Report Cites Misconduct by Former CYA Official

A former superintendent of the Ventura School engaged in personal relationships with at least four female subordinates at the juvenile prison, then had another improper relationship after being transferred to a corrections facility in Norwalk, state investigators have found.

A 103-page state inspector general’s report reviewed Thursday by The Times details numerous misconduct allegations against the longtime California Youth Authority administrator, who retired suddenly in November after investigators questioned him about allegations of sexual misconduct.

Investigators found a long-established pattern of mismanagement and sexual misbehavior at the Camarillo prison, according to the report. The investigators reported “a systemic problem” of lax management that minimized sexual misconduct by employees and inmates, and allowed women employees to be treated unfairly. In response, state prison officials suspended the school’s three top administrators Wednesday.

The full report, not yet released publicly, also cites examples of the type of misconduct that allegedly occurred at the school: a male counselor reporting to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol and having sex with an inmate, a male guard openly flaunting his sexual relationship with a female parolee, a male counselor having sex with a minor female inmate that resulted in pregnancy, a female counselor having a personal relationship with a male inmate and fired for trying to intimidate a resident in public while drunk.

The report cited former Supt. Manuel A. Carbajal, who left the school under fire in 1993, as an example of how unethical leadership can influence an institution.

“Since management sets the tone in most organizations, the investigation into eight allegations of misconduct by Superintendent Carbajal is particularly revealing,” Inspector General Lloyd Wood said in a summary of the report.

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“Carbajal’s administration was described as based on fear and intimidation with racial and sexual overtones,” Wood said. “It was perceived that Hispanic staff members and wards received preferential treatment and that female employees only advance their careers by providing favors, some sexual, to management.”

The full report details how Carbajal allegedly broke youth authority policy by having personal relationships with Ventura School employees during his three years as superintendent.

Investigators looked into cases involving six women, and found “sufficient evidence to clearly prove to a reasonable certainty” relationships with four of them, the report said.

One woman acknowledged a long-term sexual relationship with the superintendent, while Carbajal told investigators he had dated her a few times. A second subordinate also confirmed she had dated Carbajal, and witnesses confirmed his relationship with two other female subordinates, the report said.

After Carbajal was transferred to Norwalk “under a cloud of allegations of fiscal mismanagement and inappropriate sexual behavior with staff,” he struck up a long-term relationship with another woman working for him, the report said. Both the woman and Carbajal acknowledged the relationship, but she said it was not sexual, the report said.

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Carbajal described it as a “very close friendship . . . strictly platonic,” an investigator reported after interviewing him on Nov. 10.

“There is sufficient evidence to prove that Mr. Carbajal was untruthful during his investigative interview,” the report said.

Two days later, Carbajal, a youth authority employee for 29 years, resigned suddenly, leaving a one-sentence memo: “Effective immediately, I have retired from state service.”

“Mr. Carbajal’s sudden resignation on the next working day following our interview, and the brevity of his statement is uncharacteristic of a man of his stature,” the report said. “Mr. Carbajal had an extensive career and had reached the highest management levels with the CYA.”

But the inspector general found that disciplinary action at Ventura School has focused on rank-and-file employees, not on managers.

The report cites a number of specific examples of misconduct and the punishment meted. An analysis of 42 documented cases over a six-year period that ended in 1998 also showed a disparity in treatment of men and women, and an acceptance of sexual activity between employees and inmates--in part because of the fear of retaliation if the activity is reported, the investigation found.

“Staff has succumbed to accepting misconduct . . . and no longer appear to be outraged by the frequency of the inappropriate sexual misconduct with staff and wards,” the report said.

The Ventura School has been a center of controversy since 1997, when state Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley) and other state lawmakers accused the youth authority of covering up inmate rapes by guards. Three officers were later fired or forced out.

The current turmoil has prompted two parallel investigations--the inspector general’s inquiry and a separate internal investigation into possible criminal sexual misconduct by employees.

A former Ventura School teacher was charged in January with having oral sex with 17-year-old inmates. And youth authority investigators say criminal cases against seven other former and current employees have been sent to local prosecutors.

Nine school employees have been fired or forced out since April, authorities said.