Harsher Penalties for Youths Considered

Ventura County officials next week will consider endorsing a report that calls for stiffer penalties for repeat juvenile criminals, creation of a countywide gang-tracking system and stricter parent accountability.

The Board of Supervisors is set to review the report at its Tuesday meeting, but at least one board member is ready to give it her stamp of approval.

“The responses in the report are very correct and on the right path,” Supervisor Kathy Long said.

The report was written in response to a series of recommendations for curbing gang activity made last year by the Ventura County Grand Jury.

The 19-member panel urged a countywide crackdown on gang activity, including creation of the tracking system for juvenile offenders and prosecuting parents for damage caused by their delinquent children.

In response to the grand jury’s findings, the county’s probation agency prepared a report that agreed with the bulk of the panel’s recommendations.

The county, for instance, says law enforcement officials are working to make the current gang-tracking system more comprehensive.

The new system, which will include probation information on juvenile offenders, is expected to be operational by May 2000.

The county report also states the district attorney’s office already prosecutes parents to recoup the costs for damage caused by their children’s “violent or delinquent behavior.”

“I’m a parent and I feel that I have a moral and legal responsibility for my child’s activities,” Long said.

But Supervisor John Flynn said he was bothered by the recommendation to prosecute parents.

“I think we need to have activities that help parents, not prosecute them,” Flynn said.

Flynn also said there needs to be more emphasis on helping youngsters rather them punishing them.

“Just locking them up and tracking them is not the answer,” he said.

In its report last year, the grand jury did suggest providing more youth activities but the bulk of the recommendations focused on beefed-up law enforcement efforts.

The panel cited the success of the Gang Violence Suppression Program, which has helped the Ventura Police Department curb gang activity.

The grand jury suggested other cities follow Ventura’s lead.

The panel also recommended removing graffiti markings no more than 24 hours after they are reported.

Sgt. Mike De Los Santos, who works with the gang unit in Thousand Oaks, said all the recommendations are necessary to root out gang problems in communities across the county.

“You have to have the gang tracking. You have to have the youth programs. You have to have stiffer sentences,” De Los Santos said. “No one thing will do it.”