1. The document reports on events from 1997 to 1999 regarding allegations of abuse and mistreatment of wards at California Youth Authority (CYA) facilities, including the use of wards in drug experiments at Stanford University and the denial of food as punishment. 2. Key CYA personnel changes are noted, including the removal of director Francisco Alarcon and two short-term replacements of the director position in late 1999. 3. Reports released by the Youth Law Center and Inspector General found deficiencies in special education and incidents of forced fighting between wards.

1. August 17: Reports released regarding Stanford University using CYA wards in psychotropic drug experiments. ..in 1997 June 28: Youth Law Center investigates allegations of CYA wards being denied food as punishment.** March 4: Francisco Alarcon is removed by Gray Davis as director of the CYA. He is replaced by Gregorio Zermeno. June 18 : Report released by Youth Law Center on the deficiencies in special education at Stark, Nelles, Preston, and Southern Youth Reception Center and Clinic.* September 26 : Inspector General Steve White releases report about “Friday Night Fights” (correctional counselors forcing wards to fight each other) at “The Rock” lockup at Heman G. Stark.*** July 8 : Chief Probation Officer of San Luis Obispo County John Lum lobbies CYA chief Zermeno to reduce violence in all CYA facilities. Lum later establishes a moratorium on sending wards to CYA CYA Timeline 1999 December 24: Gregorio Zermeno forced to resign after only 10 months on the job. December 29: Brian D. Rivera, Zermeno’s replacement, announces he will retire January 12, 2000, leaving the CYA chief post open for the third time in 7 months. October 7 : Steve Chatten first promoted to acting chief deputy director of CYA, then reassigned to another agency after “Friday night fights” report is released. December 29 : Los Angeles Times reports that wards at Paso Robles handcuffed around the clock, sometimes for days, and wards detained on “gym TD.” *The report states that wards with special needs are denied access to school and are much more likely to be confined on 23-hour lockdown. It also states that special needs wards at Nelles are kept in Nixon and Taft lockups for months at a time, and that special education occurs in cages at Stark, Nelles, and Preston. *The report states that wards with special needs are denied access to school, and are much more likely to be confined on 23-hour lockdown. It also states that special needs wards are confined in Nixon and Taft lockups at Nelles for months at a time, and that special education occurs in cages at Stark, Nelles, and Preston **Youth Law Center provided newspapers with ward grievance responses from upper level CYA management stating the wards would get food “as soon as they decided to cooperate with rules.” *** Governor Gray Davis orders review of CYA use of force policies. November-December September-October July-August May-June March-April January-February