yachtley crew indian ranch

'Man, they came to party': Yachtley Crew sails back to Indian Ranch with more yacht rock

When Yachtley Crew came to Indian Ranch by the shores of Indian Lake in Webster last summer, it was evidently a very popular voyage through the smooth waters of a yacht rock tribute show.

"We love Indian Ranch. Man, they came to party. They were amazing," recalled Phillip Daniel, also known as Yachtley Crew's Philly Ocean and lead vocalist, about how the the show went and the reaction of the audience.

Yachtley Crew will be setting sail again for an appearance at Indian Ranch on July 25. "If it's anything like last year, we're stoked," Daniel said.

'Sailing ... takes me away ....'

The seven-member band, which dresses in nautical suits with captain's hats and wears aviator sunglasses, is currently on its "Full Steam Ahead" nationwide tour, the biggest tour since it was founded in Los Angeles in 2017. Upcoming dates also include South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset on July 26, Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence on July 27, and the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis on July 28.

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The band is riding the yacht rock wave since a 2005 video series launched the term in 2005 in an affectionate send up of artists such as Christopher Cross and Hall and Oates. Cross, who was at Indian Ranch July 7 with Justin Hayward of Moody Blues fame, had a big hit in 1979 with the soft rock song " Sailing " which is about getting away from everything on a sail boat and so helped form the archetype of Yacht Rock.

Yachtley Crew also call themselves "The Titans of Soft Rock."

Asked for a definition of yacht rock, Daniel said "it's one of those elusive things ... I think the most easy way to define it is the iconic soft rock hits from the late 70s and early 80s music." Except that, instead of soft rock, "yacht rock just sounds kind of more fun."

Yachtley Crew's first recording release "Seas the Day" (2023) includes its renditions of songs that have become regarded as yacht rock classics such as Boz Scaggs’ “Lido Shuffle,” Ace’s “How Long,” Robbie Dupree’s “Steal Away,” the Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love” and Christopher Cross’ “Ride Like the Wind.” Other songs in the band’s set include Toto’s “Africa,” Looking Glass’ “Brandy” and Rupert Holmes’ “ Escape (The Piña Colada Song).”  

Indeed, "The Piña Colada song, that is a great yacht rock core song, like 'Ride Like the Wind,'" Daniel said.

Audiences often dress up for the shows in yacht-themed attire and love to sing-along. Other yacht rock tribute and fun party bands include Yacht Rock Revue who will be performing at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield on Aug. 4.

'It has to be smooth'

Elsewhere, there has been some rather pedantic debate in some quarters about what makes true yacht rock, with terms appearing such as "nyacht" rock. An article in Mental Floss magazine helps keep things straightforward by saying " But above all else, the sound has to be  smooth . "

Daniel's vocals are certainly smooth, and the depth of sound that Yachtley Crew brings to its music is enhanced by having a sax player.

Daniel has memories of listening to the soft music of the late 70s/early 80s era while riding around with his father in a car and singing along to the radio. Later, he was in several original bands in Los Angeles. Besides Daniel (Philly Ocean) Yachtley Crew is made up of drummer Rob Jones (Sailor Hawkins), bassist Chaz Ruiz (Baba Buoy), guitarist Thomas Gardner Jr. (Tommy Buoy), backing vocalist Curt Clendenin (Stoney Shores), saxophone/flutist Paul Pate (Pauly Shores) and keyboardist Matt Grossman (Matthew McDonald).  

"Each of us had careers with bands," Daniel said. The crew started to be assembled by Jones and Ruiz who are long-time friends and were listening to yacht rock music and felt they could do something with it. They put out a Craigslist ad and found guitarist Gardner. Daniel is friends with Gardner and also came aboard.

"Everything came together really organically," Daniel said.

'I think we have something here'

The idea of uniforms for the band came early. "Just the idea of yacht rock is such fun," Daniel said. But the group spent several months rehearsing to get the music down right. "We wanted to embody what people remember about these songs."

When the curtain was pulled on their first gigs Daniel recalls the shock on the faces of the audiences when they saw a band in nautical uniform. However, "They got it within two or three songs. They were screaming and dancing ... (I thought) Man, I think we have something here."

Yachtley Crew was soon selling out local venues and were noticed by the late legendary Jimmy Buffett who signed them to his own Mailboat Records label. The group have appeared on SiriusXM’s Yacht Rock Radio “Yacht Rock 311” show as the first ever Yacht Rock band to perform live at the station.

Just as the band was about to get ready for its first nationwide tour in 2020, the pandemic struck. "We had a ton of shows booked," Daniel said. Yachtley Crew made music videos, put on live-streamed concerts and played at some drive-in concerts that were organized in the Los Angeles area. "People seemed to really respond.'

As the lockdown eased, "I think there was so much pent up demand for live music it really helped us. We got all the gigs back and places we'd never played before were selling out," Daniel said.

'Something original'

The "Seas the Day" recording also has Yachtley Crew's first original song, "Sex on the Beach," ostensibly about the drink that bears the name.

"We wanted to put something original out there," Daniel said. The challenge for the band was to come up with a song that sounds like it could have been written in the late '70s/early '80s soft rock era. "We wanted to capture the same vibe," he said. The video for "Sex on the Beach" has a guest appearance by the Access Hollywood & iHeart host Mario Lopez.  

The song and video includes a list of names of drinks, a couple falling in love, and "innuendo," Daniel said. All the members of Yachtley Crew contributed to the song. Once they had the concept, "we had the song written in 30 minutes. Everyone brings something unique to it." Fans have started requesting the song at shows.

Yachtley Crew has "two albums in the works" and two more original songs "in the mix." With that, "The core will always be the iconic songs," Daniel said.

The band has been venturing out across the seven seas with appearances abroad, including the United Kingdom.

"Total world domination," Daniel joked when asked about his ultimate goal for Yachtley Crew. Or at least, "To play for a stadium full of people," he said.

"We want to play the music for as many people as we can all over the world. When people come to our shows they're creating memories they will have for the rest of their lives. That's what it's about."

Yachtley Crew — Full Steam Ahead tour

When: 7 p.m. July 25 (doors 5:30 p.m.)

Where: Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Road, Webster

How much: $25 to $35. Indianranch.com

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The Steel Panther of the high seas.

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Yachtley Crew

Finished Jul 25

Indian Ranch

Shipshape and ready to sail

Yachtley Crew Yachtley Crew

Why see Yachtley Crew?

Get out your boat shoes and put on your nautical gear, Yachtley Crew is sailing Full Steam Ahead into a harbor near you this spring. The seafaring minstrels, often referred to as the nation's number-one yacht rock band, will be the wind in your sails with their seventies and eighties soft rock covers. With their shows selling out portside, starboard, and bow side make sure you get your tickets now before you fall overboard!

With a vocalist named Philly Ocean, and a drummer who goes by Sailor Hawkins, you know exactly what you're getting into with Yachtley Crew. Though they are primarily a covers band, they recently released their first original song, Sex on the Beach. Yachtley Crew is notorious for pulling other musicians up on stage, such as Skid Row's Sebastian Bach, so who knows, you might even get lucky with a special guest. No promises though.

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Yächtley Crëw

Yächtley crëw live in webster, ma view all concerts, jul 25, 2024.

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Yächtley Crëw Biography

Yächtley Crëw will bring 'yacht rock' to Providence, with a Warwick native on board

If songs like “I'd Really Love to See You Tonight” and “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” make you think of kicking back on a boat and cruising in the summertime, you’re not alone.

YouTube coined the genre “yacht rock” to describe the soft rock sound of the 1970s and '80s, and Warwick native Tom Gardner, guitarist with the band Yächtley Crëw , invites you to get on board with the vibes when their “Full Steam Ahead” tour stops at the Providence Performing Arts Center on Saturday, July 27.

“It’s like a feeling that reminds you of your childhood or first love. It’s nostalgia,” says Gardner, who goes by the stage name Tommy Buoy. “It’s actually a jazz-rock fusion that’s pretty hard to play. We had to step up our game to learn these songs, many of which were originally performed by high-quality studio musicians.”

After years performing solo and in bands across the region – maybe you’ve heard his song “Summertime in Rhode Island” with the rock/reggae band Someday Providence – Gardner moved to Los Angeles in 2010. He connected with six other musicians to form Yächtley Crëw, which performed for the first time in January 2017, and he says “it’s been kind of a rocket ride since then.”

Clad in nautical attire for shows, the band has performed with artists like Elliot Lurie, lead singer of the band Looking Glass, whose song “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” is one of the covers Yächtley Crëw regularly includes in set lists. After signing with Jimmy Buffett’s Mailboat Records label, they also had a six-month residency in Las Vegas.

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Born in 1983, Gardner, a Pilgrim High School and University of Rhode Island graduate, says he was drawn to the mellow sound of yacht rock even before it was so named. Songs like Steely Dan’s “Reeling in the Years,” “Don’t Bring Me Down” by ELO and “Rich Girl” by Hall & Oates are buoyant, he says.

As for the definition of yacht rock, he says that’s highly debated in the industry but generally revolves around big vocals and harmonies.

“We let the fans tell us what they want to hear,” Gardner says. “Some songs end up borderline yacht rock, but if the fans love it, we’ll play it. We also bring our own style. We’re faithful to the originals, but we are high-energy with choreography, banter and lights. We’re here to entertain!”

Yächtley Crëw performed several years ago at The Strand in Providence, but the group has multiple venues in the area on this year’s tour, including three in Massachusetts: Indian Ranch in Webster , South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, and the Cape Cod Melody tent in Hyannis.

“The whole sailing vibe fits in with New England,” Gardner says, adding that he loves returning to his home state. “I’m always going to be proud of Rhode Island. It’s special when we see someone from here – it’s like one big town.”

If you go ...

What: Yächtley Crëw

When: Saturday, July 27, 8 p.m.

Where: Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St., Providence

Tickets: $10-$45

Info: ppacri.org , (401) 421-2787

Kip Moore and Yacthley Crew Concerts Added to the Summer Lineup at Indian Ranch

Learn more about the lineup here!

Two new shows have been added to the 2023 Summer Concert Series at Indian Ranch in Webster, MA. Kip Moore returns to the Indian Ranch stage on Sunday, June 11, 2023 and Yachtley Crew makes their debut on Sunday, July 30, 2023. Tickets go on-sale this Saturday, February 18 at 10:00 AM at www.indianranch.com .

Multi-PLATINUM singer/songwriter Kip Moore just released his electrifying new track "Fire On Wheels." Co-written and co-produced by Moore and Jaren Johnston (The Cadillac Three), the new track is a volume-up, groove-driven anthem. Known as "one of country's more thoughtful artists" (Billboard) Moore has toured the world earning acclaim and a rabid fanbase as an all-in performer in each setting, consistently selling out headlining shows internationally with huge followings in The U.S, The U.K, Europe, Australia and Canada. Praised by Noisey as "an uncompromising, genre-defying artist firing on all cylinders" Moore has blazed his own trail, with "a bit more Southern rock than traditional country... to be a Kip Moore fan suddenly became a marker of your having a certain refinement in your country-music taste" (Chicago Tribune). Moore first splashed into the mainstream with the double-PLATINUM "Somethin' 'Bout a Truck" in 2012, then followed up with three more bestselling No. Ones ("Hey Pretty Girl," "Beer Money" and "More Girls Like You"), a trio of ambitious, critically-praised albums and two gritty EPs that landed Moore on multiple "Best Of" lists. Moore recently garnered resounding acclaim for his fourth studio album, WILD WORLD. The set, co-written and co-produced by Moore, was spotlighted by critics as "especially vital; occasionally, even rare," (Esquire).

Yachtley Crew, The Titans Of Soft Rock, have spent the past few years selling out shows across the U.S., performing online during covid, and gathering a fan base of "Crewpies" that is unsurpassed. Having signed with legendary rock manager Andy Gould ( Lionel Richie , Rob Zombie , Guns N' Roses, Linkin Park , etc.), the band recently recorded their very first ORIGINAL song, "Sex On The Beach," which was produced and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge ( Stevie Nicks , Steven Tyler , Keith Urban , Bruce Springsteen .) Yachtley Crew added it to their live in-studio performance on the SiriusXM Radio Yacht Rock 311 show as the first-ever Yacht Rock band to perform at the station.

Yachtley Crew will reel you in with their world-class musicianship as they perform timeless soft rock hits from Christopher Cross to Hall & Oates to Toto and more! They bring specific elements of fun and showmanship to their performances while entertaining younger and older audience members. Whether you're hearing these songs for the first time or remember singing along with them on your AM radio, you will love the look of their thematic nautical suits and highly entertaining choreography. Most of all, you will experience one of the best concerts of your life!

Insiders Club memberships and GA Season Passes for the 2023 Summer Concert Series are on sale now. The Indian Ranch Insiders Club gives members exclusive access to buy tickets before they go on sale to the general public. GA Season Passes include a general admission ticket to every show in the Indian Ranch Summer Concert Series. Both programs come with an array of other benefits and are available at www.indianranch.com /memberships.

Indian Ranch offers music lovers a chance to see some of the greatest country, classic rock and pop bands steps from Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. Nestled between pine trees, the amphitheater offers the ability to see the stage from anywhere in the audience. More than a concert venue, Indian Ranch opened Samuel Slater's Restaurant and is also home to the Indian Princess paddlewheeler and Indian Ranch Campground. Tickets are on sale now for Get The Led Out on June 10th, Chase Rice on July 1st, Rumours: The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show on July 9th, The Mavericks on July 22nd, and The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA on August 4th. More shows will be announced soon.

Tickets for Kip Moore on Sunday, June 11, 2023 and Yachtley Crew on Sunday, July 30, 2023 go on-sale Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 10:00 AM. Gates for Kip Moore will open at 11:30 AM and showtime is 1:00 PM; Gates for Yachtley Crew will open at 5:00 PM and showtime is 7:00 PM. Tickets are available online at www.indianranch.com , by calling 1-800-514-ETIX (3849) or at the Indian Ranch Box Office. All events are rain or shine. No refunds. Indian Ranch is located at 200 Gore Road in Webster, MA outside of Worcester and less than an hour's drive from Boston, Providence, Hartford and Springfield. For more information, visit www.indianranch.com .

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"Seas The Day"   The new EP from Yächtley Crëw is available now on all streaming platforms. Listen here!

Yächtley Crëw exclusively uses Steve Clayton custom picks and accessories 

YÄCHTLEY CRËW

Where: https://indianranch.com/event/yächtley-crëw/indian-ranch-amphitheatre/webster-massachusetts/ Indian Ranch Amphitheatre 200 Gore Road Webster , MA 01570

Admission: $25 to $35

Categories: Date Idea, Drinks, Good for Groups, Music

Event website: https://indianranch.com/event/yächtley-crëw/indian-ranch-amphitheatre/webster-massachusetts/

Yächtley Crëw

Thursday, July 25, 2024 ∣ Gates 5:30 PM / Show 7:00 PM

Upgrade Your Concert Experience: 

S amuel Slater’s Concert Club

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The nautical-suited and captain’s-hat-clad Yachtley Crew (also known as “The Titans of Soft Rock”), includes lead vocalist Phillip Daniel (Philly Ocean), drummer Rob Jones (Sailor Hawkins), bassist Chaz Ruiz (Baba Buoy), guitarist Thomas Gardner Jr. (Tommy Buoy), backing vocalist Curt Clendenin (Stoney Shores), saxophone/flutist Paul Pate (Pauly Shores) and keyboardist Matt Grossman (Matthew McDonald).

For those uninitiated, Yacht Rock encapsulates the revival of soft rock and Top 40 hits from the late ‘70s to the early ‘80s, which has become a nationwide phenomenon, inspiring fans to dress the part and sing along.

Rain or shine. No Refunds.

General Admission is first come first serve and may result in standing room only.

Limited on-site parking. Reserved Parking available for purchase.

FOR HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE SEATING, CALL 508-943-3871

Coolers, beach chairs, large bags and backpacks are not allowed into the venue. Small purses and clear bags are still subject to a bag inspection. NO food or drink allowed with the exception of a sealed water bottle.

PATRONS ARE ALLOWED TO BRING IN:

* One gallon clear, plastic freezer bag that does not exceed 11″ X 11″ 

* Bag that is clear plastic, vinyl or PVS that does not exceed 12″X12″X6″

* Small wristlet or hand held wallet, with or without handle or strap that does not exceed 8″X5″X2″ 

* Stadium cushions (no wider than 15″) to put on benches.

All bags will be searched upon entrance into the venue. If you have a towel for the beach you may be asked to unfold upon search. If you need to bring in any items mentioned due to medical reasons, please stop by the front desk. Shirts and shoes required.

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Kip Moore, Yachtley Crew added to Indian Ranch’s summer lineup

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The Summer Concert Series at Indian Ranch in Webster, MA has just gotten even hotter with the addition of two new shows. Multi-Platinum singer/songwriter Kip Moore will perform on Sunday, June 11, 2023 and Yachtley Crew, the Titans of Soft Rock, will make their debut on Sunday, July 30, 2023.

Kip Moore, known for his electrifying live performances, recently released his latest track “Fire On Wheels” co-written and co-produced with Jaren Johnston of The Cadillac Three. Moore’s unique blend of Southern rock and traditional country music has earned him a following around the world and critical acclaim. He has released several platinum-selling albums and hit No. 1 singles, including “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck”, “Hey Pretty Girl”, “Beer Money”, and “More Girls Like You”.

Yachtley Crew, the Titans of Soft Rock, have been making waves with their sold-out shows and enthusiastic fanbase. The band recently signed with legendary rock manager Andy Gould and recorded their first original song, “Sex On The Beach,” produced and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge. Yachtley Crew will bring their world-class musicianship and entertaining showmanship to the Indian Ranch stage as they perform timeless soft rock hits from artists like Christopher Cross, Hall & Oates, and Toto.

Fans can purchase tickets for both shows starting Saturday, February 18th at 10:00 AM through the Indian Ranch website, by calling 1-800-514-ETIX (3849), or at the Indian Ranch Box Office. Indian Ranch Insiders Club members and GA Season Pass holders will have exclusive early access to purchase tickets. The concerts will take place rain or shine and there will be no refunds.

Located just outside of Worcester, MA and within an hour’s drive from several major cities, Indian Ranch is the perfect destination for music lovers looking for a summer escape. With a state-of-the-art amphitheater surrounded by pine trees and the scenic Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, Indian Ranch is more than just a concert venue, it’s a summer getaway. So, mark your calendars and get ready to rock with Kip Moore and Yachtley Crew this summer at Indian Ranch.

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Yachtley Crew tour dates 2024 - 2025

Yachtley Crew is currently touring across 1 country and has 22 upcoming concerts.

Their next tour date is at The Backyard in Sacramento, after that they'll be at Vina Robles Amphitheatre in Paso Robles.

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Get Tickets Today to Experience Yachtley Crew on Sunday Jul 30 at Indian Ranch 200 Gore Rd Building 1, webster. Enjoy and be inspired! Share your experience on Social Media with #EventsfyYourWeekend for a chance to WIN Prizes!

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How Santa Clara’s James Ranch Became a CA Model for Helping Incarcerated Kids

EDITOR’S NOTE: For the past two weeks, we’ve published stories from the series by John Kelly for the Chronicle of Social Change. The series—in which WitnessLA is collaborating—is taking a close look at programs that use a strategy known as Positive Youth Justice to help kids who have come in contact with the juvenile justice system.

First we ran a story that explored an Oakland, CA, program that uses a process called community conferencing, which asks lawbreaking kids to confront the effects of their crime.

Then last week, the series looked at a program in Tarrant County, Texas, that has been successful in helping reboot the lives of kids who, two decades ago, would have been sent to a state-run juvenile lock-up.

Today, we’ll look at Santa Clara County’s James Ranch.

This story was produced as a collaborative project with The Chronicle of Social Change .

PLAGUED WITH A HIGH RECIDIVISM RATE, AND A RASH OF RUNAWAYS, THE OFFICIALS RUNNING SANTA CLARA COUNTY’S JAMES RANCH DECIDED TO TRANSFORM THE PLACE by John Kelly There are few issues in juvenile justice more hotly debated than the appropriate use of incarceration—which youth can be served and rehabilitated in the community, and which youth need to be confined? In general, the number of youths incarcerated in America is down. Way down. A report released in 2013 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation charted a decline from 107,500 confined juveniles in 1997 to 71,000 in 2010. “This decline has not led to a surge in juvenile crime,” the report made clear. “On the contrary, crime has fallen sharply even as juvenile justice systems have locked up fewer delinquent youth.” Yet relatively few of the hundreds of facilities that house juveniles in America have embraced a positive youth development (PYD) approach to engaging and strengthening juveniles while they are locked up. One of the unique programs that does is Santa Clara County’s William F. James Ranch. When the ranch first opened half a century, its model was based primarily on tight behavior control. Then 2005, the facility reinvented itself using a PYD framework built heavily on strong prosocial interaction between its staff and its wards. The drastic changes to its programs and employees have resulted in far fewer incidents at the facility and lower recidivism rates after ranch residents return to the community. HOW IT STARTED Since 1956, the James Ranch has served as Santa Clara County’s placement option for older, violent offenders. It is operated by the juvenile division of the county’s probation department, which also oversees a massive juvenile hall that includes detention and incarceration beds. In the early 2000s, violent incidents and escape attempts at the ranch were commonplace. “When I first started with the old [ranch] program, the training was about safety and security: how to keep yourself safe, how to keep the kids safe,” recalls Santa Clara Probation Manager Anne Elwart, who started as a guard and went on to direct the ranch. Just fewer than 100 youths were held at the ranch at any time, and they were guarded by a relatively small group of line staff trained only to keep the peace. “We did the best that we could with what we had”, recalled Elwart. “Often, we were just watching.” In 2004, the county hired Sheila Mitchell as chief probation officer . Mitchell came from neighboring Alameda County, where she was the deputy chief of probation, and prior to that had served as deputy commissioner of Georgia’s Department of Juvenile Justice. Mitchell said her initial impression was that the ranch was little more than a way station for serious offenders. “The kids would tell you they were just doing time,” she said . “You had two, even three kids a week trying to run away. The community was outraged, the county executive was outraged.” An assessment of the ranch’s outcomes revealed that four out of 10 kids were failing the program and returning to incarceration. “When we looked even closer, it wasn’t that they were failing as much as that the program was not designed for them to succeed,” Mitchell said. Pushed by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for a plan that would cut her budget, in 2005 Mitchell instead asked the board for a proposed budget increase of $3 million. The funding would increase the number of staff at the ranch, and recalibrate its program around a PYD framework. Although there was initial resistance, matters were helped slightly by the fact that some of the supervisors had been part of a 2003 Santa Clara delegation that visited juvenile facilities in Missouri, where the state Division of Youth Services (DYS) had become a national model for reframing juvenile incarceration. The “ Missouri model, ” as it is called, requires the use of small, campus-style facilities with youth work professionals serving as the line staff. Youth are clustered into small, “family-style” groups. That arrangement has helped Missouri’s Department of Youth Services maintain a recidivism rate below 10 percent among the juveniles released from their facilities. In 2008, DYS won Harvard’s Innovations in American Government Award for its approach. Back at Santa Clara, however, “there was interest, but no traction” on the idea of moving towards a California version of the Missouri’s model, Mitchell said—until she presented her $3 million proposal with a cost-savings pitch. “I was able to give them a return on investment report,” Mitchell said. “I argued that when you look at the failure rate now, it was going to save us money in the long range to invest in this program. They took a leap of faith, and decided to invest.” And so it was that the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors approved $3 million to bring a PYD approach to the James Ranch. Elwart led the writing of a curriculum that would focus on what is known as aggression replacement training [for more on that click here ], education and mentoring relationships, along with extensive training of the camp’s workforce. The county also hired the Missouri Youth Services Institute to help with the design of the new service model. The institute had recently been founded by longtime DYS Director Mark Steward, and was working on similar assistance projects with Washington, D.C. and Louisiana. Missouri operates eight very small facilities using its system, but that was not possible in Santa Clara, which to this day still has one barracks-style living unit. Instead, Elwart had to corral the staff into doing a one-night, makeshift renovation of the unit before its reopening using rope and blankets to create the dorm-like settings prescribed by the Missouri model. The department eventually agreed to build actual walls into the unit. But then, facing a $1 million price tag for the project, it opted instead to spend $60,000 on the kind of partition walls used in many office buildings. Yet, the partitions did the trick. A WELL-EDUCATED, WELL-TRAINED STAFF Elwart worked at the ranch for a total of 19 years, most recently as the director of the facility. She rotated to a new post in adult probation in late December and was succeeded by Jermaine Hardy, who rotated to the ranch from the juvenile services division of the probation department. The facility employs six supervisors; 68 full-time line staff; six teachers and a small team of part-time staff devoted to mental health and substance abuse. The teachers are employees of the Santa Clara Unified School District. Each member of the line staff must have a four-year degree. By comparison, the state of California requires its correctional officer candidates to produce a high school diploma or equivalent. Staffers’ education continues when they are hired by Santa Clara County where, before a worker is allowed to work directly with youth, he or she will go through 80 hours of core training. For the first six months, they are trained on the correctional component of their job — “on how to be a good guard,” Elwart said. After that each line staff receives 12 days of training on the core principles of the ranch program. This includes two full days of training on aggression replacement, motivational interviewing, and substance abuse counseling. HOW IT WORKS The key to the success of the ranch program, Elwart said, is the interaction between the line staff and the youth. The full-time line staff are responsible for one of the six living units, but they are also counselors assigned to help and mentor two offenders. “We work out of a 1958 building with pivot walls, so it’s not the building,” she said. The magic is in the interactions. “We don’t sit there and do shaming and blaming. These staff build rapport and actually work with [the youth]. That’s the secret sauce.” At the center of that interaction is the technique called aggression replacement training. “It’s about understanding that all behavior has purpose, not getting caught up in the behavior itself,” Elwart said. She used an example of acting out that occurs with regularity at the ranch: a youth cussing out one of the line staff. “If he’s cussing you out, realize it might be about something else,” Elwart said . “Like, ‘Oh, mom was supposed to visit today and she didn’t.’” Instead of writing the youth up or punishing him, Elwart described how staff are trained to attempt to unearth what’s beneath the behavior. “You just engage him. ‘Dude, what’s going on? All of a sudden, you’re cussing me out.’ Get them talking.” Aggression replacement is meant to first help the youth learn to take a deep breath, stop the impulse to react in anger, Elwart explained. Second, the youth are taught the ability to seek further calm through self reflection, asking “why did I even get pissed in the first place?” The third step is to build in moral reasoning and victim empathy. “That’s getting them from carjacking someone and thinking, ‘Well, they have insurance!’ to thinking, ‘That was someone’s mom.’” For camp residents the day’s schedule opens with morning group, run by line staff and teachers. After that, the school day commences. School stretches into early afternoon in 45-minute blocks, with career technical education courses mixed in. Students can earn up to 50 credits toward graduation while at the ranch, though some of the older teens are so far behind that they elect to pursue a GED while they are there. The ranch school’s counselor also conducts what Elwart calls a “credit cleanup” program. Many youth have been in and out of juvenile hall by the time they arrive at the ranch, and some have attended several schools. The cleanup is aimed at piecing together as much of the academic history as possible to move the youth closer to graduation. Vocational programs are available during the school day as well. The ranch operates an automotive repair program and a welding apprentice shop for older teens. (Examples of former campers welding creations can be found around the campus.) Afternoons are dedicated to a rotating schedule of programs that include landscaping, recreation, and gang intervention. For some youth this is also the time for a range of targeted treatments and programs, including drug counseling, sex offender therapy, and anger management. Dinner is at 5pm, followed by downtime in the units before lights out. Weekends include sessions on victim awareness and scheduled work crew shifts on the ranch, but mostly focus on family visits and free time. Although there is bed space for 84 at the ranch, though the average daily population is usually in the forties, according to Elwart. A planned $27 million expansion of the ranch will add a new kitchen, a gym and a new housing unit that would increase capacity to 108. Most of those youth will stay at the ranch for eight months in a program that passes them through four levels: 1) Listening and learning, following basic expectations. 2) A self-insight phase about following rules and being “better than a good inmate,” as Elwart put it. Family counseling begins to happen toward the end of this phase. 3) Reunification with family and community. “We determine when a kid is ready for this,” Elwart said. “They’ll get a day pass three or four times, then a two-day pass. It’s to get them using refusal and coping skills.” 4) Determining the youth’s plan for coming back to the community and staying there.

In 2005, 47 percent of youth at the ranch received a violation and/or a new arrest during their stay, and 42 percent of those who were released received a violation or arrest within 12 months of release.

By 2011, those figures were 9 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

Incidents in facilities are often a driver of extended incarcerated time and longer records for juvenile offenders. As Santa Clara adopted a PYD approach, the number of incidents plummeted.

GETTING STAFF BUY-IN

One big challenge in moving the needle from a correctional approach to a positive youth development approach is that, by definition, the line staff on-hand is grounded or at least well-trained in the old way of thinking.

“Their title was always “counselors,” Mitchell said of the pre-transformation staff, “but over time they became more like guards that made sure nobody escaped or was hurt.”

Mark Steward said the quality of the staff at the James Ranch was better than his Missouri Youth Services Institute was used to. “The line staff were…by and large, more correctional, but they had a better education level and more receptiveness than most places.”

Another point in Santa Clara’s favor, said Steward was that “they weren’t forced into change by a court order or consent decree.”

Still, Elwart said, there was “major resistance from the union, [and] staff saying, ‘This is not what I signed up for.”

It was helpful that the number of line staff was slated to rise significantly, bolstering the union’s ranks, she said. “But yes, there were problems. We were changing work schedules, and the work environment.” And there was push back.

Eventually, Elwart said, “we got most people to buy in. The people we lost were mostly those with 25 years in already.”

FOCUS ON REENTRY

Early in the reform of the ranch, the recidivism numbers weren’t improving as much as its leaders hoped. “It took some time to realize that we were putting them back in the community with little support,” Elwart said.

To address the problem, the ranch established the Reentry Assistance Program (RAP) in 2012. The RAP team consists of line staff and probation officers who are assigned only to work with youth after their stay at the ranch.

RAP usually spans a 10-week period following a youth’s release, and is based on a gradually receding level of involvement with the youth. During the first week, the RAP staff help set up job interviews and appointments with family counselors or drug and alcohol treatment programs.

During the first 30 days, a youth is allowed to be home, at work , in school or at a scheduled appointment. They must make a nightly curfew call to their RAP officer, who will also be checking in with the youth at least twice a week in person.

After 30 days, in-person checks generally drop to once a week, and youth are allowed to move freely.

In its most recent evaluation of the program the National Council on Crime and Delinquency credited RAP with significantly increasing the quality of reentry services for youth released from the ranch.

THE 30-DAY LEEWAY

A further help with recidivism came when Elwart was able to secure two agreements from the courts that gave the ranch flexibility on how it handles two key issues: incidents at the facility and violations committed during the reentry period.

Ranch managers are able to place a youth involved in a serious incident back in juvenile hall for up to 30 days, essentially to cool off. Then the ranch can recall the youth to the program at any time during those 30 days.

Youth who violate the terms of the reentry program can be recalled to the ranch for a total of 30 days. Both are written into the boilerplate language for every youth’s court order.

Why is this significant? Because in many juvenile justice systems, a violent incident might mean a youth is drummed out of a therapeutic program. A violation after release might lead to new charges and re-incarceration.

The two standing orders allow ranch staff to mitigate certain concerning behaviors without derailing what progress has been made. For example, Elwart said, one mom recently lost it on her son who tested positive for cocaine, violating the terms of his release.

The 30-day clause enabled Elwart to find a place for the boy to stay for the night while helping the mother cool down. Then, because the teen had already gotten a full-time job, she arranged for substance abuse services on the weekends.

And so it was that a brief backslide that might resulted in additional incarceration, instead resulted in some new, tentative steps forward.

John Kelly is editor of The Chronicle of Social Change.

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I spent about 8 or 9 months at “The Ranch” back in 1973 to 74. We spent half a day working and half a day in school. The most memorable thing about the ranch was that we raised our own meat; beef, pigs, chickens and rabbits and we had days where we were required to butcher the chickens and rabbits. I can say from experience that after spending a day killing, plucking and gutting chickens the last thing you want for dinner is chicken! They also had a plum orchard which the we had to pick during harvesting season. That was some of the most back breaking work I have ever done. But I can say that my stay there did change my life… Went straight after I got out and never went back.

Hey Alumne,

I was also at the “Ranch” during the same period of time! I agree with everything you said. Also went straight and never went back.

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