Los Angeles County’s troubled juvenile halls get reprieve, can remain open after improvements

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County’s troubled juvenile detention facilities, on the verge of shutting down over safety issues and other problems, can remain open, state regulators decided Thursday.

The Board of State and Community Corrections voted to lift its “unsuitable” designation for Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar and Central Juvenile Hall in Boyle Heights.

Both facilities could have been forced to shut down April 16 because of failed inspections over the past year.

The state board, which inspects the youth prisons, determined last year that the county had been unable to correct problems including inadequate safety checks, low staffing, use of force and a lack of recreation and exercise.

Board chair Linda Penner said while the county had made some improvements, officials should not consider the outcome of the vote “mission accomplished,” the Southern California News Group reported.

“Your mission now is sustainability and durability. We need continued compliance,” Penner said.

Only six of the 13 board members supported keeping the lockups open. Three voted against it, saying they did not believe Los Angeles County could maintain improvements at the facilities long-term. The other four abstained or recused themselves.

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