Judge Orders LA County to Depopulate Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall

Introduction to the Issue

A Los Angeles County judge ordered Friday, April 18, that officials develop a plan to depopulate the troubled Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, calling the facility “unlawful” and demanding that in-custody youth be relocated to other secure facilities.

Superior Court Judge Miguel Espinoza ordered the county Probation Department to provide a plan within two weeks detailing how it will safely remove the 272 juveniles from Los Padrinos and warned he would take more immediate action if the proposal isn’t “serious” enough.

“The current situation is untenable,” Espinoza said, setting a May 2 deadline for the plan.

Probation officials will need to accomplish that depopulation in a way that “does not cause harm to the youth” or “danger to the public,” he said.

Background and Recent Incidents

Espinoza’s order comes just days after three youths at Los Padrinos were sent to the hospital for suspected fentanyl overdoses and a little more than a month after a grand jury indicted 30 probation employees for allegedly allowing — and sometimes orchestrating — 69 “gladiator-style” fights within the juvenile hall.

The judge took up the question of whether juveniles can be held in Los Padrinos as part of a juvenile murder case before him, though his ruling impacts dozens of other challenges to the continued use of Los Padrinos.

Espinoza left open the possibility that the Downey facility could continue to be used if the department can reduce the population enough to pass a new inspection by state regulators. While L.A. County has other facilities that could take small portions of the juveniles at Los Padrinos, none of the existing facilities can hold the entire population.

Reaction from Authorities

Measured Approach

In a statement, L.A. County Probation Department spokesperson Vicky Waters described Espinoza’s ruling as “a measured approach — one that avoids the release of youth and supports a safe and orderly transition to other youth facilities.”

“In response to today’s court ruling, the Probation Department will move swiftly to implement a depopulation plan for Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall that aligns with our broader facilities strategy and prioritizes public safety,” Waters stated. “Our existing proposed global facilities plan already called for relocating high-needs young men and women from Los Padrinos, and this ruling allows us to accelerate that effort.

“We remain fully committed to protecting the well-being of both the young people in our care and our staff, and will continue to work and collaborate closely with our County and State partners.”

Population and Crime Statistics

Most Detainees Accused of Violence

Since then, Los Padrinos’ population has shot up from about 230 to 272. Statistics provided by the Probation Department indicated about 76% of those in custody at Los Padrinos are accused of violent crimes.

Espinoza told probation officials that their future plan to depopulate must include a timeline that is “consistent” with the state of emergency declared by the Board of Supervisors in December.

Steps Forward and Challenges

Ruling’s Impact and Next Steps

County Supervisor Janice Hahn, a critic of Viera Rosa’s “global plan,” offered her support for Espinoza’s ruling in a statement.

“There are young people in Los Padrinos who should be moved to alternate facilities, but there are also many who can and should be safely released back home, monitored with ankle monitors, or cared for in community-based placements like a Boys Republic,” Hahn stated. “At this time, my ultimate concern is for the well-being of the hundreds of young people in our care who have not been getting what they need to rehabilitate.”

Both the Public Defender’s and the District Attorney’s offices will get a chance to weigh in on the Probation Department’s plan ahead of the next hearing in Espinoza’s courtroom on May 16.

Reaction from Public Defender’s Office

In a statement, Luis Rodriguez, the division chief for the L.A. County Public Defender’s Youth Services Division, called the court’s order a “step in the right direction.”

“The Probation Department’s chaos creates dangerous ripple effects on our youth’s safety,” Rodriguez stated. “Time and again, in report after report, we’ve seen neglect, mismanagement and abuse, all while officials insist that change is coming.”

The Public Defender’s Office is looking forward to “participating in the development of the plan to depopulate Los Padrinos,” Rodriguez said.

Analysis and Future Outlook

Ruling ‘Surprising’

Eduardo Mundo, a former probation officer and chair of the county Probation Oversight Commission, said the Probation Department will need to transfer youth to other facilities and to utilize home detention more frequently to meet the court’s mandate. That also will require it to return more of its field officers to work, as a large portion of those who oversee juveniles on house arrest have either been redeployed to help out at Los Padrinos, or have been forced on leaves for having work restrictions that would prevent them from being redeployed to the juvenile hall.

Mundo described Espinoza’s ruling as surprising, but said it is clear that Probation’s existing plan to come back into compliance “is not working.” The recent suspected overdoses at Los Padrinos and the fentanyl-related death of a juvenile in custody in 2023 are evidence of the need for urgent changes, he said.

“The likelihood of more overdoses, the likelihood of another kid dying, is high,” he said.

Months of Uncertainty

The order to depopulate Los Padrinos’ follows months of uncertainty about the facility’s future.

The Board of State and Community Corrections, the regulatory body overseeing California’s juvenile halls, deemed Los Padrinos “unsuitable” for the confinement of youth in October after inspectors found a pervasive staffing shortage had left the facility unable to meet the bare minimum of standards. Though state law required the juvenile hall to close in December as a result, the Probation Department refused to comply and argued it had nowhere else to send the juveniles in its custody.

Conclusion

The situation at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall has reached a critical point, with the facility being deemed "unlawful" and a plan for depopulation now mandated by the court. The future of the facility and the welfare of its inhabitants hang in the balance as authorities scramble to find safe and suitable alternatives. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the next steps for Los Padrinos and the young people in its care.

FAQs

1. What is the current situation at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall?

   • The facility has been deemed "unlawful" and is overcrowded, with 272 juveniles currently in custody, 76% of whom are accused of violent crimes.

2. What has the court ordered?

   • The court has ordered the LA County Probation Department to develop a plan to depopulate Los Padrinos within two weeks, ensuring the safe relocation of juveniles to other secure facilities without causing harm to them or danger to the public.

3. What are the challenges facing the Probation Department?

   • The department must find alternative facilities that can accommodate the juveniles, utilize home detention more frequently, and potentially return field officers to work to oversee house arrests, all while ensuring public safety and the well-being of the youths.

4. What is the reaction from authorities and stakeholders?

   • Authorities and stakeholders, including the Public Defender’s Office and County Supervisor Janice Hahn, have expressed support for the court’s order, emphasizing the need for urgent changes to ensure the safety and rehabilitation of the young people in custody.
5. What are the next steps?
   • The Probation Department must submit a depopulation plan by May 2, which will then be reviewed. The Public Defender’s and District Attorney’s offices will have the opportunity to weigh in on the plan before the next hearing on May 16.