Amador County – California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials stood behind their decision to close Preston Youth Correctional Facility, despite strong objections from those leading and attending a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors on Wednesday evening.

Amador County Supervisors, joined by 10th District Assemblymember Alyson Huber and Calaveras County Supervisor Steve Wilensky, took turns questioning Scott Kernan, CDCR undersecretary, and Rachael Rios, Chief Deputy Secretary of the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).

Huber said this meeting was called because the last public meeting in the tiny Ione City Hall was hastily noticed, and it is “important for people to have the opportunity to weigh in.” She criticized the CDCR for not discussing their options with the public before making their decision.

“I’m convinced that a facility has to close,” said Huber. “I’m not convinced that it is supposed to be Preston.” Huber said the decision requires more thorough analysis of “recidivism rates, graduation rates and…repurposing.”

Kernan said the closure is “a population and money issue” based on $39 million in cuts to the DJJ and a total of $1.4 billion in cuts to the CDCR by the state. He said “we only get resources for the (ward) population we have.”

He said his department will try and reemploy as many employees as possible, but “it would be disingenuous to say staff will not be laid off in this process.” He said the area of layoff will be limited to Amador County, and the “details of reemployment won’t be realized until we sit down with the labor organizations.”

Supervisor Louis Boitano asked if they “take into account surrounding areas” in their decision because “this will kill Amador County.” Kernan responded that with “1.4 billion in cuts, that pain is spread all over. In every one of our closures, we’ve heard the same things.” Boitano said he believes “big urban and suburban areas hurt a lot less.” Plasse said this is “the quintessential double-whammy for a county of this size…after the auto dealership closures.”

Supervisor John Plasse reiterated concerns about closing the “top-scoring” facility, referring to Preston’s 90.9 percent compliance rate with the consent decree issued in Farrell v. Cate, a lawsuit related to DJJ facility performance. Kernan said the decision “is not about performance,” to which Plasse replied: “I’m not inferring that it is; I’m saying it should be.”

Kernan said they are actually advertising approximately 45 limited term positions, but those are mostly for the Ventura correctional facility, where they have had trouble finding staff. Jerry Cassesi said that “if it is about the difficulty of staffing Ventura, I’ve got an answer for you - close Ventura.”

Kernan said that “despite the public comments – and we heard them loud and clear – this decision is standing.” He said the “new legislature certainly has the ability to change the course of this.”

Huber recently introduced Assembly Bill 8, which would halt the closure for six months. She encouraged the audience to write letters, and said she has to get “120 (legislators) up to speed.” She said the bill includes findings she feels are “incontrovertible.”

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

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