Facts

Plaintiff Sigma Beta Xi, Inc. brought a putative class action against defendants the County of Riverside, Chief Probation Officer Mark Hake, and Chief Deputy Probation Officer Bryce Hulstrom in relation to defendants' Youth Accountability Team Program.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS: Plaintiff alleged defendants operated the Riverside County YAT Program in violation of the U.S. Constitution, California Constitution, and California Government Code. Plaintiff contended defendants placed children under probation supervision for normal, childish behavior, sweeping them into six-month terms of probation through its YAT Program. Plaintiff contended that the YAT program violated the children's due process rights by failing to give them adequate notice of their rights and failing to provide them with counsel. Further, plaintiff argued that the program imposed intrusive and unconstitutional contract terms allowing officers to search children in violation of their rights to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures and imposed supervision conditions that restricted their expressive and associational rights. Plaintiff also alleged that the program's referral practices led to racial disparities.

DEFENDANTS' CONTENTIONS: Defendants denied any violation of the U.S. Constitution, California Constitution, and California Government Code.

Result

The parties entered into a settlement agreement. Riverside County agreed to substantially change the YAT program to comply with federal and state constitutional law, provide free counsel for all youth referred to or enrolled in YAT, and invest nearly $8,000,000 into community-based organizations that deliver programs aimed to help at-risk youth, among other things.