Current:Home > ContactLos Angeles County’s troubled juvenile halls get reprieve, can remain open after improvements -Keystone Wealth Vision
Los Angeles County’s troubled juvenile halls get reprieve, can remain open after improvements
View
Date:2025-04-27 20:05:13
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County’s troubled juvenile detention facilities, on the verge of shutting down over safety issues and other problems, can remain open, state regulators decided Thursday.
The Board of State and Community Corrections voted to lift its “unsuitable” designation for Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar and Central Juvenile Hall in Boyle Heights.
Both facilities could have been forced to shut down April 16 because of failed inspections over the past year.
The state board, which inspects the youth prisons, determined last year that the county had been unable to correct problems including inadequate safety checks, low staffing, use of force and a lack of recreation and exercise.
Board chair Linda Penner said while the county had made some improvements, officials should not consider the outcome of the vote “mission accomplished,” the Southern California News Group reported.
“Your mission now is sustainability and durability. We need continued compliance,” Penner said.
Only six of the 13 board members supported keeping the lockups open. Three voted against it, saying they did not believe Los Angeles County could maintain improvements at the facilities long-term. The other four abstained or recused themselves.
Board members warned the county that if future inspections result in an unsuitable designation, they would not hesitate to close the facilities.
The Los Angeles County Probation Department, which oversees the juvenile halls, said it was stabilizing staffing levels and improving training procedures. Probation Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa said his department acknowledges “the ongoing concerns and acknowledge there’s still much more to be done.”
The Peace and Justice Law Center, which advocates for prison reform, said the juvenile halls need “real fixes, not temporary Band-Aids.” Co-Execuitve Director Sean Garcia-Leys told the news group that the nonprofit plans to conduct a private audit to try to determine “why the board has reversed itself and decided a few weeks of compliance with standards outweigh the years of failure to meet minimum standards.”
The board’s decision comes after California phased out its three remaining state-run youth prisons and shifting the responsibility to counties.
The shift to local control is the final step in a lengthy reform effort driven in part by a class-action lawsuit and incentives for counties to keep youths out of the state system. The state-run system has a troubled history marked by inmate suicides and brawls.
veryGood! (3)
Related
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- Can you retire for less than $1M? Not in these states: Priciest states to retire
- Oregon GOP senators barred from reelection over walkout seek statewide office instead
- Horoscopes Today, March 14, 2024
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- NLRB certifies union to represent Dartmouth basketball players
- Maryland Senate nearing vote on $63B budget legislation for next fiscal year
- Most semi-automated vehicle systems fall short on safety, new test finds
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Terrified residents of San Francisco’s Tenderloin district sue for streets free of drugs, tents
Ranking
- At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
- Prince William Praises Kate Middleton's Artistic Skills Amid Photoshop Fail
- Ancient statue unearthed during parking lot construction: A complete mystery
- Hunter Biden trial on felony gun charges tentatively set for week of June 3
- 'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
- Florida woman found dead on cruise ship, Bahamas police say
- Gwyneth Paltrow swears this form of meditation changed her life. So I tried it with her.
- IKEA slashes prices on products as transportation and materials costs ease
Recommendation
Moving abroad can be expensive: These 5 countries will 'pay' you to move there
Actor Pierce Brosnan pleads guilty to walking in Yellowstone park thermal area, must pay $1,500
Trump and his lawyers make two arguments in court to get classified documents case dismissed
Cause a Racquet With SKIMS First Tennis Skirt, Plus More Aces From Lululemon, Amazon, and Gymshark
Intellectuals vs. The Internet
How well does Beyonce's Cécred work on highly textured hair? A hairstylist weighs in
Swimsuits for All Makes Waves with Their 50% off Sale, Including $8 Bikini Tops, $16 One-Pieces & More
Justin Timberlake reunites with NSYNC for first performance in 11 years: 'Let's do it again'