Prisons have no social benefits

To have a university or to have a youth prison, that is the question.

The now defunct Camarillo State Hospital, which was a mental instiution in Ventura County, is the site in question.

The California State University wants to use the hospital to open a new campus. The California Youth Authority, opn the other hand, wants to open a youth prison unit.

CSU would be providing Ventura County with a much-needed institiution.

The youth autohrity contends that juvenile offenders outweigh the capacity to house them by 150 percent. This would be the 16th such facility of its kind in an area already inundated by prisons.

There is no university in this area and with a new campus, it will be able to facilitate the growing number of students. As it stands, many of the programs in the CSU system are impacted, which makes it difficult for students to get the classes they need.

The youth authority says it is preparing itself for an upsurge in teen violence. Creating another institution to cattle violent juveniles is only a means to an end. The amount of rehabilitation has long been a questionable issue.

A majority of the time teen criminals get temporary treatment only to return to "grown- up" prisons. The only way to solve the problem regarding the grwoing number of students is to have another school.

In addition to adding to the prison population, this particular youth prison would cost $15 million more than an average facility of that size.

Regardless of whether or not the university ges the bid for the hospital, there are plans to build a university. If CSU was able to use the facility, this would save millions in construction costs and the monies available could be used to get a fully functioning campus under way.

University officials estimate it woiuld cost them $300 million over the course of 20 years to build a school from start to finish. Otherwise, it would cost about $40 million and only two years to establish.

The proposal by university trustees to build a campus in Ventura County has been discussed during the last three decades. A 260-acre lemon grove was purchased in order to secure the location for to begin work in the area.

Not only will college-age students, professors and administrators benefit from a new university, but all of the other faculty and staff that it takes to operate a university would be employed.

Furthermore, a university can foster relationships with its surrounding community by providing cultural activities, workshops and extension courses which are made available to all.

The neighborhoods surrounding the potential campus would benefit as well. With th eincrease in peole in th earea, so are businnesses attracted. This will not only develop an area by it can create jobs for the local community and students.

Though a youth prison would also create jobs, it is very limited in that capacity. Outside of the barbed wire fences, it is doubtful one would see parks or businesses cropping up next to it.