Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility
Encyclopedia
The Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility has been, for the last century, a somewhat mysterious, but conspicuous sector of Whittier Boulevard, in Whittier
, California. Operated by the California Youth Authority
, now part of California Department of Corrections, it once quartered refractory young people until it declared bankruptcy and closed its gates in June 2004. It had been the oldest juvenile facility in the state. One of the major factors that contributed to the closing of the facility was the limit on property taxes enacted by Proposition 13 in 1978, which severely diminished the funding of all schools. Nelles was open for 113 years. Its 74 acres have become overgrown and obscure the facility that has intrigued residents for a lifetime.
The state school was considered to have some of the best job training and music courses in the state for the first part of the twentieth century. In 1916, girls were no longer admitted and "Boy's School" was added to the name. It was renamed 'Fred C. Nelles School for Boys' in 1941, to honor the longtime former superintendent of the school from 1912 to 1927.The 'For Boys' was eliminated from the name around 1970. In Roosevelt Hall, the dormitory, there was a complete lack of privacy. In fact, wards had to earn a private cell. The high school boys team was a notorious football rival of Whittier High School, but "every time someone broke out, all the Whittier schools would be notified," inevitably upsetting the community. Five guards were fired In 1990, for allegedly physically abusing several inmates in their dormitories. It was also reported that chemical restraints were used in 274 incidents. Later in the 20th century, the daily population averaged 439 young people, the school had at one time housed nearly 1,000 wards. The last boy left the school in May 2004.
No state refers to its juvenile correctional institutions
as "reform schools" today. In California, they are under the auspices of California Division of Juvenile Justice
and reducing the number of occupants of these facilities is a priority in the juvenile justice system. Only the most habitual offenders are now placed in detention centers. In an attempt to make the incarceration conform to more sociological and sociocultural norms, and in response to the rising number of young female offenders, many such institutions have been made coeducational.
"They drive by Nelles multiple times a day, and have, most of their lives." a local resident said. "People are really curious to see what's behind the fence. They want to understand it more." Johanna Perez, a Whittier College librarian, recalls her parents threatening to send her to Nelles if she wasn't good, described the place as "surreal." This was a common threat to children of that era growing up in the area. The Fred C. Nelles facility occupies an area in what is now the middle of town. Residents were very pleased to learn that Nelles was closing and the property would be developed into commercial and retail property.
newspaper reported that State Senator Gloria Romero said that she has requested an investigation regarding an assertion that there are 28 bodies buried at the former Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility. An anonymous letter was received by the senator from a person who claimed that he or she had worked at the CYA. Allegedly, the burials were in the 1930s.
," visited the facility. Ultimately, the Othersiders agreed that the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility is haunted. They reported that you can "hear girls laughing in the chapel and ghostly bangs in the gym and garage." A recent visitor said that "I know every street here in Whittier and now I've come to a whole new area. It feels like I'm not in Whittier, like I've been transported to another state or another area in the country." Blow
, a film starring Johnny Depp
and Penelope Cruz
contains scenes that were filmed at the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility. Exteriors of a fictional state execution facility were filmed at the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility, the facility name being clearly shown in multiple shots.
"The boot camp model became a correctional panacea for juvenile offenders during the early 1990s, promising the best of both worlds—less recidivism and lower operating costs. Although there have been numerous studies of boot camp programs since that time, most have relied on nonrandomized comparison groups. The California Youth Authority (CYA) experimental study of its juvenile boot camp and intensive parole program (called LEAD)—versus standard custody and parole—was an important exception, but its legislatively mandated in-house evaluation was prepared before complete outcome data were available. The present study capitalizes on full and relatively long-term follow-up arrest data for the LEAD evaluation provided by the California Department of Justice in August 2002. Using both survival models and negative binomial regression models, the results indicate that there were no significant differences between groups in terms of time to first arrest or average arrest frequency."
Read more: Glimpse behind the fence: Whittier College faculty, staffers tour Nelles - Whittier Daily News http://www.whittierdailynews.com/ci_16138356#ixzz10NVYf13q
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
, California. Operated by the California Youth Authority
California Division of Juvenile Justice
The California Division of Juvenile Justice , formerly known as the California Youth Authority , is a division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that provides education, training, and treatment services for California's most serious youth offenders...
, now part of California Department of Corrections, it once quartered refractory young people until it declared bankruptcy and closed its gates in June 2004. It had been the oldest juvenile facility in the state. One of the major factors that contributed to the closing of the facility was the limit on property taxes enacted by Proposition 13 in 1978, which severely diminished the funding of all schools. Nelles was open for 113 years. Its 74 acres have become overgrown and obscure the facility that has intrigued residents for a lifetime.
History
Originally it was called the Whittier State School, when it opened in July 1891 as a reform school for boys and girls. The March 11, 1889 Act of the California Legislature authorized the establishment of a school for juvenile offenders. At the time, Whittier was only a small community with plenty of open land, and the idea of a juvenile correction facility on the outskirts of town did not threaten the little town's residents.No state refers to its juvenile correctional institutions
Youth detention center
A youth detention center, also known as a juvenile detention center , juvenile hall or, more colloquially as juvie, is a secure residential facility for young people, often termed juvenile delinquents, awaiting court hearings and/or placement in long-term care facilities and programs...
as "reform schools" today. In California, they are under the auspices of California Division of Juvenile Justice
California Division of Juvenile Justice
The California Division of Juvenile Justice , formerly known as the California Youth Authority , is a division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that provides education, training, and treatment services for California's most serious youth offenders...
and reducing the number of occupants of these facilities is a priority in the juvenile justice system. Only the most habitual offenders are now placed in detention centers. In an attempt to make the incarceration conform to more sociological and sociocultural norms, and in response to the rising number of young female offenders, many such institutions have been made coeducational.
Community
People in the Whittier community have a lot of curiosity about what is behind its wall of trees and fences."They drive by Nelles multiple times a day, and have, most of their lives." a local resident said. "People are really curious to see what's behind the fence. They want to understand it more." Johanna Perez, a Whittier College librarian, recalls her parents threatening to send her to Nelles if she wasn't good, described the place as "surreal." This was a common threat to children of that era growing up in the area. The Fred C. Nelles facility occupies an area in what is now the middle of town. Residents were very pleased to learn that Nelles was closing and the property would be developed into commercial and retail property.
Land controversy
The Fred C. Nelles facility is located on a highly visible and significant section of Whittier Blvd., the town's major throughway. Whittier has grown into a fully developed city, with homes and businesses gradually surrounding the old facility. The concept of Nelles becoming a prison facility again was enabled by Assembly Bill 5 and Senate Bill 2. But, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune on 4/25/2010, historical protection and development of Nelles as a commercial center are likely to be in serious conflict. Nelles' 74-acres have been added to the list of state historical landmarks. Taken separately, the administration building that was constructed in 1928-29 has its own historical designation and must be protected, according to the State of California. On the campus there is also the superintendent's residence, the Catholic and Protestant chapels, and a gymnasium to be considered. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, in its 2010 Thanksgiving edition, gave thanks for "The plans to revitalize Whittier Boulevard and properly develop the former Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility." The State of California has surmised that: “The Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility has a "multi-layered history, which is significant to the City of Whittier and to the State of California.”Investigation
On July 6, 2007 The Whittier Daily NewsWhittier Daily News
The Whittier Daily News is the local daily newspaper for Whittier, California. The Daily News is a member of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, a division of MediaNews Group. It is also part of the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group, along with the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and the Pasadena...
newspaper reported that State Senator Gloria Romero said that she has requested an investigation regarding an assertion that there are 28 bodies buried at the former Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility. An anonymous letter was received by the senator from a person who claimed that he or she had worked at the CYA. Allegedly, the burials were in the 1930s.
Behind the fence
The location is currently used as a backlot for television and motion picture filming. I The television show, "The OthersidersThe Othersiders
The Othersiders is an American paranormal reality television series that premiered on June 17, 2009 on the Cartoon Network. The program follows a group of five teenagers who are interested in the paranormal and explore reportedly haunted sites to discover any paranormal activity. Aimed for a teen...
," visited the facility. Ultimately, the Othersiders agreed that the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility is haunted. They reported that you can "hear girls laughing in the chapel and ghostly bangs in the gym and garage." A recent visitor said that "I know every street here in Whittier and now I've come to a whole new area. It feels like I'm not in Whittier, like I've been transported to another state or another area in the country." Blow
Blow (film)
Blow is a 2001 biopic about the American cocaine smuggler George Jung, directed by Ted Demme. David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay. It is based on the real...
, a film starring Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
and Penelope Cruz
Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón , to critical acclaim...
contains scenes that were filmed at the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility. Exteriors of a fictional state execution facility were filmed at the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility, the facility name being clearly shown in multiple shots.
Boot Camp
Abstract"The boot camp model became a correctional panacea for juvenile offenders during the early 1990s, promising the best of both worlds—less recidivism and lower operating costs. Although there have been numerous studies of boot camp programs since that time, most have relied on nonrandomized comparison groups. The California Youth Authority (CYA) experimental study of its juvenile boot camp and intensive parole program (called LEAD)—versus standard custody and parole—was an important exception, but its legislatively mandated in-house evaluation was prepared before complete outcome data were available. The present study capitalizes on full and relatively long-term follow-up arrest data for the LEAD evaluation provided by the California Department of Justice in August 2002. Using both survival models and negative binomial regression models, the results indicate that there were no significant differences between groups in terms of time to first arrest or average arrest frequency."
- In late 2010 Kevin SmithKevin SmithKevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
shot his film Red StateRed State (2011 film)Red State is a 2011 American independent horror film written and directed by Kevin Smith, starring Michael Parks, John Goodman, Melissa Leo and Stephen Root...
at the facility.
- "Prison BreakPrison BreakPrison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
" is still filming at the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility
Sources
Miroslava Chavez-Garcia, an associate professor at UC Davis, has written a book about ethnicity and the effect on juvenile inmates in the state corrections system from the 1890s to the 1940s. In particular, the book focuses on Nelles.Read more: Glimpse behind the fence: Whittier College faculty, staffers tour Nelles - Whittier Daily News http://www.whittierdailynews.com/ci_16138356#ixzz10NVYf13q