Attorney general, LA County seek stricter rules for juvenile halls

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Tuesday filed a joint motion with Los Angeles County to amend court-ordered reforms aimed at stemming the “deteriorating conditions” at the county’s juvenile halls.

Bonta and the county seek a judge’s approval on a plan that outlines steps the LA County Probation Department must take to increase staffing, revise internal policies and increase safety for detainees, according to AG’s office. The legal move follows “the county’s failure to improve and provide adequate staffing as required under an earlier settlement and a court order enforcing that settlement last year.”

Officials received “alarming reports from an independent monitor about the continued deterioration of conditions at Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility and Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall,” which led Bonta to call for more stringent monitoring and reporting as well as additional policy and procedural changes, training and staffing “to address the illegal and unsafe conditions at these facilities.”

The amended judgment is subject to a judge’s approval. No information on a scheduled court hearing was provided.

“The County of Los Angeles is responsible for safeguarding the safety and well-being of the children at its juvenile halls — and it has utterly failed in this responsibility to date,” Bonta said in a statement. “These new terms will strengthen oversight and accountability, and lead to necessary and overdue improvement to conditions at these facilities. As the state’s chief law enforcement officer, I take my responsibility seriously, and I know that we won’t break the cycle of incarceration without ensuring the education, healing, and rehabilitation of those involved in the juvenile justice system. I am hopeful that this new, expanded agreement will address persistent problems at these juvenile halls, but my office will be watching closely and ready to take further action if needed.”

The Probation Department issued a statement on the legal action:

“The Los Angeles County Probation Department has jointly filed a motion with the State Attorney General regarding improvements at Los Padrinos and Barry J. Nidorf. This joint motion will require court approval to take effect. While that is pending, we have no immediate comment other than to underscore that our top priority remains the safety and well-being of the youth in our care. We are committed to transforming our juvenile facilities into secure, healthy, and rehabilitative environments and are determined to meet and surpass all required standards.”

Last month the LA County Board of Supervisors called for the appointment of an internal compliance officer within 30 days to ensure that juvenile halls comply with regulations mandated by state law.

District 5 Supervisor Kathryn Barger said she supports the motion filed by the county and AG’s office.

“I’m aware our Los Angeles County Probation Department has been working hard to course correct and meet its compliance obligations, but persistent shortcomings and big challenges persist within its system of care and rehabilitation for youth,” Barger said in a statement. “The joint motion filed with the Attorney General will bring in additional monitoring and protections that will fortify and further help ensure the safety of youth and staff. I’m hopeful the court will approve these stricter monitoring and reporting requirements. I welcome the additional scrutiny and accountability. The more eyes, the better.”

Last year, Bonta secured a motion to enforce a 2021 judgment that initiated reforms at LA County juvenile facilities. But after some initial progress toward compliance with regulations, “the monitor again began to raise the alarm over multiple serious threats to youth safety including the County’s failure to adequately staff the juvenile halls; to stem the flow of drugs; to prevent staff from instigating or encouraging youth-on-youth assaults; to deliver youth to medical appointments; to prevent retaliation against youth who file grievances; and to ensure cameras are installed in all areas and that video footage is reviewed, among other concerns,” according to the AG’s office.  

The amended judgment filed in LA Superior Court, requests these stricter requirements for the Probation Department to fulfill:

• Monitoring and reporting: The judgment requires monitoring reports twice a year, and now requires the reports to be publicly filed with the court. The judgment also requires monthly monitoring reports on critical health and safety issues and adds a deputy monitor at each juvenile hall “in the event that the County fails to come into compliance with critical judgment terms,” according to the AG’s office.
• Youth safety: The motion calls for the county to do timely reviews of use-of-force incidents, address gaps in camera coverage and implement formal procedures for reviewing incidents.
• Access to services: The Probation Department will be required to put in place an electronic data system to provide youth with access to outside recreation, religious services and visitation. The department will also have to implement a plan to address its “persistent failure” to get youth detainees to medical appointments on time.
• Staffing: A revised plan is required to solve “the staffing crisis” with minimum staffing levels based on facility population, leave abuses and staff recruitment, retention and wellness. 
• Retaliation: The revised judgment would require the county to establish a “monitor-approved anti-retaliation policy,” in addition to hiring and training an ombudsperson at each juvenile facility to address youth grievances and help prevent retaliation.
• Revising inadequate polices: The judgment requires the Probation Department to revise insufficient policies on reducing violence, including incidents involving staff-instigated violence and ways to ensure timely and adequate investigations. Protocols for reporting child abuse must also be revised, according to Bonta and the county’s motion.

In May 2023, the Board of State and Community Corrections found the Central Juvenile Hall in Lincoln Heights and the Nidorf facility in Sylmar to be unsuitable to house youth detainees and ordered the facilities to close. That led to the reopening of Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, where all youths in custody were transferred.

A portion of Nidorf remained open as a Security Youth Treatment Facility for post-disposition youth detainees.

The court filing of the proposed order to amend the stipulated judgment is available on the internet. 

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