State Crackdown Targets Boys Ranch

Concluding that a Sacramento boy was physically abused and medically neglected before his death at Arizona Boys Ranch in March, California officials said Tuesday they would withdraw all federal and state funding to counties choosing to send juvenile offenders to the facility.

The three-month investigation by the California Department of Social Services into the death of 16-year-old Nicholaus Contreraz yielded the agency’s harshest criticism ever against an out-of-state placement facility and drew its most severe sanctions.

Eloise Anderson said in a statement that she recommends bringing all 223 California children back from the Arizona paramilitary-style juvenile camp immediately.

“If I had the authority to remove these kids, I would bring them home or place them in a safe facility today,” Anderson said.

The department’s action means that as of Aug. 1, counties will bear the full cost of the $3,700 monthly Boys Ranch fee, an expense that many probably will find economically prohibitive. Under the current system, state and federal funding pays for as much as 80% of the monthly fee; the counties pay the rest.

Anderson’s statement Tuesday summarized a 600-page report, the first completed probe from among a handful of investigations in California and Arizona. A week ago, the Arizona state licensing agency postponed until Sept. 1 a decision about renewing Boys Ranch’s license.

The California department questioned the entire practice of out-of-state placements in general and harshly criticized Boys Ranch specifically for its treatment of Contreraz, who died after weeks of extreme physical and emotional duress while at the ranch’s Oracle campus, north of Tucson.

The report, prepared by a team of nine investigators, concluded that Contreraz’s death “was caused by prolonged and serious medical neglect and openly conducted abusive treatment. He suffered physical and psychological abuse and his personal rights were continually violated. The investigation also found that the general philosophy of how youth are treated at ABR was not conducive to their safety and well-being. . . . “

Contreraz’s mother said she was relieved that action had been taken against Boys Ranch, which has so far not been sanctioned by any Arizona agency.

“It’s a larger step than had been taken,” said Julie Vega. “I’m very glad about the funding part. Without the money, they [the counties] can’t send them. They’ve [Boys Ranch] portrayed themselves to be something that they are not. Boys are being mistreated, abused and killed and they act like nothing is wrong. And they are getting millions of dollars on top of it.”

Officials of Boys Ranch could not be reached late Tuesday.

Before the March 2 death, about 80% of the Boys Ranch population came from California. After Contreraz’s death, the Department of Social Services issued a moratorium on future placements but allowed boys already there to remain. Since then, the ranch has laid off some employees and closed one of its seven facilities.

More than 1,000 California juveniles this year have been sent to out-of-state facilities by Juvenile Court judges. A fee change at the California Youth Authority has made it less expensive for counties to send children out of California. In addition, some authorities believe that the hands-on approach at Boys Ranch and other camps--a practice that is banned in California--helps rehabilitate troubled youths.