SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KNX) — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors rejected an effort on Tuesday to permanently shut down a juvenile probation camp in Santa Clarita.
A motion introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger sought the closure of Camp Scudder, claiming the facility was incompatible with the county’s criminal justice goals. The camp operated for more than 60 years, but has not housed any youths since 2019.
"We must reduce the number of county sites that detain youth in environments that aren't focused on rehabilitation," Barger said in a statement when she introduced the motion. "Our board has made a commitment to support a ‘Care First’ vision for our youth. Let's permanently close this site, which cannot deliver on that promise."
Still, the board rejected the motion on a two-to-three vote, with supervisors Holly Mitchell, Hilda Solis, and Sheila Kuehl dissenting.
Barger said she was "extremely surprised and disappointed" with the vote.
"Their failure to approve my motion to close Camp Scudder directly conflicts with the very policies they have claimed are backed by science and best practices," Barger said in a statement after the vote. "My motion proposed permanent closure of an already closed juvenile camp since a recent study found it non-feasible for use due to not meeting current standards for housing youth in a homelike and therapeutic environment. It is an unnecessary cost to Los Angeles County taxpayers.”
With California closing its juvenile prisons, the county has sought to identify “Secure Youth Track Facilities” where minor offenders can be housed. Scudder has been earmarked for future use as a housing facility for such juvenile offenders who would have previously been sent to state facilities.
Barger and other Santa Clarita officials argued for youth offenders to instead be housed at the Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar, which is slated to undergo renovations to bring it up to state code.
Under county supervision, probation still will proceed to develop a plan for renovating Scudder and two other camps, and report back in four months. In the interim, Nidorf and Central juvenile halls will be used to house youth pending trials in state courts.
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