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California Pens :: Ventura Youth Correctional Facility

February 2012

 

February 19 – A ward was let out of his room for dayroom program when the he began to run toward a YCC. The ward struck the officer in the mouth and jaw. The officer used physical force to gain control of the ward. The officer sustained a cut to his lip and swelling to the face. The officer was treated at an outside emergency medical clinic.
 
February 13 – As a ward was being escorted to his room, he turned and threw a closed fist punch to a YCC’s chest. Pepper spray was used to stop the ward’s assault.
 
February 6 – A YCC was struck in the mouth with a ward’s elbow. The ward was attempting to scale a fence when he was pulled down by the YCC. As the two fell to the ground, the ward landed on top of the counselor who had wrapped his arms around the ward’s waist. The ward forcefully swung his elbow towards the counselor’s head. The counselor used his strength and body weight to turn the ward over and cuff him. The counselor sustained a twisted knee and loss of a partial bridge and a cut lip. The YCC was treated at an outside medical facility.
 
February 1 – A YCC was assaulted by a ward as he was providing a meal tray to him. The ward forced his way out of the room as the door was opened. The ward landed multiple closed fist punches to the counselor’s face. The counselor fell back and struck the back of his head on a brick wall. The YCC sustained bruising to the face and swelling to the back of the head. The counselor was treated at an outside emergency medical facility.
August 2011

 

August 24- A ward attempted to climb over a backyard fence and assaulted a youth correctional counselor in the process. As the ward was scaling the fence, the counselor wrapped his arms around the ward’s waist. The ward lost his grip, jumped down and landed on his feet. The ward then swung his right arm and struck the counselor on the right side of his head behind the ear. The ward broke free and again attempted to scale the fence. The ward was restrained after the application of pepper spray by responding officers.
 
August 7- A youth correctional officer assigned to one-on-one suicide watch was gassed by a ward. The ward squirted an unknown liquid substance through the doorjamb of the room. The officer was struck on the right arm, neck and right side of his uniform.
 
August 2- A youth correctional counselor was assaulted by a ward who threw several closed fist punches, striking the counselor on the head. The counselor was able to place the ward in a prone position on the ground. Responding staff took control of the ward, cuffed him and secured him in his room.
July 2011

 

July 30- A male ward entered the personal space of a female youth correctional counselor. As the counselor attempted to push the ward away, he forcefully grabbed her left arm and thrust it towards her face. The counselor lost her balance, forcing her to take a step back. Two other staff members that were in close proximity were able to isolate the staff and secure the ward.
 
July 29- A senior youth correctional counselor was at his desk when he was assaulted by two wards. The first ward spat on the SYCC twice then leaned over the desk and began striking him on the left side of the face with a closed fist punch. The SYCC blocked the second punch and simultaneously attempted to stop the attack. The second ward joined in the attack and threw closed fist punches that landed on the SYCC’s face and head. SYCC was able to push the first ward away as another staff member grabbed the other ward and took him to the ground. Two additional responding staff were able to secure the ward that initiated the attack.
April 2011

April 26 – A ward lunged at a SYCC and proceeded to throw punches to his head and face. The SYCC was struck numerous times despite the immediate intervention of other living unit staff. One YCC wrapped his arms around the ward’s torso to pull him away from the SYCC. The resistive ward then swung his elbow around and struck the YCC on the ear. Responding staff restrained the ward and returned him to his room. The SYCC received an abrasion to the nose and bump to head. The YCC was treated for a contusion to his ear. Both officers received treatment at an outside medical facility.


April 24 – A ward struck a YCO in the face with closed fist. The ward continued to throw punches at the officer until other officers were able to restrain the ward by using pepper spray and physical force.


April 13 – A Treatment Team Supervisor was hit from behind and pushed into a brick wall by a ward participating in a group attack on another ward. During the same incident a Case Manager was assaulted as she attempted to restrain a ward from participating in the group attack. The ward kicked the staff member and forced her into a counter causing her to strike the counter with both knees.


April 12 – A ward swung an unknown blunt force weapon out of a tray slot striking a YCC in the groin.


April 11 – Three wards in a dayroom were able to squeeze out of waist chains and proceeded to violently swing them. Pepper spray was used to stop the wards. A YCC was struck on the jaw by one of the wards as the YCC approached to physically restrain him. The YCC sustained a contusion to the jaw and was transported to an outside medical facility.


April 4 – A YCC was spit on by a ward as the counselor was escorting the ward to a decontamination shower. The counselor was taken off grounds to a medical clinic for treatment of potential infectious disease exposure.


March 29 – A YCC was escorting a ward to his room when the ward turned and spit on the counselor. The spittle struck the YCC on the face and chest. The YCC was treated off grounds and provided an infectious disease prevention cocktail due to the potential of exposure to an infectious disease.


March 28 – A ward stepped towards a counselor and struck him on the thumb with an open palm.


March 27 – A ward reached through the tray slot in his room in an attempt to retrieve a confiscated cell phone. The YCC was struck by the ward on her hand causing trauma to a finger. The YCC was medically evaluated and treated.

September 2010

September 11 – A YCC stood at the doorway of a workstation to prevent a ward access to another female ward. A ward tried to push past the staff member but was held back by the counselor. The ward was upset she was prevented from coming inside the workstation and then armed herself with a nearby broom and shoved the handle into the YCC’s chest.

September 9 – A ward assaulted a YCC striking him with closed fist in the face. Another YCC grabbed the ward around the waist and was also struck with an elbow to the head. The resisting and non-complaint ward was taken to the ground and restrained in a prone position. One YCC sustained a swollen cheek and the other staff member sustained an abrasion under one eye.
 

August 2010

August 21 – Staff were in the process of turning water off to a ward’s room, who had flooded the area with water and feces. When staff removed the water panel to access the values the ward sprayed an unknown liquid substance through an opening in the wall, striking the chest of one officer and the arm of another.

July 2010

July 28 – A ward who had been involved in a physical altercation with another ward threw a tennis shoe at a YCO striking her on the side of the face.

July 22 – A YCC was exiting a secure dayroom when he was rushed by two wards. The wards threw punches to his torso and face. The staff member tried to fend off the assailants blows and was forced out of the dayroom into the adjacent hallway. The first staff to respond grabbed one of the assailants and took him to the ground, holding him by using her body weight and leverage. The second staff to respond confronted the remaining assailant, who redirected his attack to him. The third responding staff member secured the dayroom and proceeded to assist the YCC, who was now wrestling with the ward. Staff were able stop the ward’s actions and bring him to a prone position. One staff member sustained a contusion to both ears and face, another staff member sustained a contusion to the face, with a likely jaw injury. Both YCCs were taken to an outside hospital for treatment.

July 22 – A ward broke away from staff who were in the process of handcuffing him. The ward spun around, took a fighting stance, and proceeded to throw punches at the YCO’s torso and face. Another ward who was unrestrained while being escorted from the dayroom turned and ran toward the assault. The second ward also began throwing punches at the YCO being assaulted, striking him in the back and head. Another YCO who came to the aide of the assaulted officer was also struck on the head. With the assistance of responding staff, the wards were taken to the ground and handcuffed.
 

June 2010

June 14 – Approximately 100 male wards began rioting during school movement. Responding staff used chemical agents to stop the riot.

June 8 – A female ward threw a bag of spoons at a youth correctional counselor striking her in the chest. The ward then threw a milk carton which ricocheted off a window and struck the counselor on the temple.

June 7 – In a housing unit, a ward was refusing to exit a dayroom, got up from a chair and punched a youth correctional counselor in the face. The counselor used pepper spray and physical force to stop the ward.
 

April 2010

April 3 – A Youth Correctional Counselor was struck in the face by a female ward. The YCC suffered a broken nose and is off work recovering from the injury. The ward, who is almost 18 and has a history of assaulting staff, is being referred for prosecution. 

March 2010

 

MARCH 13 --  A fight involving 24 wards occurred on a living unit. The riot began when a Hispanic ward, who was using the telephone, attacked a black ward who had just been released from his cell. Four to five Hispanic wards joined in on the attack, which caused the entire dayroom to erupt. Staff quickly gained control of the situation. A correctional counselor was injured trying to break up the fight, and was transported to an outside hospital for treatment. 
 
MARCH 11 --  Approximately six wards recently transferred from Heman G. Stark Youth Correctional Facility created a disturbance on a living unit. Staff used pepper spray to gain control of the situation.
 
MARCH 5 --  Staff observed approximately 17 wards in the dayroom tattooing each other. Staff ordered them to surrender the tattoo gun. The wards, who were recent transfers from Heman G. Stark Youth Correctional Facility, refused to comply, and instead barricaded themselves in the dayroom. They blocked the doors with chairs and covered the windows with sheets. Staff used pepper spray to gain compliance. During the incident, a sergeant received a gash on his arm from a broken window that required 15 stitches.
January 2010

January 28 – A correctional counselor was assaulted by a female ward. The officer was kicked three times in the back during the attack.

January 3 – A correctional counselor was knocked over and trampled by wards during a disturbance on the living unit. The officer sustained a pinched nerve and possible disc damage to her back and neck. She has not been released to return to work.