Deal Could Fund Probation Camps

As more than 1,000 Los Angeles County Probation Department employees received layoff or demotion notices Friday, leaders of the state Assembly and Senate struck a deal that could prevent the closure of the county’s youth probation camp system.

The layoffs, ordered by the Board of Supervisors, will take effect Feb. 5 unless Sacramento approves legislation that would funnel at least $17 million to the county so it can continue operating 19 camps for juvenile offenders.

In Sacramento, aides reported that Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) and new Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove) have reached a tentative agreement to provide $32.7 million in emergency aid for the embattled camps system, including $18.4 million for Los Angeles County.

While some issues remain unresolved, aides said, the two leaders were hopeful that a final compromise plan could be ready for a vote as soon as Monday.

“We are doing everything we can to move the package as soon as possible. Hopefully, it will move next week so [authorities] don’t have to close the camps in Los Angeles County and elsewhere,” said Lockyer advisor David Panush.

Ken Colombini, a spokesman for Pringle, said the tentative agreement includes provisions that finance not only Los Angeles County camps, but camps throughout the state.

Friday night, Lockyer said that Gov. Pete Wilson had endorsed the agreement, but insisted that the camps funding bill and a relief measure to aid local governments be approved before he would sign either.

The camps are where mid-level juvenile offenders are sent by juvenile court judges. The camps emphasize rehabilitation and are not as tough as the California Youth Authority or as lenient as a probation sentence.

The county camp bailout was sponsored by Assemblyman Antonio R. Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles), who was optimistic about the chances for averting layoffs and a shutdown.

Villaraigosa said he hopes the legislation to provide funding for camps statewide would be adopted and signed by the governor before the end of January.

“We have been assured that if the bill passes by Feb. 1, the [layoff] notices will be rescinded,” Villaraigosa said.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” he cautioned later, “but now we’re on a fast track.”

The county’s chief probation officer, Barry J. Nidorf, agreed. “It’s terribly disrupting for 25% of my employees,” he said. “But we have two weeks before they take effect, so we still have a little time.”

Probation Department employees, however, were expecting the worst. Many had layoff notices in hand by midafternoon.

A total of 668 Probation Department employees--from maintenance workers and cooks to probation officers--are scheduled to be dismissed, and 337 are slated for demotion.

Some, like Probation Officer Marie Sandoval, have received layoff notices three times in the past year.

“I’m 43 years old, with a son ready for college and a 9-year-old,” she said. “If I have to work at McDonald’s, I will. At my age, it’s going to be hard.”

As an additional consequence of possible camp closures, up to 1,300 youths convicted of various crimes, including murder and armed robbery, are scheduled to appear before juvenile court judges next week, who will decide if the youths should be released early.

Since the process to begin closing the camps started last year, some juveniles convicted of violent crimes have been ordered to home probation rather than serving time at the CYA, traditionally the final option for juvenile court judges.

On Friday, a group of probation officers at Camp Karl Holton, situated in the Angeles National Forest north of Tujunga, pointed out that the impact of the layoffs and camp closures will resonate.

“It’s sad,” said Blanca Rodriguez, “but not so much for us and our co-workers, but for society and the kids. Who knows what’s going to happen to the kids?”

As they talked, a 15-year-old with a large “M” tattooed on either side of his face walked into the office. The boy had been ordered to camp until the tattoos are removed.

“We’re like moms to them,” said Sandoval.

The day’s conflicting messages created confusion for both employees and bosses.

“It’s been a bit schizophrenic,” admitted Richard Shumsky, president of the probation officers’ union. “We’ve been telling people that we think everything is all right. But management has had to go forward with this order. It’s a little difficult.”

Last year, when Villaraigosa introduced legislation to fund the camps, it became attached to two other, less-popular measures: cutting General Relief for the poor and charging counties to help supplement the cost of juvenile prisons.

In light of those failures, few allowed themselves to become too hopeful.

“So far, all they’ve given us is a promise. We want to see the ring,” said Lori Howard, an aide to County Supervisor Mike Antonovich.

Times staff writer Timothy Williams contributed to this story.