Los Angeles, CA—Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has directed the Probation Department to put in place additional security measures at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey after a youth being incarcerated at the hall was able to briefly escape the facility.
On the evening of November 4, 2023, a youth being incarcerated at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall managed to escape briefly from the facility by assaulting a staff member, obtaining keys, and climbing over a fence. The youth was apprehended by police and Probation Department officials within ten minutes of the escape and the Probation Department has launched an internal investigation into this incident.
“It is unacceptable that two young people have managed to escape from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in the last four months,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn who represents the cities of Downey and South Gate. “Luckily, they were both apprehended almost immediately after their escape, but this cannot happen again.”
After being closed for almost four years, Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall was reopened in July 2023 after the California Board of State and Community Corrections ordered the County’s other two juvenile halls to be closed for failing to meet suitability standards. November’s brief escape is the second time since the facility reopened that a youth has managed to flee from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. The first time occurred within two weeks of the facility reopening, and the youth was apprehended shortly after fleeing the facility.
During today’s Board meeting, Supervisor Hahn submitted an urgency motion regarding the escape over the weekend. The motion, which was unanimously approved, directs the Los Angeles County Chief Probation Officer to orally present a corrective action plan during the public Board meeting on November 21, 2023, including descriptions of additional security measures and policies being implemented by the Probation Department to prevent any future escape from the facility.
Hahn’s motion also directs the Chief Probation Officer to meet with officials from the City of Downey and the City of South Gate to discuss additional safety measures being implemented at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall to ensure the safety of the surrounding communities.
Lastly, Hahn’s motion directs the Office of the Inspector General to investigate the November 4th escape and provide a written report to the Board of Supervisors in 120 days. It also specifies that the report back should include an overview and analysis of the events that led to the escape and recapture of a juvenile on November 4, 2023, and recommendations for additional security measures and policies to prevent future incidents.