It is not the first time that Victor Ortega, 42, has waited patiently all day long in the lobby of Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey to talk to his son Joseph, 18, who committed a crime at 16, and has violated his probation several times.

When his time comes, Victor is direct.

"This is Disneyland right now," he tells his son over his cell phone. "You are lucky, but if you don't put your act together, the next time you might end up in jail. You are 18 now."

Nearby, the juvenile hall's veteran Catholic chaplain agrees. "Sometimes it is good that the parents talk to them that way," says Religious Sister of Charity Teresa Doherty. "They [the young inmates] have to mature and learn that if they keep the same behavior, one day they won't go back home."

It seems Joseph is listening. Thanks to Sister Doherty's encouragement, Joseph was baptized and made his first Communion inside the detention facility, something his father brags about.

"I think it is wonderful," Victor adds, "that they can have church inside [the facility]."

Sister Doherty has had much to do with making "church" happen at Los Padrinos. In 1975, at age 40, she became the center's Catholic chaplain, after taking a course on Clinical Pastoral Education "to get acquainted with California's youth authority." Previously, she taught for several years in San Fernando Valley's schools after arriving from her native Ireland, where her order was founded and is headquartered.

In three decades-plus, with the support of Southern California parishes, Sister Doherty has built a team of 120 volunteers who catechize and evangelize inside the detention center that houses more than 500 male and female youth (average age: 16) who await court action or transfer to another probation facility. Crimes vary from minor robbery, carjacking and drug possession to murder.

Volunteers also assist at the Sunday 8 a.m. liturgies --- attended by an average of 200 youth --- and lead a one-hour Bible study immediately following Mass at Los Padrinos, which opened in 1957 and is the second oldest juvenile hall in Los Angeles County.

The inmates' rigorous schedule starts at 5 a.m. and includes attending mandatory high school classes and physical activity, including basketball and swimming (during summer).

Lessons learned --- or not
The Los Padrinos experience, says Sister Doherty, has varying effects. Some teenagers learn their lesson after being behind bars and change their lives, but most return one or more times, which concerns her.

The church, she believes, can contribute in stopping the growing incarcerated population by working together with parents to stress the importance of their involvement in their children's education, and to emphasize on their children the negative effects their behaviors can have within their families and in society.

Recent "tough-on-crime" laws, notably the three-strikes law, are of particular concern. "We need to get the parents to see how serious this is," Sister Doherty says, referring to the law that mandates extended incarceration of those who have been repeatedly convicted of serious criminal offenses.

"Like the female adolescent who was sentenced to 25 years for stealing some jeans, because it was her third offense," Sister Doherty notes.

Then there is Proposition 21 which increases punishment for gang-related felonies.

"Now they are treated as adults at 14 or 16," Sister Doherty says. "Education is a big thing for prevention and parishioners can help."

In Joseph's case, education is making a difference. His good grades allowed him to be sent to house arrest, rather than remain at Los Padrinos. He is a senior at a local high school and his father --- who in his early 20s did some jail time --- is trying to instill in his son the importance of choosing the right friends and settling in life with a good education that will open doors for him.

"I tell him not to lose faith, to have a plan in life," says Victor --- explaining that he did not get "settled" until well into his late 30s --- "and that he doesn't need to repeat my example."

Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall is located at 7285 Quill Drive, Downey. To volunteer, contact Sister Teresa Doherty, at (562) 940-8711.