Troubled Los Padrinos facility in Downey
The Board of Supervisors this week asked the Probation Department to prepare a report on ways to eliminate delays faced by attorneys, social workers and other professionals trying to visit detainees at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey.
The request came after a Southern California News Group report that some visitors have been forced to wait for as long as three hours.
The Probation Department told SCNG that occasional delays “may occur due to operational factors, daily scheduling and logistical issues.'' The agency's statement said it was seeing a noticeable improvement due to staff efforts to reduce wait times, and due to the addition of four booths in the chapel to accommodate attorney-client conferences.
A motion introduced by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Lindsey Horvath, and approved unanimously by the board, notes that the Probation Department has struggled with staffing for years, which impacts the rate at which youth have access to private appointments.
Addressing the motion during Tuesday's board meeting, Horvath said reducing wait times was important not only to protect the constitutional rights of detainees, but also to ensure the smooth functioning of juvenile facilities.
Hahn called the issue “concerning'' and suggested the Probation Department add more booths at the chapel, increase the number of probation officers present during visits and offer e-sign up options. She also proposed the department lay out an expected maximum wait time and policies for when the wait times are extended.
The department was asked to present a written report within four weeks with data on visitor wait times during the past three months, including an analysis of factors contributing to the delay and strategies being implemented to reduce it.
Following the board's vote, Hahn wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that it is important for individuals in juvenile facilities to get speedy access to services they are entitled to.
“It's important that our county public defenders, as well as other attorneys, social workers, and doctors, aren't spending most of their day waiting to meet with clients,'' she wrote.
Los Padrinos has been under scrutiny since it was reopened last year.
Sixteen probation officers at the facility were placed on leave following an investigation that detected cases of “youth-on-youth violence.'' They were among a total of 66 probation officers who have been placed on leave since the beginning of the year for various issues relating to conduct on and off duty.
In February, the California Board of State and Community Corrections declared Los Padrinos and the Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility in Sylmar unsuitable to house youths. The state board cited violations ranging from poor staffing levels to inadequate training, education programs, safety plans and disciplinary procedures.
The board reversed that finding in April, determining that sufficient improvements had been made to address the various violations. Had the board not changed its mind, the county would have been forced to close the facilities and relocate the youth detainees.
