In order to solve the staffing shortage, Los Angeles County supervisors recognized a crisis and issued an emergency proclamation for the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey on Tuesday.
“Clearly decisive action needs to be taken and it needs to be taken now.” Kathryn Barger, the supervisor, stated.
The California Board of State and Community Corrections has ordered the facility to closure on December 12.
“We found that the current staffing numbers do not allow for all required activities, operations, programs and facility functions, and to ensure the safety of youth and staff,” a field representative for BSCC wrote.
Since there isn’t a suitable alternative venue to house the youth, Los Padrinos keeps running after the closure order. “The county has no other place to house these youth — particularly given that, among other things, BSCC itself has not approved any other county facilities to do so,” according to the motion filed by the supervisors.
Barger clarified that the lack of manpower to maintain stability and safety for the 242 youngsters housed at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall is the real issue, not the structure itself. “It is not an option to close the facility and release the detained youth into the community,” she stated.
Some of the boys in LPJH are now facing similar accusations, while others have “serious mental health issues,” according to the request. “A very high percentage of the youth in LPJH have a history of serious, violent offenses — such as murder, attempted murder, sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery, and carjacking,” the motion stated.
Since reopening last year to accommodate detainees transferred from Central Juvenile Hall in Boyle Heights and Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar, both of which had staffing issues and were ordered closed by the state, the juvenile hall has been beset with operational challenges.
In order to guarantee full staffing, the motion advises the Department of Human Resources and other pertinent departments to expedite hiring and recruitment in order to fill vacancies at the facility, to provide bonuses or incentives to lateral transfers up to $24,000, and to take into consideration hiring any qualified peace officer in the state, including reserve officers and 120-day retirees.
“Proclaiming a local emergency to address this critical crisis will provide the county with additional tools to accelerate and expand its response in collaboration with our state partners and others,” the motion reads.
The state board is not expected to convene until Wednesday, but the county probation department is still contesting the BSCC’s closure order.
Vicky Waters, the department’s director of communications, said in a statement last week that “we disagree with their (the BSCC’s) application of regulations and overall findings, particularly around staffing ratios, even though we fully agree with safety and security standards.” “The department fully intends to keep Los Padrinos open and operational.”
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