Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued a statement voicing her frustration following the Board of Supervisors’ vote March 15, 2022 to designate Camp Joseph Scott over Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall as a Secure Youth Track Facility for violent offenders formerly under the supervision of the state’s Division of Juvenile Justice.

“Today’s outcome is frustrating and defies some commonsense considerations,” said Barger. “Selecting Camp Scott over Barry J. Nidorf contradicted experts from the Probation Department, whose detailed proposal concluded that Nidorf was the most appropriate setting.”

The Board voted four to one, with Barger the only dissenting vote to move forward on making Camp Scott and Camp Kilpatrick the future permanent housing sites for the male youth population of convicted minors.

“It contradicted a solution that made the most fiscal sense. Since our county is already legally required to transform Nidorf, we could’ve leveraged those improvements to create a state-of-the-art rehabilitative facility for these youth,” she said. “It disregarded the fact that most counties in our state plan to convert their juvenile halls into Secure Youth Track Facilities, they’re taking active steps to constrain their juvenile justice footprint in their communities. A majority of our Board members felt the need to do the opposite and expand it.”

Before the vote public comment included statements of opposition from members of the Santa Clarita Valley community opposing the motion to make Camp Scott the destination for convicted youth offenders and support for the motion from members of the larger Los Angeles county community, including former residents of the Nidorf facility.

“Perhaps the most ironic part of today’s vote is that although the Board rejected Nidorf as a viable site, it will nonetheless still explore its suitability to house all pre-adjudicated youth as part of a movement to close Central Juvenile Hall, doubling Nidorf’s population,” said Barger. “In the days and weeks ahead, I will be vigilant. I will closely review forthcoming plans to remodel Camp Scott. I’ve been clear and will continue to emphasize that it needs significant investments inside and outside, including extensive security upgrades, before it can serve any youth.”

Barger said it was important to continue community involvement in the process.

“I also expect a thorough and transparent community involvement process. A commitment to reimagining juvenile justice in L.A. County should be an exciting and creative experience for as many stakeholders as possible. We can’t afford to get this wrong,” she said.