Q&A: KIRBY BURGESS, Director, Clark County Family and Youth Services Department

REVIEW-JOURNAL

Clark County supervisors refused the Review-Journal's requests for interviews about the accident that killed six teen-agers in March 2000, citing advice from their attorney.

Kirby Burgess, director of the county's Family and Youth Services Department, agreed to respond in writing to a set of written questions.

Burgess was hired in 1975 as a probation officer. He worked his way up the career ladder and was appointed Family and Youth Services director in 1994.

He is president of both the Nevada Association of Juvenile Justice Administrators and the Las Vegas chapter of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators, according to state records.

Here are the Review-Journal's questions and his responses:

Review-Journal: Was the highway cleanup program safe?

Kirby Burgess: I have been advised by the district attorney's office not to comment.

R-J: Would you have enrolled your children in the highway cleanup program if they were compelled by circumstances to be in the juvenile probation program?

Burgess: Yes, I would have.

R-J: Was the Clark County Department of Family and Youth Services responsible to any degree for the deaths of the six juveniles killed March 19, 2000? If so, who within the department (provide names, positions, length of service with the county, salaries) in particular is responsible? If not anyone within the department, who is responsible? If no one within the department is responsible, why did county pay out millions to the families of the six kids?

Burgess: The issues involving responsibility were already determined by the court system. All my staff and myself were devastated and deeply saddened by what happened. Other officials in the county felt the same. We felt the only appropriate thing to do was to work with the families.

R-J: Why did employees of the Department of Family and Youth Services place juveniles near the highway and on the median of the highway as part of the roadside cleanup program?

Burgess: The juveniles were assigned to collect garbage in the areas where the trash was located. Family and Youth Services had operated this program of picking up trash for 10 years, and during this time never had any serious incidents or injuries to the juveniles. This program, similar to others, was created as an alternative to incarceration. It allowed the juveniles the opportunity to take responsibility for the crime committed and to pay the victims for the loss they suffered.

R-J: Why aren't there any records available that show Clark County had a contract or a formal agreement with Silver State, as it did with other public, nonprofit and private agencies to have juveniles in the work restitution program pick up trash, remove graffiti and perform other tasks?

Burgess: The program began many years ago through an informal agreement with Silver State. When a juvenile worked in the program, Silver State would pay the Children's Service Guild an amount based on the hours worked by the juvenile. The guild, which is a volunteer organization, would then pay restitution to the victim (of juvenile crime).

R-J: Were any employees involved with the program ever fired, demoted or otherwise penalized in connection with the incident?

Burgess: I cannot comment on internal personnel issues.

WORK PROGRAM GUIDELINES

REVIEW-JOURNAL

The following items are taken from county Department of Family and Youth Services guidelines for its probation work program, which had teen-agers collecting trash on the median of I-15:

• From "Guidelines for Work Program Assistants," Section II, A. Serious Injury or Illness:

3. Make no admissions of liability or responsibility to anyone.

• From "Rules and Van Care for Part-time Hourly":

3. All dents and scratches will be placed on the checklist before going out daily, if there are any new dents or scratches, they will be placed on the checklist in the afternoon and placed in your file folder.

11. There will be no smoking in county vehicles at any time and seat belts must be worn at all times.

12. Radio must be played at moderation. There will not be any eating or drinking on the vans.

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