Probation Camps

Re “Putting Delinquents in Their Place,” editorial, Dec. 26:

The Los Angeles County Chicano Employees Assn. fully agrees with your statement, “The camps provide education, tough discipline, drug treatment, job training and a chance for youngsters to go straight before it is too late.”

If the Legislature has not shown substantial progress in passing an urgency bill to fund the 18 probation camps by Jan. 18, then the camps in all probability will close in February. As a result, approximately 4,500 youths in 1996 will not be sent to probation camps.

Another consequence of the closures will be the layoff of 790 Probation Department employees and the demotion of 433 others. These layoffs and demotions could have a devastating impact on law enforcement, which is already overburdened. We believe that it is essential that the voters of Los Angeles let their elected officials and the governor know that it is imperative that we keep the camps open by supporting amended AB 1483, to be introduced in January by Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles).

ALAN CLAYTON

Director of Equal Employment Opportunity

L.A. County Chicano Employees Assn.

GIL MORENO

General Manager and Chief Counsel