Madera PROB (2025-2026 inspection cycle)

December 4, 2025 Rick Galindo, Chief Probation Officer Madera County Probation Department 300 South G Street, Suite 100 Madera, CA 93637 2025-2026 UNANNOUNCED INSPECTION, WELFARE & INSTITUTIONS CODE SECTIONS 209 & 885, MADERA COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENT DETENTION FACILITIES Dear Chief Galindo: An Unannounced Inspection of the Madera County Probation Department was completed for the following facilities on Wednesday, December 3, 2025: FACILITY NAME BSCC # FACILITY TYPE Madera Youth Correction Center (YCC) 7280 JH Madera County MERCY Program-SYTF 7281 SYTF Madera YCC Correctional Academy 7285 CAMP Madera County MERCY Program-SYTF/CA 7286 SYTF These inspections were conducted pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code Sections 209 and 885 to determine compliance with the Minimum Standards for Juvenile Detention Facilities as outlined in Titles 15 and 24, California Code of Regulations. INSPECTION RESULTS The focus of the Unannounced Inspection was to evaluate the status of the ongoing policy and procedure update. While the existing facility manual contains required elements in regulation, the policies and procedures update has been ongoing for the last two cycles. We were advised at the Comprehensive Inspection that the updated Lexipol Policy and Procedures would be in place by the end of the year. On November 25, 2025, the Madera County Board of Supervisors approved a new contract with Lexipol to facilitate a faster transition and implementation period, with a six-month timeline to completion. We identified no items of noncompliance with Title 15 Minimum Standards. Refer to the attached Title 15 Modified Procedures Checklist for detailed information. Of note, we toured the facility while on site to see the progress of the wellness area for youth, in unoccupied Unit 3B. Not relative to rated capacity or Title 24, we note this for follow-up in 2026 as additional recreation and program areas for youth. Youth are involved in the painting and floor pads for exercise equipment and gaming areas. This space will be used by all youth. Rick Galindo Chief Probation Officer Page 2 * * * Please email me at elizabeth.gong@bscc.ca.gov or call (916) 704-2503 if you have any questions. Sincerely, ELIZABETH GONG Field Representative Facilities Standards and Operations Division Enclosures Cc: Presiding Judge, Madera County Juvenile Court* Chair, Juvenile Justice Commission, Madera County* Chair, Board of Supervisors, Madera County* County Administrator, Madera County* Jose Pantoja, Assistant Chief Probation Officer, Madera County Sandra Mendez, Chief Deputy Probation Officer, Madera YCC Kevin Davie, Lieutenant, Madera YCC *Copies of the inspection are available upon request or online at www.bscc.ca.gov. 7280+ Madera PROB YCC JH Camp SYTF UI LTR 25-26 JUVENILE HALLS, SPECIAL PURPOSE JUVENILE HALLS AND CAMPS Board of State and Community Corrections PROCEDURES CHECKLIST 1 , 2 BSCC Code: 7280 + 7281 + 7285 + 7286 FACILITY NAME: Madera County YCC (BSCC 7280) FACILITY TYPE: JH Madera County Mercy Program – SYTF (BSCC 7281) SYTF Madera County YCC – Correctional Academy (BSCC 7285) Camp Madera County Mercy Program – SYTF (BSCC 7286) SYTF PERSON(S) INTERVIEWED: Jose Pantoja, Assistant Chief Probation Officer; Sandra Mendez, Chief Deputy Probation Officer; Kevin Davie, Lieutenant. FIELD REPRESENTATIVE: Elizabeth Gong DATE: December 3, 2025 TITLE 15 SECTION 7280 7281 7285 7286 P/P REFERENCE – COMMENTS3 1324 POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL M.01.02.08 Manual Availability All facility administrators shall develop, publish, and M.01.02.09 Manual Review Bi-annually implement a manual of written policies and procedures that address, at a minimum, all regulations The Juvenile Detention Operations Policy that are applicable to the facility. Such a manual shall Manual is reviewed regularly based on be made available to all employees, reviewed by all agency updates. DCPO Sandra Mendez employees, and shall be administratively reviewed at completed a memo articulating the fluid a minimum every two years, and updated, as process and continuous review on July 16, necessary. Those records relating to the standards 2025. The agency has been planning to and requirements set forth in these regulations shall move to Lexipol for the Policy and be accessible to the Board on request. Procedure Manual, which has been The manual shall include: ongoing the last two cycles. Y Y Y Y We were advised by Mrs. Mendez in July, the plan was to have this in place by the end of the year, hence the reason for the Unannounced Inspection, to review the new polices or, at minimum, understand the timeline and process. While on site, we learned a new contract with Lexipol was approved by the Madera County Board of Supervisors on November 25, 2025, to fast- pace the implementation of new Lexipol Policy and Procedures. The established timeline is six months. 1 This document is intended for use as a tool during the unannounced inspection process; this worksheet may not contain each Title 15 regulation that is required. Additionally, many regulations on this worksheet are SUMMARIES of the regulation; the text on this worksheet may not contain the entire text of the actual regulation. Please refer to the complete California Code of Regulations, Title 15, Minimum Standards for Juvenile Facilities, Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 5 for the complete list and text of regulations. 2 This is a modified version of the Procedures checklist and is only intended for the 2025 Unannounced Inspection of the Madera County Probation Youth Correctional Center Juvenile Hall, Camp, and Secure Youth Treatment Facilities. 3 Excerpts from facility policies, procedures, or other reference documents are indicated in italicized text. 7280+ Madera PROB JH Camp SYTF UI PRO 25-26 Page 1 of 4 J453 JUV PRO eff. 01.01.25 TITLE 15 SECTION 7280 7281 7285 7286 P/P REFERENCE – COMMENTS3 (a) table of organization, including channels of communications and a description of job N.01.01.07 Chain of Command classifications; N.01.02.00 Juvenile Detention Officer Supervisor Responsibilities Y Y Y Y N.01.03.00 Juvenile Detention Officer III Responsibilities N.01.08.00 Juvenile Detention Officer Responsibilities (b) responsibility of the probation department, purpose of programs, relationship to the juvenile court, A.02.01.00 Legal Mandates the Juvenile Justice/Delinquency Prevention C.02.10.00 Relationships with Commission or Probation Committee, probation staff, Stakeholders Y Y Y Y school personnel and other agencies that are involved in juvenile facility programs; Chapter N outlines the relationships with the Court, JJC, and ancillary personnel. (c) responsibilities of all employees; Chapter N Personnel Administration This chapter outlines the positions and responsibilities of Youth Supervision staff at the facility, including contract and ancillary staff. Although the current manual is adequate and meets Title 15 requirements, it does not clearly spell out all the agency does in practice or operationally. We suggested during the Comprehensive Inspection that the agency prioritize this project to better provide specific direction to staff as they complete procedural responsibilities. Y Y Y Y Although this new Lexipol plan was in the works, it was not complete as of this inspection. The agency’s facilitation of a new contract to speed up the implementation of new policies and procedures to address current practices is well-intended. In the interim, we suggested, and the Assistant Chief agreed, to delegate staff to address operational practices in the current manual before Lexipol goes live. We note there are no facility staff vacancies and practice of all operationally required responsibilities is compliant with regulation, demonstrated by the Comprehensive Inspection in July 2025. 7280+ Madera PROB JH Camp SYTF UI PRO 25-26 Page 2 of 4 J453 JUV PRO eff. 01.01.25 TITLE 15 SECTION 7280 7281 7285 7286 P/P REFERENCE – COMMENTS3 (d) initial orientation and training program for employees; N.01.18.04 The facility has a comprehensive Field Training Officer Orientation for new staff, including all aspects of the position of YCO. Y Y Y Y Newly hired staff complete a significant on- the-job training protocol after JCO Core Training to ensure current operational expectations are completed and understood prior to sole supervision of youth. (e) initial orientation, including safety and security issues and anti-discrimination policies, for support N.01.20.01 Contract and Ancillary staff, contract employees, school, mental/behavioral Personnel health and medical staff, program providers and volunteers; Y Y Y Y All agency partners and volunteers complete an Orientation of the facility and expectations of their relationships with youth and staff. (f) maintenance of record-keeping, statistics and communication system to ensure: N.01.09.03 Responsibilities of (1) efficient operation of the juvenile facility; Administrative Assistant and Program Assistant C.02.00.00 Probation Employee Responsibilities Y Y Y Y W.04.00.04 The agency reports data to the BSCC and regularly communicates with allied partners to ensure youth are provided all required Title 15 and legislative requirements. (2) legal and proper care of youth; Y Y Y Y W.04.00.05 C.02.00.00 (3) maintenance of individual youth's records; Y Y Y Y X.01.07.00 (4) supply of information to the juvenile court and Y Y Y Y C.02.00.00 those authorized by the court or by the law; and, C.02.00.00 (5) release of information regarding youth. Y Y Y Y X.01.07.00 (g) ethical responsibilities; Y Y Y Y W.04.00.00 Peace Officer Cannon of Ethics 7280+ Madera PROB JH Camp SYTF UI PRO 25-26 Page 3 of 4 J453 JUV PRO eff. 01.01.25 TITLE 15 SECTION 7280 7281 7285 7286 P/P REFERENCE – COMMENTS3 N.01.18.04 Staff Training Policy Guidelines (h) trauma-informed approaches; Y Y Y Y P.01.00.03 Emotional Care and Crisis Intervention (i) culturally responsive approaches; Y Y Y Y N.01.18.04 Staff Training Policy Guidelines (j) gender responsive approaches; Y Y Y Y N.01.18.04 Staff Training Policy Guidelines (k) a non-discrimination provision that provides that all youth within the facility shall have fair and equal N.01.18.05 Anti-Discrimination and access to all available services, placement, care, Harassment Training for staff treatment, and benefits, and provides that no person S.01.00.16 Non-Discrimination Policy shall be subject to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group Y Y Y Y identification, ancestry, national origin, immigration status, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, mental or physical disability, or HIV status, including restrictive housing or classification decisions based solely on any of the above mentioned categories; (l) storage and maintenance requirements for any chemical agents related security devices, and Y Y Y Y R.01.07.09 weapons and ammunition, where applicable; (m) establishment of procedures for collection of Medi-Cal eligibility information and enrollment of Y Y Y Y N.01.09.07 Administrative Assistant Duties eligible youth; and, (n) establishment of a policy that prohibits all forms of sexual abuse, sexual assault and sexual harassment. A.1.00.00 PREA Policy The policy shall include an approach to preventing, detecting and responding to such conduct and any Y Y Y Y retaliation for reporting such conduct, as well as a provision for reporting such conduct by youth, staff or a third party. 7280+ Madera PROB JH Camp SYTF UI PRO 25-26 Page 4 of 4 J453 JUV PRO eff. 01.01.25