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LA County to appoint new officer to oversee compliance with state rules on housing juveniles
Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey
(
Robert Garrova
/
LAist
)
Topline:
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors has agreed to appoint a compliance officer to make sure the Probation Department meets state standards for housing minors accused of crimes.
The move comes after a state board deemed Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey unsuitable to house youths for the second time this year.
The backstory: The Board of State and Community Corrections notified L.A. County probation authorities again last week that Los Padrinos is at risk of being shut down after inspectors found insufficient staffing at the facility.
Reaction: Kent Mendoza-Morales, with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition — which provides job training and other services for formerly incarcerated youth — said he welcomes more oversight of the Probation Department, and he hopes to see long-term changes at Los Padrinos. “Residents and family members in L.A. County are, basically we’re fed up — and I think even the Board knows this,” he said.
What would a compliance officer do? The motion from Supervisor Janice Hahn directs the county to appoint an officer who would be “responsible for overseeing and monitoring efforts related to obtaining and maintaining compliance” with the state board. Those duties would likely fall to someone in the CEO or County Counsel’s Office and won’t require a new budgeted position.
What’s next? The motion calls for the compliance officer to be appointed within 30 days.
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