuss the issues, they would say, 'why not spend a dollar now to
prevent a juvenile from turning into a full criminal five years from now?' "

Confidentiality laws are not constitutional, he said. Other states handle the issues
differently but effectively.

A reporter giving information to the public has a right to know how a case was
investigated and the court's disposition, he said. The public has a right to know if
the school where the crime took place acted responsibly with respect to the juvenile
perpetrators. The public should know what probation officers did to help the
perpetrators not commit another crime.

Children's Network Officer for the county Kent Paxton said, if the press had details
of the juvenile cases he is not sure that would address the funding issue.

"It depends on how the press presented it," Paxton said. "There is a portion of the
public that thinks incarceration is what they need."

The press would have to cover the full story from the mother who abused drugs and
alcohol to an environment of family violence to neglect and other dynamics, he said.

Every couple of years the legislature debates whether to open dependency and abuse
hearings so the public would know about these cases, but the legislation never
passes.

Superior Juvenile Court Judge Margaret Powers said there's a lot of controversy over
whether to loosen the confidentiality laws for juvenile cases with good arguments on
both sides.

"It would be good to have the public know more about what's going on" and
confidentiality of cases is important to protect juveniles later in their life, she
said.

It's a double-edged sword, Powers said. There are some more serious offenses such as
murder hearings that are open to the public.

Funding is a problem, she said. There are kids who need programs who have to wait for
weeks and even moths to get into a program and there is no counseling except crisis
counseling in juvenile hall.

She said the system is set up well and everybody is doing a good job, but there are
not enough judges, probation officers or treatment programs — the system is "just
stretched."

Chief Deputy Public Defender Lauri Ferguson said juvenile programs are "grossly
underfunded" and it does affect rehabilitation options.

If people knew how many kids who committed property crimes and have mental- health
problems are being sent to a prison for juveniles, the California Youth Authority,
"you'd think they would probably want a better solution."

The state of Missouri uses a juvenile justice model that is more rehabilitative than
penal and institutional, she said. Minors are sent to group homes with 30 or fewer
individuals where staff can focus on treatment.

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I intend to last long enough to put out of business all *****-suckers
and other beneficiaries of the institutionalized slavery and genocide.

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"The army that will defeat terrorism doesn't wear uniforms, or drive
Humvees, or calls in air-strikes. It doesn't have a high command, or
high security, or a high budget. The army that can defeat terrorism
does battle quietly, clearing minefields and vaccinating children. It
undermines military dictatorships and military lobbyists. It subverts
sweatshops and special interests.Where people feel powerless, it
helps them organize for change, and where people are powerful, it
reminds them of their responsibility." ~~~~ Author Unknown ~~~~
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