15 Employees at Juvenile Prison Are Forced Out in Sex Scandal
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CAMARILLO — As a 2 1/2-year investigation of the scandal-plagued Ventura School neared completion Monday, officials at the juvenile prison said 15 employees have been fired or forced to resign for having improper relations with inmates.
Five of the workers were forced out after California Youth Authority officials concluded they had sex with inmates, Supt. Greg Lowe said.
The other 10 established “inappropriate relationships” with male and female wards by bringing them food, magazines and other gifts, the superintendent said.
Sixteen more employees were either reprimanded, counseled or reassigned for a variety of lesser offenses, including failure to report suspicious behavior between adult employees and youthful wards, Lowe said.
Lowe said he just completed his recommendations in 71 internal affairs cases involving about 50 past and current school employees. In Sacramento, a youth authority spokesman said the inquiry could be concluded as early as Friday.
Criminal charges have been filed against only one Ventura School employee, former media arts teacher Bradley Gardner.
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