California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Tuesday that his office has filed a joint motion with L.A. County in Superior Court, seeking additional monitoring of two local juvenile hall facilities.
Bonta’s office cited “serious ongoing deficiencies in the treatment and conditions of youth” at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Secure Youth Treatment Facility in Sylmar and Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, which together house hundreds of teens and young adults who have come in contact with the criminal justice system.
Barry J. Nidorf houses about 50 youth. Los Padrinos houses nearly 300.
The move comes after “alarming” reports from an independent monitor revealed insufficient staffing and failure to keep drugs out or prevent fights among the youth held in custody, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
A surveillance video that surfaced earlier this year appeared to show probation employees standing by as a group of incarcerated youths beats up on a 17-year-old.
What does the motion seek to change?
According to Bonta’s office, the motion would update a 2021 L.A. County Superior Court judgment and require the county to implement a revised plan to fix ongoing staffing shortages.
If a judge approves the motion, it would require the county to carry out a revised plan to fix ongoing staffing shortages, produce monthly health and safety reports and review any use of force incidents.
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement that she hopes the court will approve the stricter requirements.
“I welcome the additional scrutiny and accountability,” Barger said. “The more eyes, the better.”
In a news release, Bonta said…
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