LA County Ordered to Shut Down Two Major Juvenile Facilities

State regulators demand closure or improvement of juvenile halls within 60 days due to substandard conditions.

State regulators have ordered Los Angeles County to close or significantly improve Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall and Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility within 60 days.
Officials are scrambling to address staffing shortages, safety concerns, and lack of programming at the facilities, which house over 300 youths.
The decision follows repeated failures to meet state standards, despite previous closures and attempts at reform.
Los Angeles County plans to use the 60-day window to comply with state requirements, amid criticism of its handling of juvenile detention.
Stakeholders call for a multi-sector approach to avoid closure and improve conditions for detained youth.