Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a draft letter detailing their opposition to a proposal by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to close the Preston Youth Correctional Facility.

Drafted by staff with the expectation that it will be signed by Board Chairman Brian Oneto, the letter “requests that all factors surrounding any closure of CDCR-DJJ facilities in Amador County be fully investigated before a decision is made.”

The closure would affect 400 staff and 218 juvenile wards. If it goes forward, it will take place June 30, 2011.

The board’s consideration of such opposition was added to the agenda even though no formal announcement has been made. Supervisor Richard Forster recused himself because he is also an employee of CDCR.

“Any decision to shut the doors at Preston Youth Correctional Facility in Ione will have a tremendous negative impact on the community of Ione and the County,” reads the letter. “Preston is considered a generational institution because it was constructed and opened in 1894. Because of this, many generations within families in our community have made their profession in the field of corrections.”

The letter says, “The CDCR should not ignore the fiscal savings in millions of dollars to the State of California and the department from the young men that go through this transition in their life, successfully parole, and do not return to the system.”

It says the closure will effect the “synergistic relationship” between Preston and the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp, which has also been threatened with closure in recent years. It says “Preston has maintained a higher training and compliance rate than any other institution in the State.”

The letter also lists a number of services provided for the youth of Preston. These include Drug program services, Behavior Treatment programs and a Culinary Arts program.

In conclusion, it says,“The Amador County Board of Supervisors are dismayed at the lack of transparency from the CDCR and the method of doing business that does not make an ‘apples to apples’ comparison of facilities to allow a business decision that benefits all taxpayers in the State of California” and asks that a more complete analysis be made.

“This is something that concerns the Board of Supervisors greatly,” said Oneto on Tuesday. “If it closes down it will have a pretty big impact.”

A revised draft will be submitted shortly to CDCR Secretary Mathew Cate, including a request that CDCR hold local community hearings to discuss the impacts the closure would have.

Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.