tattoo on my hand for Southern United Raza. I wanted to speak to the superintendent. I had a meeting with all the Chicanos, but they didnt admit to it. And he cried because even tim could see what that place had done to me. I heard about Fire Camp in 1984. We get into a gun battle. Nobody said anything. Gov. I wish they could have taken all of them. starved and neglected. When members of the gang came out of jail, we always looked up to them. Kids hang themselves. It made me survive so many years in Federal Prison. I was sensitive pretending to be tough . A2007 reportreleased by the states inspector general found that wards spent 22 hours a day in their cells while wards in the transitional program were not assigned classes, despite being in the unit for three months. I programmed. 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. Redemption my brothers! He wants to provide former wards, guards, teachers, and administrative staffat YTS the space to tell stories, some of whom have never had that chance, he said. He told the officers what I said. It was a job working for the California Youth Authority part of the government, so there was a lot of forms to fill out and questions to answer. Nations First Standalone Prison Campus Celebrates Graduation, $2.1 Million Grant Will Expand First AmeriCorps Program for Formerly Incarcerated People, Inmate shuffle: How California bounces around its mentally ill prisoners, In Wrongful Death Settlement, Family of Shaylene Graves Will Get $3.5 Million and a Platform to Urge CAs Prison Officials to Implement Policies That Better Protect Women in Custody, System-Impacted Youth Leaders Push for LA County to Fund Youth Justice Reimagined. This is the intermediary step to the Big Leagues (Prison) and when you are young, full of testosterone and have nothing to lose you have the recipe for chaos. Gladiator School: Stories from Inside YTS is an oral history of life inside Californias most notorious juvenile prison. We got a rule if youre a member of this organization. My mom was really worried. Dont come with the YA mentality because this is adults, you start new.. The California Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), previously known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), . I sliced him. 3. I said, Come here, man. Shoulder to shoulder we hugged each other It worked. I was in YTS from 1981 to 1988. My buddy got hit, too. I sign up for continuation school and as we drive up, I see a bunch of Cholos standing in front of the school. I was with the heavy hitters in La Eme. He bothered some people. Wards and staff were in physical danger due to the environment, abundance of contraband and a broken health care system, the report said. He saw blood and hit the panic alarm. After the cops leave, I heard the car come back a second time the Volkswagen again. . first pride plant based; how to remove fan oscillation knob without screw; john wesley dean iv; grants for youth baseball organizations; minecraft dungeons return to checkpoint; viva terlingua sticker; nixon high . I wrote in the letter, I know what happened.. 1997-2005 I remember my YA #81160 without any effort. We were trying to steal his car. 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). Education. Give me the gun, I said to my buddy. Was placed with an extremely abusive foster mother who beat me and my foster brother black and blue on a daily basis, to get away from her we committed the above crime. Since publishing the story The Closing of Californias Most Violent Juvenile Prison, survivors of YTS have come forward to tell stories of daily life inside. I suffered so bad. Yet, in truth, the system had not solidified reform. YTS was what you made it. I had authority over other inmates. My Dad had a good job. Dec. 24, 1999 12 AM PT. Closed in 2010, Youth Training School (also known as Heman G. Stark . 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). It went from a handful of us in that unit to 30, 40 of us. Why would I suffer out here? Reeve said the violence and lack of reform forced the state to close it. In this cup was a little juice and some Thorazine. Memories of blood and even my neighbor that died. Youre not going to slice your wrist anymore, are you?. 16 years to life. He would leave me money. Its 2022 and still feels like yesterday. Distinguishing Characteristics. He was a big guy, and he looked at me, a runner that weighed 129 pounds. In my eyes, Im just a person that tried to survive. They had a meeting and said they knew about my history and why I got locked up. When I went to the hole, they stripped me down took all my clothes off. 1978. I didnt see my Mom for six months. This C.O. Staff must have a genuine interest in the overall "Youth Development" of our students. There was another guy walking like a zombie all the time from taking Thorazine. zoom in on sign reading "department of youth authority san marcos school for . He gave me the paperwork a basic state application that included a physical exam, a background investigation, and a medical exam. I lost my family, my brother died, I became an uncle. The overhaul, however quickly it came, has been batted around for years as critics pushed for reform. Because I wanted to be macho and do what the gang says? It came back and around and stopped, then the shooting started. My girl told me in letters that the student aid guy tried to abuse her and grabbed her ass. She couldnt say anything to the teacher because other girls would turn on her and say she was a snitch. My Dad bought me anything I wanted. And that meant there were no rules. You dont peter-gaze, you dont do anything. She just disappeared one day. An oral history of stories from inside the California Youth Authority is documented by David Reeve (2019-2021). If she doesnt start eating then youre going to get transferred out of here. He would ask, What type of shoe do you wear? It's called Gladiator School for a reason, when the worst of the worst kids are too young for Prison they are sent to Youth Authority. It was the best place to do time. I didnt want to fight and get more time but I had to do something. I was a juvenile lifer. You need some counseling, somebody to talk to you and hear you out. Each tattoo means something to me. I remember my mom sent me Tres Flowers Hair Grease because I used to comb my hair back. When I was in the infirmary, they said, Why did you slice your wrist, Adrin?, Ill give you some medicine to help you out.. Contact: davidwilliamreeve (at) gmail.com, DAVID WILLIAM REEVE is a writer + photographer from Southern California who documents the lives of young people at risk. It made me very happy because that meant I could stay at Ventura. I was sipping on water and then one of my homeboys says, Lets go. I didnt have any life skills or money. I want you to know Im in charge.. I get on the floor where theres a crack under the door and Im hearing the officers say shes hot. I was crying. I broke down in the rack 1 time. Membership Inquiries membership@calyouth.org. My Dad had a different girlfriend, raised a different family, but was always a part of my life. If you didnt display violence, you are going to become a victim of it, and we see it from the wards and the guards.. In 1978 my Mom and Dad reconciled and got back together. He used to go there every morning and they paid good money. All it took were some disrespectful words, and boom. It was so hard working. Much love to all my broken friends who cant be fixers. I was a ward of the courts from 1990-1999. I was gonna defend myself. Full Title: California Youth Authority/California Education Authority, Sacramento, CA; Document Type(s): Order; Bureau(s): Common Carrier; Description: Dismissed request for review of a decision issued by the Schools and Libraries Division, of the Universal Service Administrative Company. Youth Training School (known formally as Heman G. Stark Youth Correctional Facility) had a reputation for mayhem, violence and murder that earned it the name Gladiator School. In the 1990s there were 10,000 youth incarcerated in the juvenile prisons with another nearly 10,000 youth in CYA's parole system. California Youth Authority. We had been out for two days, going from one fire to the next. Sometimes you get put in unpredictable circumstances. He put me in the hole like that, naked. I used to get love letters and stuff like that. Gavin Newsom has announced the proposed closure of the state's three youth detention centers including the one in Ventura County in the . Sir, why did you hit me? I was crying. Child receives a dose of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine at an event launching school vaccinations in Los Angeles, California on November 5, 2021. 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. This all coming to light is a long time coming. I heard that if youre in for murder, you cant go. 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 . I present this ten-volume set of Freethought books in two parts; the first part is the complete Ten Volume set of McCabe's Freethought Library, with all the pages of Advertising removed. My mom was covered in blood. Violence was common at YTS. 937) as an independent . I sliced him. #77766 (1996 to 2005) SRCC, Fred C. Nelles, HeMan G. Starks YA BABY !!!! At the reunion, he met Chuck Supple, the former state director of juvenile justice, who had flown from Sacramento to attend the picnic. I couldnt believe it. Mom, can you get a lawyer? My whole mind was thinking about escape. School: Stark (Herman G.) Youth Training CDS Code: 36 32060 3638459 School Address . Reading all these comments brought back memories, I was at Preston and yts they saved my life i was a active gang member and was giving a chance when i was at yts i was in the automotive trade and was selected to go to Fred c Nellis to work on county vehicles..i was driving County cars and trucks we fixed them. But it really hit hard right here in YTS. After I took my shower, I couldnt find my hair grease. The author, who was the director of the California Youth Authority (CYA) for 3 years beginning in 1991, describes CYA's responsibilities in governing the State's juvenile facilities. I got those keys on my belt and felt, my god, how things have changed. by Fat Back. In this episode, Joseph Copeland lurks in the backstreets of Torrance a middle-class beach city on Californias Southern Coast. 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. He died of colon cancer at 53. They put me on home probation and said I could no longer live with my Dad. My transition back into society was rough. 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. 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. It was overwhelming that I was standing there in the classroom as a teacher. proposal to construct a training center on about 6 acres of state-owned land at ca youth center to include office space, library, classrooms, residential rooms, computer learning center. In August of 1996 a counselor was killed in YTS (Youth Training School) in Chino, California. But YA didnt make me who I am. The C.O. I started reading and educating myself on the Bible. I learned about chow, where to sit, and shower time. I knew my Dad was going to be there. A Law Was Meant to Free Sick or Aging Inmates. When I was in the hole, it was dark. In this episode, Jeff (aka Huerito) is short timing when he leaves the comfort of Ventura Youth Correctional Facility to arrive at Fire Camp. When I tell you to stand up, youre going to stand up. The sweat lodge became the church for people who wanted to self-identify as Native Americans or as indigenous people from anywhere. We had meat. State prison. The processed records of the California Youth Authority are described in the California Youth Authority finding aid. We were not going to learn; we were going to see our girlfriends and give them a kiss. Select from premium California Youth Authority of the highest quality. Getting our cells searched and tossed up by the staff. They shot me with this rubber bullet that knocked me to the floor then took me to the hole. . 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. He bothered some people Find out what works well at California Youth Authority from the people who know best. I went to prison in Atwater, CA in Terre Haute, Indiana in Oklahoma too. CEA Santa Cruz Co. School. He was bleeding so much they thought I sliced his throat. 3 Now, the state's 58 counties must each designate a local . Ventura School for Girls replaced the name California School for Girls in 1925 (ch. 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. My first week at YTS, I have a picture of my Dad who came to visit me. DJJ, formerly known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), has a long history of scandal, horrible conditions, terrible outcomes and excessive spending. From inmates to staff to visitors to religious volunteers. It closed in 2010. The second part, after page 343, is the same complete Ten We was back on lock down. 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. Then Chad lol. I aint gonna lie. You had to jump in water and get wet for 5 seconds, jump out,, than soap up, than jump back in to rinse off. In early 2016, the states youth system by then renamed the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) was deemed to be sufficiently reformed to be released from its 12-year consent decree. Have faith. 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. In this image, a young woman expresses her view with a sign during a reproductive rights protest in 2021 in Fresno. . We all road out together. I dont know how to do anything after being locked up for so long. I would love for you to contact me at mrs.mimi.loya@gmail.com I truly need help with certain things that are happening under the site of Correctional officers. It was there that minors would harden themselves for survival, only to be returned to the streets more troubled and volatile than when they arrived. YA made me the person that I am. Three days later her body was found in the Chino dumping grounds. Shed give you a list of what to buy her from the store. Lets steal a car.. I held knowledge about gangs because I was a shot-caller, so they didnt want me to have any contact with other gang members. For me, seeing that in Ventura, seeing her shaking, seeing the lights go out thats somebodys daughter. CYA has also . Upon his release, he was deported to South America where he earns $6 a day working in the fields. If you said you were Indian, we believed you.. I was gonna be tough. Its staffed with a maintenance crew for upkeep, just in case the state decides to use the facility, he said. 44 32276 4430013. He told me whenever youre drunk, but you still want to drink, pour your beer out and put water in it. In this episode, Chris, aka Child defends his Echo Park neighborhood as a member of the Westside Crazies, where ambush-style gun battles erupt from slow-passing cars and gang affiliations define enemies and allies on the street and in prison. The teacher used to read the newspaper to pretend he didnt see anything, but everywhere you look a guy is sitting next to a female. People were lenient. Hello I was in the Californias Authority I was it Preston does a lawsuit going on about four awards that were there and can receive relief. 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. Here I am 14 years old. Thats rape in my mind. He died of colon cancer at 53. We had a party later and I poured my beer out. Everyone else was just associates. He told me whenever youre drunk, but you still want to drink, pour your beer out and put water in it. I needed some toilet paper to use the bathroom and I knocked on the door, calling for the C.O. Lisker told Reeve there were five to 10 assaults a day. Was there medical experimentation going on at that facility in the 1970s. CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY The California Youth Authority (CYA), the largest youth correctional system in the United States, houses approximately six thousand juveniles and young . Nobodys victim. Because I ran a pretty straight program. Uncover why California Youth Authority is the best company for you. My body is still burning from the pepper spray. I would love to see a lawsuit where we are the victors not the victims of a broke, violent system that should have been extinguished long ago. They knew we had food. Sucks but its true. Wasnt the best time in my life, saw some things, but the trauma made me who I am now. This is Wasco. "Gladiator School: Stories from Inside YTS" an oral history of life inside California's most notorious juvenile prison. Losno Says Goodbye. They were running a prostitution ring at the call center. I woke up one morning and saw that little paper in my window. I was going to hurt people if I had to. This storywasfirst publishedby the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange. They sent a therapist in to talk to me. Staff were so disrespectful that I refused to come out of my cell in fear of hurting one of them. I would have to do push ups to stay warm. It became a party house. They take me to her unit. Contact: davidwilliamreeve (at) gmail, The Closing of Californias Most Violent Juvenile Prison. I was sipping on water and then one of my homeboys says, Lets go. Everybody from Los Angeles got along. We play for real, they said. 'I have had three different proposals of marriage over the years . Advocacy Information advocacy@calyouth.org. Ya baby 58158 checking in. Around 2 o clock in the morning, all the power went off. His father, known locally as Mexican Bob died in 2019. By Sunday morning, my Dad comes home barefoot. Find professional California Youth Authority videos and stock footage available for license in film, television, advertising and corporate uses. The more that people learn and know about what goes on inside of prisons, the more likely things are to change, he said. 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. He died within a minute. When you first go in, you have to know the rules and regulations, and theres always somebody willing to give all the information. Gladiator School: Stories from Inside YTS is an oral history of life inside Californias most notorious juvenile prison. Riot during shower time in CYA. On August 9, 1996, Youth Counselor Baker, who was also assigned to C/D Company at the facility, worked a 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. shift, as shift coordinator. Jesse Ferguson, a 22-year-old from Richmond, has been at N.A. There were well-intentioned people who appear to have gotten caught up in the madness.. Mrs. Vicky Contreras. Editor's note: This is Part 9 of "Gladiator School: Stories from Inside YTS" an oral history of life inside California's most notorious juvenile prison. When I went to Wasco State Prison, I started getting involved really heavy with gangs. My roommate was in a street gang. I heard the door open the heard them cover her mouth and rape her. It was there that minors would harden themselves for survival, only to be returned to the streets more troubled and volatile than when they arrived. NCJRS Photocopy Services. Where was the oversight? I was one of the few of my friends that had a dad. Abuse Reports Cloud Youth Authority. Some like Bruce Lisker were falsely accused. I try to help people now. Just before i graduated from Oxnard community College, a number of female wards started coming up pregnant. 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Stark the California Division of juvenile Justice ( DJJ ) previously! Authority videos and stock footage available for license in film, television, advertising and corporate uses wards. Rights protest in 2021 in Fresno of this organization Justice ( DJJ,. Oral history of life Inside Californias most notorious juvenile Prison how things have.. Could have taken all of them, a 22-year-old from Richmond, has been batted around for years critics... Be there for two days, going from one fire to the teacher because other would! Of jail, we always looked up to them because other Girls would turn on her and she! The staff we hugged each other it worked and stuff like that if she start. Aid guy tried to survive medical experimentation going on at that facility in the,! Know best earns $ 6 a day working in the 1970s sign up for so long the. 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