Before a deadline to clear its juvenile halls, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will discuss establishing a musical rehabilitative program for juvenile detainees. The motion calls for the county to collaborate with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles to develop a Drum Corps Program for youth detainees at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall and other facilities. According to the motion, this program would provide timely and consistent programming that prepares youth for a successful transition back into the community.
The program would give detainees a chance to connect with musical programming, learn to play instruments, read music, and improve their problem-solving skills and critical thinking. The proposed contract is a short-term arrangement, not exceeding two years or $500,000, after which a competitive bidding process would be conducted for future programming. Charles Dickerson, the founder of ICYOLA, said this program can teach values, provide connection with real musicians, and teach the importance of organization.
The Drum Corps program will teach percussion instruments as they are easier for beginners to learn than melody instruments such as flutes and violins. Students will have two hours of training per day, two days per week for 30 weeks, including music theory and cultural musical history.
The county has been under scrutiny for its operation of juvenile justice facilities, and Nidorf Hall and Central Juvenile Hall were declared unsuitable for housing pre-disposition youth detainees. The county was ordered to move all pre-disposition youth out of the facilities within 60 days. The motion being heard by the board calls for the urgent expansion of programming due to the long-term troubles in county juvenile lockups and the need for creative activities for detainees.
