LOS ANGELES — The California Board that oversees correctional facilities on Thursday voted to keep two Los Angeles County juvenile halls open after they faced shutdown due to unsuitable conditions.
Last February, the BSCC found Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey and the Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment facility in Sylmar were operating out of compliance and deemed the facilities unsuitable for the confinement of youth.
An agency inspection found the facilities were not meeting minimum state standards on providing programming for youth, staffing levels, use of force training, and disciplinary procedures.
The state agency gave the LA County Probation Department 60 days to make the changes needed to operate in compliance with state standards.
During the board's Thursday meeting, which landed just days before that deadline was set to expire, the state board reported the facilities had made sufficient improvements to be in compliance.
"LA appears to have remedied the outstanding items of noncompliance. I also feel a need to point out that the problems in LA are longstanding and serious and this recommendation was not easy to formulate," said Linda Penner, chair of the Board of State and Community Corrections.
The board voted to keep the facilities open, with Penner adding that they will implement monthly random and scheduled inspections going forward.
"In no way should this be considered by anybody in our virtual audience or in this room as mission accomplished by LA. Your mission now is sustainability and durability. We need continued compliance. Keep in mind we are talking about minimum standards in Los Angeles County," said Penner.
This is not the first time juvenile halls have been found out of compliance, among other facilities, the Probation Department had previously closed down the Los Padrinos facility and reopened it less than a year ago.
Earlier this year, eight probation officers were placed on leave for an incident involving detainees. Kimberly Epps, chief deputy for juvenile operations at the LA County Probation Department, acknowledged many of the issues reported during the board meeting.
"We've addressed many issues of contraband. We've unfortunately had arrests of staff, we've had arrest of parents, we've had arrest of people that are assigned in the facilities. Those things are no secret. They have, of course, hit the press. So they're looking comprehensively at how we're utilizing our staff and how we're utilizing the safety and Welfare Task force, to make our facilities safer," said Epps.
The department also issues a statement following the decision:
"We are pleased that the BSCC voted today to deem LA County’s Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility and Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall suitable under state standards. Under the Board of Supervisor’s direction, the Probation Department has made great strides addressing deficiencies at facilities by increasing and stabilizing staff levels, providing hundreds of hours of additional training, and working closely with BSCC staff to tighten procedures and protocols. While today’s BSCC decision marks a milestone in that effort, we note the ongoing concerns and acknowledge there’s still much more to be done. The County remains fully committed to transforming its juvenile justice facilities into the safest, most nurturing environments possible for the youth committed to our care.”
However, incarcerated youth advocates remain concerned, saying the 12-day period the state agency found the improvements that prompted the decision felt rushed.
"I don't think they should be finding compliance just for that week. The minimum and worst case, would be 18 months. I think they should have to like prove consistently that they could operate, before it would be considered again, not just given to them," said Cynthia Meza, a legal clinic assistant at Youth Justice Coalition.
As a teen, Meza was in and out of juvenile halls in LA County for commercial burglary but now spends most days at court helping in-custody youth navigate their hearing procedures.
Meza along with other advocate groups have been demanding the state agency close the facilities and instead fund the Youth Justice Reimagined program that would transition Los Angeles County’s juvenile justice system out of the Probation Department into another agency. According to the prepared proposal, the goal was to create a "rehabilitative, health-focused and care-first system".
Meza says she was disappointed with the decision on Thursday, but hopes the proposed changes will be beneficial to the youth.
“Hearing the plan, it sounds good. I’m hoping, they actually do implement that because regardless whether they are in their facility, in their care, or if they go to YJR, those same services need to be provided. They still need education, they need vocational, they still need mental health [programs].
She says the state’s decision shifts the advocate group’s focus back to the County Board, although their goal remains the same.
The board has been following these reports and released a statement in response to the state’s decision to allow the facilities to remain open:
“We are pleased that the BSCC voted today to deem LA County’s Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility and Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall suitable under state standards. Under the Board of Supervisors’ direction, the Probation Department has made great strides addressing deficiencies at these facilities by increasing and stabilizing staff levels, providing hundreds of hours of additional training, and working closely with BSCC staff to tighten procedures and protocols.
While today’s BSCC decision marks a milestone in that effort, we note the ongoing concerns and acknowledge there’s still much more to be done. The County remains fully committed to transforming its juvenile justice facilities into the safest, most nurturing environments possible for the youth committed to our care.”