Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
Judge denies California's request to put LA County juvenile halls under state control
Aerial view of Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey on June 29, 2023.
(
Allen J. Schaben
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
A judge has temporarily denied a request from California Attorney General Rob Bonta to put Los Angeles County juvenile halls under state control.
The attorney general made the request in July after years of scandals at county facilities, including overdoses and reports of gladiator fights.
Bonta had asked the court to place the facilities into a receivership, meaning a court-appointed receiver would be able to hire and fire county employees, create policies at the facilities and acquire equipment to bring the county into compliance, according to the court filing.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Hernandez rejected that request Friday.
He said in a ruling that the state had not yet exhausted other avenues through the court to address the crisis in the county facilities. He criticized the tasks that the state laid out for the county as "incoherent" and "confusing."
-
Apartment hunters with rental assistance were not welcome at many Jamison buildings, in apparent violation of California law, a Capital & Main investigation found. -
Education researchers say happier teachers are more likely to stay and that stability can be good for long-term learning outcomes. -
A Rolex found amid the rubble of the Palisades Fire tests the skill of a popular YouTuber dedicated to watch restoration.
Hernandez also questioned if a receiver would be notably different from the juvenile halls' current leadership, which he said "faces structural barriers to implement the real change that would directly impact those youth subject to predisposition incarceration at Defendant’s Juvenile Halls."
Sponsored message
"We appreciate and share the Court’s desire to move swiftly to ensure that the County makes necessary changes to comply with the 2021 judgment," Bonta responded in a statement. "We remain committed to protecting the rights and safety of youth detained in the juvenile halls.”
Bonta has repeatedly laid blame on the county for failing to address the crises at its youth facilities. In 2021, the attorney general issued a judgement demanding the county come into compliance after a state investigation found that there were "unsafe and illegal" conditions at county juvenile halls.
This summer, the attorney general said the county was out of compliance with 75% of the provisions in that agreement.
This isn't the end of the dispute over the fate of L.A.'s troubled juvenile jails. The judge said in his ruling that the court would clarify the changes the county needs to make at its facilities and oversee and set timelines for the completion of those tasks.
"The difficult work will now commence in earnest," the judge said in his ruling.
A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 24. According to Bonta's office, that hearing will focus on staffing, use of force and data.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
