Children in Los Angeles County's main detention center are living in unfathomable conditions. In Central Juvenile Hall, almost 200 kids (most of which are waiting for their trials) are faced with unsanitary, unsafe, and inhumane conditions. They are thrown into solitary confinement for reasons not included in the department's guidelines, or for very minor things -- like sharing food. Their walls are covered in dirt and graffiti, and their bathrooms do not have running water. Filled with broken urinals and pipes, the bathrooms are covered in urine and feces. The staff seems to just not care. In 2014, a grand jury actually found that the structure itself is barely holding up. It's rotting, and broken. Duct tape and towels are being used to try to stop leaking water and to repair cracks. There is a strange odor to show this isn't working.
The point of juvenile centers is supposed to be for rehabilitation. Most of these kids have mental illnesses, and many have addiction problems. In no way is this environment good for them. The county has talked about redoing the building, but has only given a fraction of the money to this facility that other similar facilities have gotten. Please tell L.A. County to end solitary confinement, promote mental health and substance abuse programs, and make all repairs immediately. The children cannot live like this.
Dear Los Angeles County,
Los Angeles County's main detention center, Central Juvenile Hall, is in terrible shape. It's rotting, and there are leaks, which are being held together with towels and duct tape. The bathrooms are unsanitary and unclean, and filled with waste as the toilets do not work and there is no running water. The walls are dirty and covered with graffiti.
Children in the facility are subjected to cruel solitary confinement, even for very minor things or things not included in the department's guidelines, such as sharing food. Furthermore, although most of these kids have mental illnesses, many have addiction problems, and the point of juvenile centers is supposed to be for rehabilitation, no rehabilitation is happening here.
Please repair this facility immediately, promote mental health and substance abuse programs, and end solitary confinement once and for all.
Thank you for your time.
