California State Association of Counties CA Counties Magazine Article 3

January/February 2009 California Counties

CORRECTIONS: Santa Clara County Invests In Enhanced Ranch Program to Turn Lives Around

By Gwendolyn Mitchell

"If you stayed out of fights in Juvenile Hall, you passed your program. Here they have higher expectations of you." These are the words of J., a lean, 18-year-old Hispanic male with sparkling eyes who is in the third month of a six-month stay at James Ranch in Santa Clara County. "J." describes himself as a young man who has a long history with the criminal justice system.

On a recent sunny afternoon, J. took a few moments away from the computer screen where he was writing a paper on the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. The paper was for a college-level political science course. "I wish I would have had this opportunity before," he continued.

The opportunity J. referred to is the County's Enhanced Ranch Program, a model that stresses accountability, rehabilitation and responsibility.

When asked to describe how the program differs from juvenile hall, J. said there are a lot of differences, starting with where the youths live. "When you put a person in a cell, it puts you in a mood. It gives you attitude." He went on to say, "There is always someone here to talk to you to help you work through your problems. You feel like they really care about you. There’s a lot more counseling and constant redirecting of negative behavior. They show you how you can do things better."

J. was describing key elements of Santa Clara County's Enhanced Ranch Program, which is patterned after a successful program in Missouri. The youth live in pods. The living quarters resemble college dormitories, except for the military like order of everything in its place. The pods are decorated with comfortable living room furniture, bunk beds to sleep 12, and art created by the residents. One of the young men in Pod C had drawn a picture of a sports tennis shoe with the words "Yes We Can" etched in elaborate lettering near the heel.

Troubled by a high rate of repeat offenders, county supervisors spent $3.2 million to cover the cost of the Enhanced Ranch Program. The funding enabled the Probation Department to reduce the staffing ratio at James Ranch and Muriel Wright Ranch. Before, staffing ratios were 1 for 15 minors during the day and reduced to 1 for 30 at night. Under the new rehabilitation program, the staff ratios increased to 1 for 6 minors during the day and 1 for 12 during sleeping hours.

Outgoing Supervisor Blanca Alvarado, chair of the Public Safety and Justice Committee and Juvenile Detention Reform, said it best, "Funding the Enhanced Ranch Program was not only good public policy, it also was a strategic business decision," she said. "We had a 40 percent recidivism rate that had a huge price tag."

Four out of 10 youth failing juvenile rehabilitation had an annual cost of more than $2.5 million. By making a slightly larger investment, the county could put in place an evidence-based program that for many youth could break the cycle of a revolving door to juvenile hall and later county jail or state prison.

A side-by-side comparison of the old behavior management program and the new Enhanced Ranch cognitive behavior management model reveals the stark differences in the focus on rehabilitation. Under the former program, youth offenders received one hour of individual behavior modification counseling and one hour of group counseling on a weekly basis. Treatment plans were developed by ranch counselors within two weeks of entry and the typical length of stay was 120 to 150 days.

The Enhanced Ranch model is based on the principle that opportunities for learning abound 24 hours per day. Individual counseling is provided as needed. Group counseling sessions are scheduled daily -- morning, afternoon and evening. The sessions, led by a probation counselor and team facilitator, are positive and peer-based. Instead of being lectured to, youth learn to think critically.

According to Mike Simms, probation manager at James Ranch, "They are learning to understand why they do what they do and how their behavior affects others in the group."

Peer reinforcement is important. Circle Intervention Groups are scheduled as needed. All youth offenders undergo aggression training using TIPS (Teaching Pro-social Skills). Case plans are developed by multidisciplinary teams that include a ranch counselor; mental health, educational, and substance abuse counselors; probation officer; and parents. The length of stay is six to eight months.

Families and communities are viewed as resources. At the outset, families are brought into the treatment process. The objective is to engage the families so the youth have stronger support systems when they return home. Transition planning for six months of aftercare begins 60 days prior to release and includes home visits, as well as family reintegration counseling. Reduced caseloads permit probation officers to have contact with youth three to five times a week during the initial ten-week intensive supervision. The community-based aftercare program includes: intensive case management; substance abuse counseling services; mental health services; social/recreation skills; life skills/ communication skills; school placement/alternative school transitioning; family counseling; additional aggression redirection training; and health and outpatient mental health services.

"We are setting an example worth emulating," said Supervisor Liz Kniss. "I have met with youth while in the program, and after completion, they tell me it truly made a difference in their outlook."

The good news is that during the first year, 110 youth were committed to the Enhanced Ranch Program and 75 percent successfully graduated. The trend continued through Ranch aftercare supervision, with 70 percent graduating. Simms said that there also are intangible payoffs that are hard to measure, such as the number of people who don't become victims, and the productive contributions to society that rehabilitated youth will make over the course of their lives.

"Our goal is to reach a success rate of 100 percent," said Chief Probation Officer Sheila Mitchell. "We're not there yet but we are on our way."

A newly released "County Probation Camps and Ranches for Juvenile Offenders Report" prepared for the California Assembly's Public Safety Committee, shows that Santa Clara County is the only county in California using the Enhanced Ranch model.are responsible for maintaining the local street and road system, and more. They often face interesting and challenging public works projects, like the three discussed in this article.

GWENDOLYN MITCHELL IS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR SANTA CLARA COUNTY.