U.S. Probes LA County's Juvenile Facilities

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By Los Angeles Times

Published: 02/19/2001

The U.S. Justice Department's civil rights division has launched an investigation into the treatment of children at Los Angeles County's juvenile detention facilities, according to the county's chief probation officer.
A team of experts hired by the Justice Department will examine medical, mental health and educational programs as well as living conditions at the county's juvenile halls and camps, said Richard Shumsky, who heads the Probation Department.
Shumsky said local officials were informed of the probe about two months ago.
The Probation Department, which handles about 18,000 juvenile offenders at any time, came under fire last year in a series of articles by the Los Angeles Daily Journal and in a report by the Los Angeles County Grand Jury.
In its annual report on government last June, the grand jury said Los Angeles County's juvenile facilities were substandard and called on the Board of Supervisors to fund improvements.
One camp was described as follows: restrooms and barracks had urine and dirty clothing all over the floors. Bunk pads were all sliced up as if to hide things in them. There were extreme amounts of graffiti, filth was abundant, and it appeared there was little or no discipline.
The grand jury rated several other camps as good.
The Justice Department is empowered to investigate juvenile correctional systems around the country under a 20-year-old law aimed at protecting the civil rights of incarcerated youths.
If the investigation reveals a 'pattern or practice' of violations, the civil rights division sends the problem agency a letter detailing its findings and recommending remedies.

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