COUNTYWIDE : Chinese Officials To Tour Juvenile Center

A group of 50 education, criminal justice and medical officials from China will tour an innovative juvenile facility in Ventura Wednesday to study the newest approach to treating juvenile delinquency.

The group will tour the Colston Youth Center, Clifton Tatum Center, Juvenile Restitution Project and Gateway Community School.

The facilities share a campus setting at 380 N. Hillmont Ave.

After the morning tour, the Chinese officials will be welcomed with an hour-long lunch and public ceremony at the Clifton Tatum patio beginning at 11:45 a.m.

Daniel A. Flynn, principal of Juvenile Court Schools for the Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, said the group is interested in learning more about the Colston Youth Center.

First funded by the state in 1983 as a model program, the Colston Youth Center is based on an inter-agency approach to teaching troubled youths, Flynn said.

Specialists from Ventura County Mental Health, Correction Services and county schools work in tandem under the same roof, he said.

“A student’s teacher sits in on a small group run by mental health, as well as the mental health counselor helping the student with his homework at night,” Flynn said.

Flynn said juveniles who have graduated from the center tend to get in trouble less often and for less serious offenses than adolescents with similar histories, he said.

The tour is part of a summer program that the Chinese officials have joined that is hosted by the University of Southern California.

Those who wish to make a reservation to attend the welcoming ceremony should call Flynn at 652-5726.