City of Malibu Continues Opposition to County Action to Move Juvenile Prisoners to Santa Monica Mountains Near Malibu

By Matt Myerhoff, Media Information Officer for the City of Malibu  

The City of Malibu continued its strong opposition to the action by the County of Los Angeles to move high-risk juvenile prisoners, many of whom were convicted of serious and violent crimes, including murder, to the Santa Monica Mountains just north of Malibu, filing an official letter of protest with the County on July 13.

The City’s letter is available to view at:
https://malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/30291/MalibuCity_letter_toCounty_opposing_camp_kilpatrick_7- 13-2022.

“Safety is our number one priority and moving high-risk juvenile prisoners to Camp Kilpatrick raises too many serious safety concerns, for the surrounding residential communities, including Malibu, as well for as the inmates and the facility staff,” said Mayor Paul Grisanti. “Malibu will continue to strongly oppose this proposal.”

The City’s letter states its objections to the County’s compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) related to the permanent Secure Youth Track Facility (SYTF) designation of Camp Kilpatrick, which is located just north of the City limits in the Santa Monica Mountains. Further, while the City understands the need to provide permanent, quality rehabilitative facilities for juvenile offenders, the environmental effects of such facilities on the surrounding community must be analyzed and addressed.

The letter also states that the County has not adequately analyzed the project’s potentially significant impacts related to wildfire safety and evacuation of prisoners and staff, emergency access, public services, and other impact areas, particularly given that Camp Kilpatrick was surrounded by flames during the 2018 Woolsey Fire. The City asked that the County postpone consideration of the project until an adequate CEQA analysis can be performed.

The Las Virgenes – Malibu Council of Governments (LVMCOG) voted unanimously on March 15, 2022 to officially oppose the proposal to move the prisoners to Camp Kilpatrick. The LVMCOG is a Joint Powers Authority that works together to address regional priorities and issues that impact the cities of Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu and Westlake Village. It took the position at the request of Malibu Councilmember Karen Farrer, who is also the LVMCOG President.

The concerns shared by Malibu and the LVMCOG member cities include:

• The Camp Kilpatrick facility was not designed to house high-risk offenders, raising concerns about the potential impacts to the safety of the surrounding communities, and the safety of the County staff at the facility.

  • The Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar is where these youth prisoners currently spend most of their time while in pre- and post-adjudication status, so remaining at that facility would be least disruptive to their care and supervision. Establishing routines, minimizing changes and offering stability is a best practice.
  • Juvenile Hall was recommended by the Los Angeles County Probation Department as the housing solution that makes the most sense from a programmatic and financial perspective.

The Board of Supervisors voted on March 15 to move the prisoners to Camp Kilpatrick County and to develop a plan for renovations of the facility within 120 days.


The open letter to the surrounding communities by Supervisor Kuehl is available to view at: https://www.malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/29523/Supervisor-Kuehl-Open-Letter-to-Malibu-and- Surrounding-Communites_31022

The proposal by the County Probation Department supporting keeping the youth prisoners at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall is available to view at: https://www.malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/29525/Dept-of- Probation-Proposal-for-a-Secure-Youth-Track-Facility-at-Nidorf-Juvenile-Hall-2-8-2022

The press release from Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the sole vote against moving the prisoners to Camp Kilpatrick, is available to view at: 
https://www.malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/29524/Supervisor-Barger-Press- Release-Alternative-Proposal-for-Juveniles-3-11-2022.

The City will post updates and background information on this issue on the website at https://www.malibucity.org/YouthPrisoners

in News
Related Posts

Ruskin Group Theatre to Stage ‘The Fantasticks’

July 5, 2025

July 5, 2025

A timeless tale of young love and life’s bittersweet beauty, the show is reimagined with modern flair for contemporary audiences...

Hama Sushi Hosts Weekly Music and Comedy Open Mics

July 5, 2025

July 5, 2025

The venue, a Venice Beach staple since 1979, has recently expanded its legendary happy hour to the entire patio Hama...

Big Blue Bus Launches Prohibition Order Program to Bolster Safety

July 5, 2025

July 5, 2025

The orders, which can range from 30 days to one year, target offenses that threaten the safety and comfort of...

12th Annual Gopher Scramble Golf Tournament to Benefit Venice Heritage Museum

July 5, 2025

July 5, 2025

The museum opened to the public in March 2024 at the Main Street Design Center with its inaugural exhibition, “This...

Centenarian Adapts to New Life After Palisades Fire Destroys Home: REPORT

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Calvert, a former continuity scriptwriter for shows like “Star Trek” and “Cheers,” and a badminton hall-of-famer, credits adaptability for her...

Connections Breakfast to Network Local Business Professionals in Malibu

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

The event, sponsored by Malibu Country Mart, will feature a breakfast mixer where attendees can meet new contacts  A Connections...

Third Street Promenade Loses Bibibop Asian Grill

July 3, 2025

July 3, 2025

Bibibop opened at the Santa Monica location in 2017 after taking over a former ShopHouse space. Bibibop Asian Grill, a...

(Video) Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Go To Homefrontbuild.com For More Information @home_front_build Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles Go...

(Video) Gladstone’s Malibu Prepares for Reopening after Surviving Palisades Fires

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

With One Half of its Structure Slightly Charred and Undergoing Repairs, Gladstone’s Malibu is Reopening its Patio Space Just in...

Col. Eric Swenson Honored by LA for Historic Debris Removal Effort

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Swenson, with a distinguished military background including a Ph.D. and multiple master’s degrees from Penn State and other institutions, has...

More Commercial Uses Could Be Coming to RAND Building

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Amendment Unlocks New Opportunities, Secures $5.5 Million in Community Benefits The Santa Monica Planning Commission unanimously approved an amendment to...

(Video) ‘World’s Strongest Man’ Champion Pulls Big Blue Bus for 30 feet

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

World-class strongman Martins Licis pulled a 34,680‑pound, 35-feet long, battery electric bus through the Pier to set off Pier 360...

Proposed Rebuilding Authority for Wildfire Recovery Sparks Local Control Debate

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Plan Aims to Streamline Rebuilding but Raises Questions Over Community Input A proposed “Resilient Rebuilding Authority” to oversee recovery from...

Marquez Students Rebuild Robots Destroyed in Fire, Shine at National and World Competitions

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Community and Coaches Rally Behind Young Innovators Elementary students from Marquez Charter Elementary School rebuilt their robots after they were...

Second Victim Killed Alongside LAPD Sergeant in Brentwood 405 Crash Identified

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Authorities Confirm Garcia, 34, Died at the Scene, GoFundMe Launched  Authorities have identified the civilian who was killed alongside a...