Los Angeles PROB BJN (2025-2026 inspection cycle)

Initial Inspection Report 2025-2026 Biennial Inspection Cycle Date of Exit Briefing/Notice of Noncompliance: 1/14/2026 Inspection Type: Comprehensive County: Los Angeles Facility Name: Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall BSCC #: 7204 BSCC Type: Juvenile Hall Facility Representative(s): Shawn Arrington, Superintendent/Senior Director, Nathan Martinez, Assistant Superintendent/Director, Lucas Martinez, Assistant Superintendent/Director and Rudy Sanchez, Director, Compliance Unit. BSCC Field Representative: Lisa Southwell CAP Day 60 – Maximum Statutory CAP Due/Approval Date: 3/15/2026 Maximum Statutory Resolution Date: June 13, 2026 Current Items of Noncompliance Title 15. Section Description § 1313. County Inspection and Evaluation of No documentation provided. The facility has no Building and Grounds. current fire clearance. Staffing documents reviewed included facility reports and staffing sheets from October 23–November 6, 2025, and December 4–10, 2025. Additional materials included medical appointment records, school movement logs, November 2025 staffing analyses, and BJN SYTF and BJN JH staffing assessments outlining minimum mandatory levels. Documentation showed improved youth transportation to medical appointments and school; however, discussions with the medical director and § 1321. Staffing. school principal indicated that daily staffing shortages continue to impact these responsibilities. Video review also showed youth arriving to class before teachers and still eating breakfast, suggesting staffing levels remain insufficient to support timely movement while preserving required in-unit breakfast time. June 7, 2025 staffing assessments showed the facility consistently failed to meet its own mandatory minimum staffing levels. Staffing shortages can be linked to operational delays such as late medical escorts and delays during use-of-force incidents Los Angeles County Barry J. Nidorf JH Comprehensive Inspection Report Page 2 Title 15. Section Description although difficult to fully assess due to incomplete incident reports. Staff are pooled between the two campus’s rather than assigned separately to the SYTF or to the JH. Juvenile Hall opened one additional unit not included in the June staffing plan, followed by a second unplanned unit. With no updated staffing plan or staff accounting for these added units, staffing resources were further strained, contributing to ongoing failure to meet minimum requirements. A full review of programming, recreation, and exercise could not be completed because written documentation did not consistently match video evidence. This was discussed with Director Newble on site, and examples will be included in the procedures checklist. The facility has not provided a written plan for emergency housing of youth in the case of fire or a § 1325. Fire Safety Plan. fire suppression pre-plan in cooperation with local fire. The facility’s Building Emergency Plan has not been completed and was not provided for review. No documentation provided of an annual review of emergency procedures due to the Building § 1327. Emergency Procedures. Emergency Plan pending approval by the fire department. The facility has no current orientation manual that is specific to the Juvenile Hall facility program. The document provided was the SYTF orientation manual with attempted updates noted and in tracked changes § 1353. Orientation. but not yet complete or implemented. No other document was noted to be current or implemented despite pre dispo youth being in the facility for several months. Documentaion provided for youth self separation shows continued issues with accuracy and compliance. Four youth were housed in Y3 for several days before a Specialized Supervision Plan § 1354. Separation. (SSP) was initiated. This should have occurred immediately when separated. No documentation of a daily review was completed. Documentation of reclassification was Los Angeles County Barry J. Nidorf JH Comprehensive Inspection Report Page 2 Title 15. Section Description noted but it did not detail what occurred or who participated. Self Separations were reviewed for October 2025 and were separated into high school and college students which is helpful for the pre dispo population. We noted some of the same issues have occurred such as the pre-filled comments. Instances of mental health referrals were noted as being conducted days later for long periods of time for self separation in violation of facility policy. Annual program letters, programming calendars and daily activity logs were reviewed along with unit video, which showed several concerns with the delivery and quality of youth programming. Video review confirmed multiple instances where activities were documented as completed but did not occur. We also found incidents where outdoor recreation was modified to indoor due to a lack of field space or § 1371. Programs, Recreation, and Exercise. due to it being dark because of daylight savings time and no alternative exercise opportunities were provided. Units appear to lack equipment to support indoor exercise, an issue previously identified. When exercise was cancelled for reasons other than weather, youth did not receive their required hour outdoors. Youth spent much of the day in passive recreation such as television and video games, and many units lacked books, games, or other meaningful activities. Facility managers and administrators improperly authorized suspensions of standards, resulting in inappropriate room confinement for post-dispositional youth in JH. § 1354.5. Room Confinement. A review of 10 room-confinement packets showed that in 6 cases, Supervisors documented that operational time, such as shift change, did not count toward confinement duration, effectively extending confinement by an extra hour. Los Angeles County Barry J. Nidorf JH Comprehensive Inspection Report Page 2 Title 15. Section Description We also found that youth are placed in their rooms immediately after an incident for safety, then taken to the medical unit, and returned to their rooms to await supervisory review. In several cases, this waiting period was lengthy. All 10 packets documented that room confinement officially began at least 45 minutes after the incident. Documentation provided did not provide proof of practice for required areas. Documentation provided was dated in November and December despite the youth and their files being transferred to the facility beginning in August. Documentation provided was not compliant with § 1355. Institutional Assessment and Plan. required regulations, specifically timeframes, person responsible for assuring that the plan is implemented and ongoing, or that monthly periodic review was conducted. As youth are transferred to the facility, procedures will need to be modified and properly documented to show compliance with all areas of regulation. Documentation provided does not show compliance § 1372. Religious Program. with religious program, specifically access to religious services or counseling once a week. There are no work programs provided to the youth in § 1373. Work Program. the JH. Documentation reviewed consisted of the Daily Merit Ladder, Canteen Sheets or Market Place Slips, and the weekly update tally sheets. The facility does not have a current, active discipline and behavior management process for the pre dispo youth but are currently utilizing the SYTF Daily Merit Ladder point sheet to record and manage behavior. § 1390. Discipline. Administrators noted the utilization of the BJN SYTF format pending the impmementation of a process better suited for the JH population; however, it is not in use as of the date of inspection. The Daily Merit Ladder is not specific to the programming and needs of the Pre Dispositional population, points and programs.