Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Tod Young, spoke at Minden Rotary’s April 25^th meeting. Judge Young, an Honorary Minden Rotarian, provided an update on China Spring Youth Camp. The Camp was created by a Douglas County ordinance so for various reasons the County decided to take over management of the Camp. There are fiscal concerns and a number of staff have been laid off. Funding has always been an issue. Each County has to provide a certain amount, along with the State, and then extra funds needed are sought out. 

The goal of the Camp is to bring the kids out of their community briefly (4-6 month term) and put them around adults who provide stability. It models behavior that you want them to adopt and live by. Studies show that if you take kids out of the community and put them in long-term residential facilities, there is a higher rate of recidivism. 

Tod was in charge of running the Camp for about 12 years and continues to go to the Camp and visit with the kids. One of the most meaningful conversations he ever had was with a 15-year old at the Camp who, when asked what’s the best thing about the Camp, said “…well the best thing is, when you’re having a bad day, they take you and talk to you”. For that to be new to her, instead of being cursed at or slapped, it was let’s go talk, someone who wants to hear from her, is transformative for that child.

There are counselors on site as well as high school classes and many programs to help socialize the kids. Tod is hopeful that these programs will continue. He keeps his fingers crossed that China Spring will survive its’ fiscal challenges as he believes it’s a valuable part of juvenile justice.