I suffered so bad. Wards and staff were in physical danger due to the environment, abundance of contraband and a broken health care system, the report said. He had six months to go. Some California Youth Authority juvenile prisons were known as "Gladiator Schools" by the wards who were incarcerated there. I went to Nrcc when I was 15 (1999)than Preston, Karl Holton, and Dewitt. The Nazi Lowriders were barely coming up. Today, that total is approximately 159,000 and growing. Much love to all my broken friends who cant be fixers. Im sure it fucked us up worse. DJJ, formerly known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), has a long history of scandal, horrible conditions, terrible outcomes and excessive spending. Compare pay for popular roles and read about the team's work-life balance. I was tired. Derrek who was a Compton Crip and I must have hiked five miles, and its two oclock in the morning. Because I ran a pretty straight program. Ben Lomond Youth Conservation Camp. I cut a piece of plastic from a plate on my food tray and waited for the night guard. People need to know. Its here that the 15-year old begins his career of crime, accelerating through the ranks of local jails, juvies, camps, and rehabs, before earning a formal education in survival at YTS. According to . This first episode depicts the Heman G. Stark Juvenile Prison, previously known as YTS or Youth Training School, as it stands today, years after it was closed by the State of California. I was in solitary confinement so long, I decided that this was not the life that I wanted anymore. Legislation transferred all three schools, placed under the jurisdiction of the Department of Institutions in 1921 (ch. You need to get a lawyer.. Im a small guy, so I push the couch under the TV and reach up to turn it off. Sometimes you get put in unpredictable circumstances. Fire Camp is run by the California Department of Forestry. I had a girlfriend whose name was Suzanna. He bothered some people. Theoretically, that was accomplished. Lets steal a car.. He would leave me money. . But mostly a learning experience. The first class I went to was English class. 1977 ( tDAR id: 209096) This Resource is Part of the Following Collections PDF California Youth Authority Facilities Review - oig.ca.gov Gladiator School: Memories From the Terrible Past of . California Youth Authority / Department of Juvenile Justice Office number only . Dec. 24, 1999 12 AM PT. It was really bad. CA. close and Chad to work with some of coming back to Alameda County Oakland. All of them who I was able to build a relationship with return to Oakland and was connected to support services all did very well. The California Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), previously known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), . Messy Marv. In one fight, the former CYA ward said he was given two black eyes. Criminal penalty. My first week at YTS, I have a picture of my Dad who came to visit me. I refused to eat. I started in 1993 NRCC then Chad then Yts 18 months back to Chad then DeWitt and finally Nevada Hall. Instead of him helping me out, the psych made it worse. or. The rooms, the regulations; we were using the same bathroom stall as a Black guy. Uncover why California Youth Authority is the best company for you. We had fish sticks. Then went to Karl Holton, then Preston. This cholo guy rushed me and started fighting. I kind of got jealous thats not right. 44 32276 4430013. They bought a house and things were good. Contact: davidwilliamreeve (at) gmail (dot) com, DAVID WILLIAM REEVE is a writer + photographer from Southern California who documents the lives of young people at risk. They called him Lazy, but he is anything but that embarking on a spree of strongarm carjackings and robberies that land him in YTS, where he sparks a religious revival during the prisons darkest hours. Youre not going to slice your wrist anymore, are you?. Its not allowed. Rough Times Back then. If I could change time, I would have never done what I did. Criminal status. California Youth Crisis Line cycl@calyouth.org. Fortunate enough to not get an L. To be dead on truthful, if you was playing politics and living that life style, then you were bound to get caught up in a mess. And the whole tier was Smokey. My mouth was hanging open. My husband went through nearly every program through out CA and to be honest all it did was made him a better criminal not nurturing or love was given at all he is finishing his 27 th year was in pelican bay at 21 and has been to most adult prisons and is finishing his sentence tace in Folsom Prison as we speak 6 months from his out date and the only person that helped him was himself (oh and me ), I did the CYA tour 91-96. It took me a while to come to terms with this and the whole evolution that allowed this to happen. WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE 1732.8 FOLLOW-UP REVIEW, SEPTEMBER 2004 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, GOVERNOR OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL PAGE 5 ORIGINAL FINDING NUMBER 1: The Office of the Inspector General found that dual-commitment wards are not allowed to attend their annual reviews and parole consideration date reviews and have little contact with the California Youth . Cutting Sam was a felony the only way out of there was to get to adult prison. I felt I wasnt going to see all the violence that I had seen before, but it was worse. He made excellent money. People have very tough decisions to make about criminal justice, juvenile justice and prison reform, but prisons remain a huge source of mystery, so what fuels those decisions, Reeve said. This all coming to light is a long time coming. 2. I was a juvenile lifer. I broke down in the rack 1 time. Karl Holton Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center, Box 21 '5002, Stockton 95213-9002, (209) 944-6551 . So, it was just my Dad and me. It was so hard working. Visit davidreeve.net for more. 0:45. May 2004 A Review of the California Youth Authority's Infrastructure. Came to yts in spring of 1968. The smell, loneliness the gloomy days. I explained to them the way you talk to us will get you killed and me in prison for the rest of my life. You are going to learn to fight, to make deals and negotiate for survival because many of them were headed towards adult prisons like San Quentin or other hardened prisons.. In this episode, Jaime Morales is an ambitious youngster making a name for himself on the streets of South East LA. Violence was common at YTS. So many disgusting horrific stories my boyfriend would tell me. Records of the State Reform School (Marysville) include Board of Trustees' Minute Book, 1860-1868 (B0898, #1155); Cash Ledger, 1861-1868 (B0898, #2308); and Register of Audited Accounts, 1862-1868 (B7857, #2309). You always look up. Here I am 14 years old. I was walking in slow motion, like a zombie. I dropped out of school. did the night rounds and knocked on my door. Man, them DDMS hearing had me shot down at every board hearing, Was in Nellies and Preston 79 til 81 learned to be a tough guy seen so many old friends in cya when I hit. When I was in the hole, it was dark. He would go to the girls room, give her some new shoes. I didnt love myself no more. In this episode, Jeff (aka Huerito) is short timing when he leaves the comfort of Ventura Youth Correctional Facility to arrive at Fire Camp. This C.O. The courts figured I was still in Walnut, but I stayed with him. The women used to rip their pants on purpose and didnt wear panties. More details about California Youth Authority According to our records, this business is located at 31 E Channel St Ste 112 in Stockton (in San Joaquin County), California 95202, the location GPS coordinates are: 37.9548822 (latitude), -121.2910291 (longitude). We had been out for two days, going from one fire to the next. The Closing of Californias Most Violent Juvenile PrisonWe couldnt show fearRemember what they taught us?How soon will I know?The only way outWe were not afraid to dieThat Hell they put me inFifty-five fightsLost in the HallsPutting in workThe last watchThe white horse. Even with us gone, they still kept coming up pregnant. I was one of the few of my friends that had a dad. I try to be positive. . I couldnt register that what I was seeing was true. California Youth Authority. When I was in the hole, they brought a girl in I was looking right at her room and shes asleep. Big Herc went to California Youth Authority Preston, where you can find kids charged with everything from Assault to Murder. YA made me the person that I am. Can you fight? 92 93 94 95 Karl Holton Dewitt Nelson. California Coalition for Youth PO Box 161448 Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 514-4464 (916) 514-4499 fax. . Get the california youth authority . The prison was closed in 2010 when the State had no other solution for the violence and mayhem there; a State Attorney called it an especially horrible place and hundreds of workers lost their jobs. Website. Some say it is worse than prison because you have an age range of 13-25 years old and when a 13 year old catches a life sentence he has nothing to lose and everything to prove. I didnt see my Mom for six months. I went to my room and got a toothbrush, put a razor blade on the toothbrush, and went to the laundry room where Sam was. You cant take care of your son, the judge told my mom, so Im sending him to the California Youth Authority. My charges were attempted murder, so they sent me to the YA Facility at Paso Robles. Reports Say California Youth Authority Facilities Provide 'Inadequate' Health Care, Mental Health Services. Learned how get up go to work at the trade I learned(plumbing). I wrote in the letter, I know what happened.. Blacks vs Mexicans. . My Dad bought me anything I wanted. In the day room watching TV, this guy who had scars on his face from a box cutter, I said When I give you the signal, turn off the TV to get everyones attention. Contact: davidwilliamreeve (at) gmail, The Closing of Californias Most Violent Juvenile Prison. He was a big officer. starved and neglected. Got my ged. I said to them, Ten years ago I was sitting in the same place you are sitting.. The room was baby blue and the lights stayed on. He told the officers what I said. They cuffed my legs to the concrete bed with my arms extended. There were actually rougher places in my opinion. A beef had started with Echo Park. These were juveniles. And who should we see about that? In the 1980s, long before Snoop Dogg and the rest of his crew had found success, they were Westside gang members living a street lifestyle that often included run-ins with the law. You want some Nikes? I got a black hand tattoo across my chest. I learned So much but got Negatively influenced because all there was is negativity going on around everywhere , Back then CYA was worser than Prison. Im sure itll be criticized and debated, but its an attempt.. North Hollywood Boy reflects on years in gang, juvenile hall and California Youth Authority (pt1) Sexual assaults in CYA. In ts it was gladiator school and in Chad it was known as the battle dome we even had a real goat named billy as a mascot. When members of the gang came out of jail, we always looked up to them. My experiences while in YTS gave me the edge that I needed to want more then I grew up with. An inmate named Sam was a real problem. People were put in these violent situations because violence was the currency, Reeve said. The core requirement of the Farrell agreement was that CYA must exchange its abusive, and viciously punitive system for a rehabilitative model of working with kids. I figured I was going to parole from there. Snoop himself spent time inside California's notorious "Youth Authority" - the CYA - which in recent years has come under court order for abusing and failing . In the 1990s there were 10,000 youth incarcerated in the juvenile prisons with another nearly 10,000 youth in CYA's parole system. I remember being referred to as a YA baby in prison due to going to CYA and consequently it came with a reputation to live up to. Select from premium California Youth Authority of the highest quality. The stuff that we suffer through is worse than anything Ive ever read in any books, I went to prison after prison afterwards and believe my mind, through all the trials and tribulations of CYA, was shaped and forged to be the calloused, hardened, scarred mind that has not been in trouble In over 20 years now, but still sees the world through clouded, broken eyes. I went to his house a couple of times and met his family. Tracy to Cedar to Greenbrier and spent most my time in the Rack. In this episode, Jeff (aka Huerito) is short timing when he leaves the comfort of Ventura Youth Correctional Facility to arrive at Fire Camp. by Fat Back. I went three days without eating. by Fat Back. Eventually, my Brother went to the Army; my Sister was married. Cold as fuck out on that bench in a thin jumpsuit in the cage to get air outside. They put me in the observation room where there is a camera. It went from a handful of us in that unit to 30, 40 of us. He had gotten emails from former YTS inmates and wanted to meet them maybe even write more about the prison. Membership Inquiries membership@calyouth.org. If you wear a white badge, youre underage. An oral history of stories from inside the California Youth Authority is documented by David Reeve (2019-2021). Find professional California Youth Authority videos and stock footage available for license in film, television, advertising and corporate uses. I got mad at her and said you gotta get out of that class. If I get in a fight with the guy that touched her, theyd move me to a prison. There was another guy walking like a zombie all the time from taking Thorazine. DAVID WILLIAM REEVE is a writer + photographer from Southern California who documents the lives of young people at risk. He died within a minute. He spends his days gazing from the apartments rooftop into the dream-like waters of a koi pond below. I even went back to his cell to pay respect and to let him know I new what happen. Have faith. I sign up for continuation school and as we drive up, I see a bunch of Cholos standing in front of the school. Editors Note: Since the Gold Rush, Californias youth prisons or correctional institutions have been characterized by neglect, violence, and abuse, despite attempts at reform. Chopin it up with the homies on the wire. Ya baby 58158 checking in. Somebody went inside my locker and stole my Tres Flowers! I get on the floor where theres a crack under the door and Im hearing the officers say shes hot. It helped me to see what life was like, even though everything had changed. Haha. And most of the time he just couldnt even talk about it as an adult. In 1941, the state legislature created the California Youth Authority (CYA) as a "completely new method of dealing with youthful criminals," according to the Healdsburg Tribune, Aug. 13, 1943. But it really hit hard right here in YTS. I was trying to get out. You had to jump in water and get wet for 5 seconds, jump out,, than soap up, than jump back in to rinse off. There were no rules. Pretending to be very concerned to search after a visit for drugs by asking to spread cheeks and take long silent looks speeding my cheeks and not knowing how long or whats he up to. Only went to jail one time but did a gang of time as a youngsta. Theres so much abuse that Id been through. In this episode, Adrin (not his real name) ascends the ranks of La Eme The Mexican Mafia as he trades violence as currency in seeking shelter from the swelling corruption he witnesses within the California Youth Authority. The state closed the facility in 2010, tocut costs, it said. Each tattoo means something to me. The California Youth Authority (CYA), now known as the California Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), is a division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that provides education, training, and treatment services for California's most serious juvenile offenders between the ages of 12 - 25. General Inquiries info@calyouth.org. The California School Directory contains information about California public schools, . Jeff J., aka Huerito served three years and ten months in multiple juvenile facilities, including Ventura Juvenile Correctional Facility where in 1984 he was selected to transfer to Youth Trade School in Chino and serve his remaining time in Fire Camp. I was listening. skip to main content. In this episode, David Sanchez, a 19-year old with few options in life, takes a job as a corrections officer at YTS, where the willingness to fight was the only experience needed. Featured image: Chris (aka Savage) told the story of being sent to The Hole in Gladiator School for hiding a shank under his mattress as a youth, when the prison broke out into a riot. When I went to the shower, the officer setting up my food spit in it. In this episode, 14-year old Luis Ortega arrives in Los Angeles, lonely and vulnerable, before looking to South Centrals notorious 38th Street Gang for protection. This series will relay and respect their stories: Juvie told by the ones who were there. I would like to find out the answers for my two sons. Provide students with a learning environment that provides them . They shot me with this rubber bullet that knocked me to the floor then took me to the hole. Gavin Newsom has announced the proposed closure of the state's three youth detention centers including the one in Ventura County in the . Fucked up place but it made me who I am today a solid motherfuker. I didnt want to fight and get more time but I had to do something. Find out what works well at California Youth Authority from the people who know best. . "An inmate named Sam was a real problem. My roommate was in a street gang. I get a paper and write her a note and use the elastic string in my boxers to slide it under her door. I had to confront the Blacks and the Whites. I fought like a man. I want you to know Im in charge.. Registers and some case files are available for wards of Whittier State School (1891-1930), Preston School of Industry (1894-1914), and Ventura School for Girls (1907-1931). He spent most of his adult years in prison. A Volkswagen passes by slowly, then takes off. The California Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), previously known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), . When you go to YA and get out, its like you went to war. ELO-Program Enrichment Specialist will work with an assigned group of students, student to staff ratio is contingent upon CDC guidelines and grant requirements. Thats rape in my mind. School: Stark (Herman G.) Youth Training CDS Code: 36 32060 3638459 School Address . Memories of blood and even my neighbor that died. I didnt suffer anymore because I saw the way that Fire Camp was run. After all, it took some convincing for the group to make an exception for him. David William Reeve is an independent writer and photographer who documents the lives of juveniles at risk. This army of Men of God started rising up there. I grew up in a nice part San Bernardino. Lisker told Reeve there were five to 10 assaults a day. It was a program at YTS in Units C and D. They train you to be a firefighter verified with the State. Was there medical experimentation going on at that facility in the 1970s. I spent my entire youth in the California Youth Authority (14-21). I got the gun. I see this guy who is 24 years old doing sexual activity to this 14-year-old girl. When the lights came on the girl was crying. When I was in Ventura, I put a S.U.R. I felt I needed to go along to get the older gang members approval. My neighbor who I spent half the night talking to through the vent died that night in his cell. Kids bullied by other kids and beat to a pulp.. People stabbed hit in the face with locks. The time I served there would be the building blocks that developed many behaviors that I would have to unlearn as an adult to earn my freedom once more. One thing that place taught me was move first or be moved on. Youre a gladiator, youre a YA baby, they said. Something started happening with me. I became a shot-caller for the Sureos gang. Distinguishing Characteristics. I was with the heavy hitters in La Eme. 89 F3738:271, ODC 2:9(3-8) Department of Youth Authority Records Fred C. Nelles School for Boys (Whittier State School) Thats when they would make us roll up our mattress, blanket, and sheets( roll yo shit up!!!) Berge recounts his time at YTS in part 4 of Gladiator School: Stories from Inside YTS. The project is personal for Reeve, a 49-year-old marketer by day and writer and photographer by night. Wed go to church because of the blind spots. What unit do you live on?. Advocacy Information advocacy@calyouth.org. I knew my Dad was going to be there. He looked tough. 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