California Court of Appeal Jun 5, 2015 No. E062087Unpublished
Filed 6/5/15 In re R.P. CA4/2
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.
IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
DIVISION TWO
In re R.P., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law.
THE PEOPLE, E062087 Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super.Ct.No. J248455) v. OPINION R.P.,
Defendant and Appellant.
APPEAL from the Superior Court of San Bernardino County. Brian Saunders,
Judge. Affirmed.
Patrick J. Hennessey, Jr., under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for
Defendant and Appellant.
Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Julie L. Garland, Assistant Attorney General,
Charles C. Ragland, Scott Taylor and Warren J. Williams, Deputy Attorneys General, for
Plaintiff and Respondent.
1
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office filed an amended Welfare
and Institutions Code section 602 juvenile wardship petition alleging that defendant and
appellant R.P. (minor) committed the following offenses: first degree residential
burglary (Pen. Code, § 459, count 1)1 and carrying a switchblade knife (§ 21510,
count 2). Minor admitted the allegation in count 1. A juvenile court found the allegation
true and dismissed count 2. The court declared minor a ward and placed him on
probation, in the custody of his mother. Several subsequent petitions were filed alleging
that minor either violated his probation or committed additional offenses. The court
continued minor as a ward, but eventually found that previous dispositions had failed and
that minor needed a closed setting with substantial counseling. The court ordered him
committed to Gateway, a youth educational and residential facility.
Minor filed a timely notice of appeal regarding the disposition. We affirm.
PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
On April 12, 2013, an amended juvenile wardship petition was filed alleging that
minor committed the offenses of first degree residential burglary (§ 459, count 1) and
carrying a switchblade knife (§ 21510, count 2). Minor admitted the residential burglary
allegation. The court found the allegation true and dismissed the other count. The court
declared minor a ward and placed him on probation in the custody of his mother, under
specified terms of probation.
1 All further statutory references will be to the Penal Code, unless otherwise noted.
2
On July 22, 2013, a probation violation petition was filed alleging that minor had
violated his probation by stealing money from his mother without permission, failing to
return home by his curfew, and testing positive for use of marijuana and
methamphetamine. Minor admitted the marijuana and methamphetamine allegation, and
the court dismissed the other allegations. The court continued him as a ward and ordered
him to serve 30 days in juvenile hall. Minor said he wanted to participate in a drug court
program, so the matter was continued to August 2, 2013, for a drug court hearing. At that
hearing, however, minor indicated that he no longer wished to participate in drug court.
On March 25, 2014, a subsequent juvenile wardship petition was filed. This
petition alleged that minor committed first degree residential burglary. (§ 459.) Minor
was detained in juvenile hall pending further hearing. On April 10, 2014, minor admitted
the allegation. The court continued him as a ward and placed him in his mother’s
custody, under certain terms of probation. The court also ordered him to serve 60 days in
juvenile hall.
On August 5, 2014, a third juvenile wardship petition was filed alleging that minor
committed another count of first degree residential burglary. (§ 459.) Minor admitted
the allegation. The probation officer filed a report recommending that he be placed in the
Gateway program. The officer noted that minor had admitted to three counts of
residential burglary in the last 18 months, that he continued to smoke marijuana and
consume alcohol, that he was not attending school, and that his mother did not appear to
be interested in participating in his rehabilitation efforts. The officer stated that minor
3
was turning 18 years old in approximately one month, he had exhausted all programs and
resources available at the formal probation level, and that Gateway was his final
opportunity to rehabilitate.
At a dispositional hearing on August 20, 2014, the court found that the prior
dispositions (formal probation) had failed and were not effective in rehabilitating minor.
The court found it necessary to commit him in a closed setting with substantial
counseling. The court further found that minor’s mother was incapable of providing, or
had failed to provide, proper maintenance, training, and education for minor. In
accordance with the probation officer’s recommendation, the court continued minor as a
ward, removed custody from his mother, and committed him to the Gateway program.
The court found that minor had a total available confinement time of eight years eight
months, with 98 days of credits.
ANALYSIS
The Juvenile Court Properly Committed Minor to Gateway
Minor’s sole contention on appeal is that the juvenile court abused its discretion in
committing him to the Gateway program without attempting less restrictive alternatives.
We disagree.
We review a placement decision only for abuse of discretion. (In re Asean D.
(1993) 14 Cal.App.4th 467, 473 (Asean D.) [Fourth Dist., Div. Two].) The court will
indulge all reasonable inferences to support the decision of the juvenile court. (Ibid.)
“‘[D]iscretion is abused whenever the court exceeds the bounds of reason, all of the
4
circumstances being considered.’” (In re Carl N. (2008) 160 Cal.App.4th 423, 432-433,
quoting People v. Giminez (1975) 14 Cal.3d 68, 72.) We will not disturb the juvenile
court’s findings when there is substantial evidence to support them. (In re Carl N., at
p. 432.) “‘In determining whether there was substantial evidence to support the
commitment, we must examine the record presented at the disposition hearing in light of
the purposes of the Juvenile Court Law.’” (Ibid.) “The purposes of juvenile wardship
proceedings are twofold: to treat and rehabilitate the delinquent minor, and to protect the
public from criminal conduct. [Citations.] The preservation of the safety and welfare of
a state’s citizenry is foremost among its government’s interests, and it is squarely within
the police power to seek to rehabilitate those who have committed misdeeds while
protecting the populace from further misconduct.” (In re Jose C. (2009) 45 Cal.4th 534,
555.) “When determining the appropriate disposition in a delinquency proceeding, the
juvenile courts are required to consider ‘(1) the age of the minor, (2) the circumstances
and gravity of the offense committed by the minor, and (3) the minor’s previous
delinquent history.’” (In re Jonathan T. (2008) 166 Cal.App.4th 474, 484-485 [Fourth
Dist., Div. Two].)
Minor specifically argues the juvenile court abused its discretion in committing
him to the Gateway program because it “did not discuss or consider any less restrictive
dispositions that would meet requirements of safety and protection to the public[,] as well
as the best interest of the minor.” He also points out that he received outstanding marks
during his commitments to juvenile hall, pending dispositions. He further contends that
5
escalating his disposition to a Gateway placement, without considering other measures
that included a drug program, was simply “not the proper choice.” We see no abuse of
discretion.
The record shows the juvenile court followed the probation officer’s
recommendation to place minor in Gateway. The court considered less restrictive
placements, but reasonably found them inappropriate in light of minor’s record. (In re
Teofilio A. (1989) 210 Cal.App.3d 571, 577 [The juvenile court must consider less
restrictive placements, but the court is not required to attempt them before committing a
minor to a locked facility].) The court acknowledged that minor had been tried in other
dispositions, specifically formal probation, but had failed. It pointed out that minor had
committed three burglaries in approximately one year. The court aptly noted that if he
had been convicted of these crimes as an adult, he would be facing 25 years to life in
prison. The court further stated that minor’s mother was incapable of providing proper
maintenance, training and education for minor, and that minor’s welfare required that he
be taken from her custody. As the probation officer stated, minor’s mother had given up
and was apparently not interested in helping him rehabilitate. The court truly believed
that minor’s best chance at rehabilitation was through the structured environment offered
at Gateway. The court noted that it had just reviewed two cases where the minors
accomplished “amazing things” at Gateway. Acknowledging the positive report on
minor’s conduct in juvenile hall, the court believed that minor would do very well in
Gateway.
6
We conclude there was sufficient evidence to support the juvenile court’s
determination that minor’s rehabilitation would best be ensured by committing him to
Gateway. Furthermore, public safety concerns required the court to select Gateway over
a less restrictive placement. Thus, the court did not abuse its discretion in committing
minor to Gateway.
DISPOSITION
The juvenile court’s dispositional order committing minor to the Gateway program
is affirmed.
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS
HOLLENHORST J.
We concur:
RAMIREZ P. J.
CODRINGTON J.
7
AI Brief
AI-generated · verify before citing
Holding. The juvenile court did not abuse its discretion in committing the minor to a residential facility, as the record supported the finding that prior less restrictive dispositions had failed and that the commitment was necessary for rehabilitation and public safety.
Issues
Did the juvenile court abuse its discretion by committing the minor to a residential facility without attempting less restrictive alternatives?
Disposition. Affirmed
Quotations verified verbatim against the opinion
“The juvenile court must consider less restrictive placements, but the court is not required to attempt them before committing a minor to a locked facility”
“We conclude there was sufficient evidence to support the juvenile court’s determination that minor’s rehabilitation would best be ensured by committing him to Gateway.”