Los Prietos Boys Camp Closing: ‘The End of an Era’ in Santa Barbara County?
Youth Orgs Push Back Against Decision to Merge Programs into Santa Maria Juvenile Hall
In 2017, teenager Sammy Chavoya found himself headed down the wrong path, on the wrong side of the law, and eventually stuck in the Santa Barbara County juvenile justice system.
He was sent to Los Prietos Boys Camp, the 17-acre facility deep in the Los Padres National Forest that serves as a “lesser alternative” to the juvenile hall in Santa Maria, where more serious youth offenders are typically housed.
Up at camp, far away from the distractions and temptations of life back in Lompoc, Chavoya was given the opportunity to take a step back and evaluate where he was headed in life. More than that, he was given access to counseling, group therapy, and classes that taught him new skills and empowered him to take control of his own life.
