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Show ' ' j ' " ' ' "" - - ; ' , ' lit Above is a photograph oi the dining room at San Diego Juvenile Hall. Meals are served cafeteria style, similar to the familiar school arrangement. After meals are over the dining portion converts to recreation purposes, including television. - .V. rt v; ' -Mi Above are. boys getting tensions released on the playing field as they wait disposition of their cases from the San Diego courts. CbL County Rehabilitates Juveniles by D. R Dale The South East Independent presents this article as the second in a study of the San Diego County Detention Home, or Juvenile Hali In California the county facilities serve all communities, including' Federal cases on contract basis at $8.50 per child per day. Financing is by taxes with forestry camps on state subsidy. Juvenile Halls are under the jurisdiction of the Probation Department. All inmates are under 18 unless it is a special case from Juvenile Court, then they are over 21. Rated capacity of San Diego Juvenile Hall is 160, but it is overcrowded already; now holds 200, so there are double bunks in boys wards, planned originally for one child only. Mr. J. E. Meltzer, superintendent, favors building a new Hall on a site elsewhere rather than enlarging present facilities. He feels this method makes for better handling of the children. All are delinquents (or under suspicion). Violent cases can be temporarily detained in security rooms but are quickly sent on to other institutions for treatment. "Unfortunate' or abandoned children go to Hillcrest Receiving Home, not Juvenile Hall. Sleeping, quarters are quite bare. They are purely functional, with bunks but they are' very comfortable. No pillows for they have had to put two boys together for sleepingpillow fights use up more pillows thanjhe budget can replace Each boys sleeping room has two bunk beds, (girls have separate rooms) with a mirror, toilet, and ledge for toothbrush, tooth-brush, not much else. Each bed is made with military precision and pajamas are rolled neatly at one end. The program is very active so that all they do here is merely sleep and dress. After all, if it gets too nice, why go home and reform? Recreation facilities consist of courts for sports, TV, radio, record player, ping-pong table, pool for the boys, table games and crafts and hobby materials. From time to time coeducational picnics, socials, dances, by invitation from unit to unit, sexes taking turns hosting the party, usually senior boys with senior girls, intermediate inter-mediate boys with junior girls, etc; are held. A portable barbeque is used. The emphasis is on "big muscle" activities. Children wear clothing furnished by the Hall while in residence; with their own clothing returned when they leave - jeans and T-shirts for boys, skirts and blouses for girls - not uniforms. Education since 1952 has been a minimum of four hours per day per child, under supervision of County Superintendent of Schools. Classes are staggered, so one unit uses facilities in the morning, another in the afternoon. For security measures there are no bars, etc, apparent,, but rooms are secured by small paned windows. The sections are heavy and the glass is actually plastic. It' does not look like a, jail, but they don't escape through windows, says Mr. Meltzer. Discipline is excellent, very similar to ordinary classroom. Psychotic children are treated by counsel or sent to appropriate state facility elsewhere - only damage might be names on . the walls, and a staff painter keeps this obliterated daily. Corporal punishment is prohibited by state of the friendly atmosphere. Small groups under constant supervision of a trained counselor, a very active and well-planned program, and well-planned program. D. H. Dale comments: Successful? Yes, I would say that this Juvenile Hall is one of the best in the U.S. I would also say, however, that it should not be. Any American child in a country of our wealth is entitled to just the very same kind of (Cont. to page two) (Cont. from page one.) humane and constructive care. All Halls should resemble this one if we are to call ourselves a nation of people who love all our children. "This Hall was completely functional and business like. I did not see anything that an educated and informed person could call "frills". . "Mr. Meltzer and his staff very definitely fe 1 proud to be part of this institution. They are a qualified and trained personnel. Salairies are not high, so I expect that they are a dedicated people." |