The Superior Court
' LOS ANGELES 12, CALIFORNIA

January 31, 1961

DRAFT QF A PROPOSED
LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROGRAM
FOR THE DETENTION AND TREATMENT
OF NARCOTIC ADDICTS

The following is.a proposal for a Los Angeles
County program for the institutional confinement and treat-
ment of a limited number of narcotic addicts selected througn
a pre-sentence investigation so as to include only those
believed to be amenable to treatment. This proposal encom-
passes four undertakings:

A, The establishment of a camp or barracks-type deten-
tion facility which would be a part of the county jail system
under the control of the Sheriff for the preliminary cenfine-
ment of such addicts,

B. The establishment of a "half-way house" under the
control of the Probation Officer.

Cc. The oneration of a research program preferably
under the direction of an outstanding medical school. Such
research plan would be tied in directly with the medicel
staff in charge of the two facilities (A & B). It would
enable the directors of the program to evaluate the effec-
tiveness of various forms of treatment as a guide to the

current and future operation of the project.
~3.

(c) A representative of the probation

officer, preferably one who will

be closely identified with the

Half Way House operation,
Such committee would review the individual's record, inter-
view him, «ctermine his suitability for the program, and
would recommend to the Court whether or not he should be
included.

4, The classification committee recommendation would
be Subject to the approval of the Sheriff, who, as the
custodial officer, would determine whether or not the indi-
vidual is suitable for placement in the type of institution
sroposed from the point of view of security.

5. If the recommendation of the classification com-
mittee is favorable, 18 approved by the Sheriff, and the
Judge concurs in it, then the latter would place the
individual on probation for a period of from 3 to 5 years.
In such grant of probation the Judge might first impose:

(a) A state prison sentence, or

(b) A county jail sentence, suspend
such sentence and grant proba-
tion, or

(c) Suspend the proceedings without
imposition of sentence and
grant probation, as in his dis-
cretion the facts of the case
might warrant.

6, The grant of probation would be conditioned upon

confinement in the Sheriff's proposed detention facility

ror an indefinite perioc, not exceeding one year, but with

 

 
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a minimum of from 4 to 6 months.
7. A medical staff would be employed to provide
psychiatric supervision, group therapy, and counseling,
8. A release from the Sheriff's facility would be
granted only upon recommendation of the medical director,
9. The Sheriff's facility would provide for a work,
educational, and recreational program designed to be
rehabilitative in nature, and would be under the control
of specially trained Sheriff's deputies experienced in the
handling of narcotic addicts. These would be hand-picked
people who are sympathetic to the basic objectives of the
program, |
LO. Whenever the medical director of the Sheriff's
detention facility believes an inmate has recovered from
his addiction to narcotics to such an extents that he is no
longer a menace to the health and safety of himself or
others and that such inmate is ready for the second step,
such medical director shall file a report to that effect
with the Sheriff and the probation department.
li. The probation officer shall arrange to remove such
person from the Sheriff's facility to the Half Way House, |
12. If the medical director of the Sheriff's facility
Shall determine at any time that any inmate of such
facility has not benefited by detention and treatment in
such facility and is not likely to benefit by further deten-

tion and treatment therein, or that he is a menace to the
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health and safety of other inmates of such facility, he
Shall report such fact to the probation officer who shall
return him to the court for a modification or revocation
of probation. |

13. Nothing contained in these procedures shall be
construed to prohibit the Sheriff from removing an inmate
from the narcotic control unit to a maximum security or
other detention unit for security, disciplinary or health
reasons. At the recommendation of the Sheriff such inmate
may be returned to the Court, through the Probation Officer,
for modification or revocation of probation, Nor shall any
provision herein prevent the Sheriff from transferring to
the narcotic control unit any addicted prisoner who is
sentenced to the County Jail, without probation, and who
in his opinion can benefit by treatment in the narcotic
control unit.

14, The Half Way House facility shall be located in
the community under the supervision and control of the
Probation Department, A medical director and staff shall
be assigned to such facility, members of which shall be
in daily attendance at such facility so as to keep the
inmates under close supervision and to provide continuing
group therapy and counseling,

The Probation Department will provide intensive
supervision of each inmate so as to be in position to

control his movements, activities, and associates.
Each probation officer assigned to this work shall
have a case load of not more than 30 inmates in order to
permit him to work more closely with the inmates and help
them solve their problems without return to narcotics. Job
placement will be under the control of the Probation Officer.

15. The inmates of the Half Way House will be required
to remain in residence at such facility although permitted
such freedom as is necessary to become gainfully employed.
Contacts with families, former friends, and associates,
will be only as expressly permitted by the Probation Officer,
Furloughs and leaves will be permitted only as authorized
by the medical director.

16, Each inmate will be required to undergo frequent
medical examinations. Anti-narcotic tests, and others,
will be administered when indicated by the medical staff
at the facility.

17. If the Probation Officer learns, or a medical
examination discloses, an inmate has resumed the use of
narcotics, such inmate may be returned immediately to the
Sheriff's detention facility upon order of either the
Probation Officer or the medical director. The Probation
Officer, after consultation with the medical director,
shall submit a report to the Court together with his recom-
mendation for modification, revocation, or continuation of

probation,

 

 
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18, The inmates of the Half Way House shall also be
subject to a return to the court at any time upon order of
the probation officer if they commit any crimes, or other-
wise violate any of the conditions of probation, in the
Same manner as other probationers are returned to the court.

19. While away from the Half Way House on leaves or
furloughs, such probationers shall remain under close super-
vision of such probation officers who may order them to
return to the Half Way House for the administration of tests
or for further treatment or counseling, as may be indicated
from time to time. Such close supervision shail continue
until the termination of probation.

20. Recognizing that the treatment of narcotic addicts
is primarily psychological, emphasis shall be placed on the
promotion in the treatment units of an attitude in which the
inmates actively support each other in their efforts to
understand and overcome the problems which have induced
them to use narcotics. The technicues to ve used are those
to be approved by the supervising committee after consultea-
tion with outstanding medical authorities in this field,

Every effort will be made for control and to kee
former addicts from getting hooked again, Efforts will be
made to secure suitable employment for them if and when i+
is determined that they are ready for it. They will be

encouraged to support their families, As one of the condi-

 
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tions of probation, control over the earnings of addicts
shall be maintained during their initial periods of employ-
ment, with deductions made therefrom for support of them-
selves at the institution, the support of families, etc.,
in accordance with a plan to be worked out with each
individual by his probation officer,

21, This county program is not designed to be applied
to the criminally aggressive person with a record of law
violations to which he has added narcotic addiction. For
such a person, the only answer is confinement in state

prison.

LOUIS H, BURKE
Presiding Judge, Superior Court