Top 3 Officials at Juvenile Prison Are Suspended

The director of the state prison system Wednesday suspended the top three administrators at scandal-plagued Ventura School after investigators found a two-decades-long pattern of mismanagement and sexual misconduct at the juvenile prison near Camarillo.

Robert B. Presley, secretary of the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, placed the administrators on paid leave pending a review of a scathing report released Wednesday by the state inspector general’s office.

School Supt. Mary Herrera, Assistant Supt. Chuck Kubasek and Chief of Security James J. McDuffy left work after being notified of their suspensions and could not be reached for comment.

A decision on their future will not be made for at least a month, officials said.

The report found “a systemic problem” of lax management that minimized sexual misconduct by employees and inmates and resulted in unfair treatment and sexual harassment of women employees.

It cited two cases in which top administrators allegedly lied to investigative agencies. One former superintendent, who faces eight complaints of misconduct, engaged in personal relations with subordinates, the report said.