ruling mandates relocation of over a hundred minors from troubled Los Angeles County juvenile detention facility
Rewritten Article:
Judge Greenlights Shifts for 100 Troubled Youths from Gladiator-Prone Los Angeles Juvenile Hall
In a decisive move, Judge Miguel Espinoza approved a plan this Friday to relocate over 100 youths from a beleaguered Los Angeles juvenile hall notorious for riots, drug overdoses, and violent "gladiator fights."
The embattled Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, housing around 270 youths predominantly between ages 15 and 18, has been the subject of scrutiny since last December, when the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) ordered its closure due to repeated failure to meet minimum staffing requirements. The Los Angeles County Probation Department has grappled for years to maintain a consistent officer presence in the chaotic facility.
Yet, the probation department defied the BSCC's order to shut down Los Padrinos. As the BSCC lacked enforcement power and the California Attorney General's Office declined to intervene, the facility continued to operate in defiance, resulting in a series of unfortunate events. Several youths reported drug overdoses, one teen suffered a stab wounds in the eye, and 30 probation officers were indicted for allegedly organizing or permitting brutal brawls between juveniles.
The California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, is considering stripping county control of L.A.'s chaotic juvenile halls, as conditions have deteriorated for years with little intervention from the California attorney general's office despite a mandated reform settlement.
In response to a legal challenge brought by the L.A. County Public Defender’s Office, Judge Espinoza ordered probation officials to gradually decrease the number of youths at Los Padrinos to meet state regulations. Approximately 75% of the youths at Los Padrinos are awaiting hearings on violent offenses such as murder, attempted murder, assault, robbery, kidnapping, and gang crimes, according to the probation department.
The probation department plans to remove 103 detainees from Los Padrinos by June, transferring them to Barry J. Nidorf Hall in Sylmar and lower-security camps. This move, the department asserts, represents their continuous commitment to striking a balance between public safety, legal compliance, and the rehabilitative needs of the juveniles in their care. Espinoza rejected an indiscriminate mass release of youths, emphasizing that Los Padrinos will not be fully depopulated.
Despite the judge's order, some members of the Probation Oversight Commission expressed concerns, arguing that the plan does not address the systemic issues that have plagued the probation department for years. Milinda Kakani, a POC board member and the director of youth justice for the Children's Defense Fund, expressed concern that the plan could cause some youths to regress by returning them to Nidorf Hall after they had already graduated from the secure Youth Treatment Facility, often referred to as "The Compound." Kakani also remarked that re-housing youths in less secure facilities might be detrimental, as it could expose them to a riskier environment.
More Reading:
Food bounties and gang brawls: Behind the 'gladiator fights' in L.A. juvenile halls
Overdoses at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall mark latest scandal for embattled Downey facility
L.A. County judge moves toward shuttering troubled Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall
Enrichment Data:
Historically, Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall was established in 1957 as a temporary holding facility for children awaiting court proceedings, one of three juvenile halls in Los Angeles County managed by the Los Angeles County Probation Department [1][5]. The facility expanded significantly over the years, with a $36 million project adding new housing units that boosted its capacity to hold around 500 juveniles [1][5]. Los Padrinos accommodated separate housing for girls, starting in 1963 [4]. Despite its growth, Los Padrinos faced operational challenges like overcrowding and maintenance needs [5]. In 2019, Los Padrinos closed due to declining juvenile populations [2]. Plans were set to repair, upgrade, and reopen the facility with a reduced capacity of up to 300 juveniles [2]. However, without specific information about "gladiator fights," it appears the facility's history was marked more by operational challenges and broader systemic issues within the juvenile justice system.
- The relocation of troubled youths from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, notorious for violence and drug-related incidents, is a step towards improving California's crime-and-justice system, as Judge Miguel Espinoza has greenlit a plan to shift 100 juveniles from the hall to other facilities.
- In the midst of ongoing controversy, Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, located in Los Angeles and operating since 1957, has been a subject of criticism due to its failure to meet minimum standards, recurring operational issues, and a history of violence recently highlighted by 'gladiator fights.'
- The general-news concerning the Los Angeles County juvenile halls raises concerns about the adequacy of education and rehabilitation within these facilities, as still more than 75% of youths at Los Padrinos are awaiting hearings for violent offenses, including murder and gang crimes.
- The politics surrounding the California juvenile justice system require further scrutiny and reform, as multiple failures to address systemic issues in Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall have contributed to its deteriorating conditions and the continued risk to the well-being of the youths housed there, even with the planned transfers to other facilities.
