[4] Moreno's death was considered a suicide, however historian Jack Hodgson points to a culture of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse within Whittier, as well as inconsistencies in the state's official version of events to suggest that foul play cannot be ruled out.

In an attempt to make the incarceration conform to more sociological and sociocultural norms, and in response to the rising number of young female offenders, many such institutions have been made coeducational.

Johanna Perez, a Whittier College librarian, recalls her parents threatening to send her to Nelles if she wasn't good, described the place as "surreal."

The Fred C. Nelles facility is located on a highly visible and significant section of Whittier Blvd., the town's major throughway.

But, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune on April 25, 2010, historical protection and development of Nelles as a commercial center are likely to be in serious conflict.

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, in its 2010 Thanksgiving edition, gave thanks for "The plans to revitalize Whittier Boulevard and properly develop the former Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility.

"The boot camp model became a correctional panacea for juvenile offenders during the early 1990s, promising the best of both worlds—less recidivism and lower operating costs.

The California Youth Authority (CYA) experimental study of its juvenile boot camp and intensive parole program (called LEAD)—versus standard custody and parole—was an important exception, but its legislatively mandated in-house evaluation was prepared before complete outcome data was available.

The present study capitalizes on full and relatively long-term follow-up arrest data for the LEAD evaluation provided by the California Department of Justice in August 2002.

"[16] Bad Teacher, a 2011 film starring Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel, shot some school scenes at the facility.

In July/August 2013, indie Sundance drama Camp X-Ray, starring Kristen Stewart and Peyman Moaadi filmed its prison scenes at the facility.

[17] Various sketches for the Comedy Central Series Key & Peele were shot here including "I Said Biiiiitch" and "Das Negroes" California Historical Landmark Marker NO.

947 at the site reads:[18] Miroslava Chavez-Garcia, an associate professor at UC Santa Barbara, has written a book about ethnicity and the effect on juvenile inmates in the state corrections system from the 1890s to the 1940s.