(A resource guide for parents whose child is detained at the Ventura County Juvenile Facility)

Established in 2003, the Ventura County Juvenile Hall Facility functions as a detention and a commitment facility at the same time. It houses approximately 420 youth (both male and female) under the command of the Ventura County Probation Agency.

The Ventura County Juvenile Hall Facility provides a vast array of amenities for both the detention and commitment components of the juvenile complex sitting on an approximately 45-acre piece of unincorporated land. Among these amenities are a multipurpose gymnasium/technology training center, visiting center, medical offices, classrooms, and a juvenile courthouse–the Juvenile Justice Center.

Minors that are detained at the Ventura County Juvenile Facility are provided with positive personal and group activities within the facilities. They are also provided with educational programming that is accredited by the County Superintendent of Schools. In addition, the youth also have access to a psychiatric and crisis intervention services for individual or group sessions.

Children detained at the facility go to court at the adjacent Juvenile Justice Center unless the juvenile case has been filed in adult court. If a minor reaches the age of 18 while detained at the juvenile hall, he/she will get transferred to the Ventura County Jail.

The Ventura County Juvenile Hall is located at 4333 Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93036. The Probation Office is open to the public during normal business hours, Monday through Friday except all holidays.

Below our Ventura County criminal defense lawyers will explain:

• 1. Intake procedure at the Ventura County Juvenile Facility
• 2. How to contact a child detained at the Ventura County Juvenile Hall
• 3. Visiting procedures and schedule at the Ventura County Juvenile Facility
• 4. Rules and regulations on mail correspondence at the Ventura County Juvenile Hall

We also invite you to see our pages on Ventura County DUI cases, the Ventura County Jail, California juvenile criminal law and the process to seal and destroy juvenile court records.

1. Intake procedure at the Ventura County Juvenile Facility

Upon admittance of a minor into the Ventura County Juvenile Hall, the minor will go through a health screening process to address any health issues that are necessary before he or she is assigned into a unit for detention. Once they complete the examination and they are cleared, the minors are placed into their respective units for detention.

Each minor is issued with individual supplies for his or her personal use only to maintain proper hygiene while detained at the facility. These items are not to be shared under any circumstance and are not recycled for use with other minors. Minors are expected to comply with the daily guidelines that refer to hygiene practice.

When a minor is ordered by the court to be transferred into a different juvenile detention facility for commitment purposes, he or she will be dressed out in personal clothing that was worn upon initial intake and all personal belongings will be released at the time as well. This also applies when a minor is officially discharged from the Ventura County Juvenile Facility.

2. How to contact a child detained at the Ventura Juvenile Hall

Generally, as a standard procedure at detention facilities (whether adult or juvenile), incoming calls from the public are NOT allowed under any circumstance. Ventura County Juvenile Facility is no different in that aspect. However, parents, grandparents, and legal guardians (which calls to minors are restricted to only) may set up an account for their child where he or she may be able to place outgoing calls conveniently.

The name of the private telephone company that services the Ventura County Juvenile Hall is called PC Telecom. You may reach them at 1-800-728-3532 or 1-860-536-1199. You may also go to their website at http://www.pctelecom.com to find out about rates and setting up an account. Otherwise, your child may contact you collect whenever he or she calls during free time, which is usually after school hours.

For inquiry on your child’s status with regards to behavioral concerns or court proceedings, you may contact the Supervising Probation Officer to discuss these issues at 1-805-981-5521, preferably during business hours. Although for emergency calls, the facility is open to receive calls 24 hours a day 7 days a week to address any concerns.

3. Visiting procedures and hours at the Ventura County Juvenile Hall Facility

The general population visiting days are on Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday only. Visiting hours at the Ventura Juvenile Hall are broken down according to designated units. It is highly recommended to call the facility prior to arrival and inquire as to your child’s unit assignment. Below is the schedule for the visiting days (unit assignment information available only upon inquiry via phone):

• Sunday — (For both detention & commitment components) 9:00 am – 8:45 pm

• Tuesday — 5:45 pm – 8:45 pm

• Wednesday — 1:00 pm – 6:45 pm

Visits with the minors may not exceed one (1) hour each session and a maximum of two (2) visits each week. Only parents, grandparents, and/or legal guardians are allowed to visit the minors detained at the Ventura County Juvenile Facility. All special visits from family members or relatives require approval from the court of the Supervising Probation Officer.

All visitors will go through a search of their identity and their belongings as a safety measure. All visitors must bring a proper identification. Accepted forms of identification are government-issued only. Anyone lacking proper identification will not be allowed to enter the facility and conduct a visit with the minors.

Dress code is strictly enforced. Clothing must not be too revealing or provocative in nature. No images of sex, drugs, violence, or depicting gang-related behavior. Bringing food and drinks in the visiting area is not allowed. Alcohol, illegal drugs, and/or contraband are also prohibited. Possession of these items will result in non-entry and possible prosecution.

For a comprehensive list of “Do’s & Don’ts”, you may pick one up at the front office of the facility before conducting your visit.

4. Rules and regulations on mail correspondence at the Ventura Juvenile Hall

The minors detained at the Ventura Juvenile Hall may correspond through mail with the public as form of communication. The facility provides the minors a limited amount of supplies to enable them to send letters to their family members. However, parents, grandparents, and/or legal guardians may bring them extra amount of supplies such as writing paper, envelopes, and stamps in addition to what is provided by the facility.

Extra supplies must be brought to the front office and received before handed personally to the minors for their own use. That being said, all mail correspondence goes through strict search and review for security purposes. Privacy is restricted to correspondence with the minors and their attorneys.

No packages are allowed to be sent via mail. Letters must not exceed (5″ x 7″) in size and must be addressed properly with a return address at all times. Minors may receive photographs in the mail but are not allowed to keep more than five (5) in their possession. Pictures must not contain any type of nudity, sex, drugs, or violence of any sort. All mail correspondence must not contain illegal drugs and/or any type of contraband.

All mail correspondence must be in compliance with the above regulations. Otherwise they will be confiscated and will not be delivered. If a minor consistently does not follow these rules, he or she will be put on mail review status and may consequently be punished by a mail correspondence privilege suspension.

NOTE: If your child is held at the juvenile facility or facing charges at the Juvenile Justice Center in Oxnard, please consult with the Ventura County criminal defense lawyers at the Shouse Law Group.