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Board backs state bill to let county assign youth programming to Department of Youth Development, with amendments
Summary
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to send a letter of support for SB 357 "if amended," backing a state law change that would let the county delegate certain juvenile programming duties from probation to the Department of Youth Development (DYD) while preserving peace officer responsibilities.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously May 13 to back state legislation—SB 357—giving counties flexibility to transfer some programming authority for justice-involved youth from probation to other county entities such as the Department of Youth Development.
Supporters said the change aims to expand rehabilitation and community-based care for young people while keeping law-enforcement duties with certified probation officers.
Supervisor Lindsay Horvath, who introduced the county position, told the board the bill"would give the county the authority to bring in another county entity such as DYD to support our probation department ensuring our youth justice system prioritizes rehabilitation as well as the services, programs, and placements our young people need to successfully return to the community." She added the bill "gives the board the flexibility to empower DYD while maintaining juvenile division court authority and the peace officers' duty only probation post-certified staff are able to perform."
Why it matters: County leaders and advocates pointed to staffing crises, safety problems, and repeated findings by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) as justification for changing how programming and placements are supervised. Supporters say DYDalready runs community-based care programs and could help stabilize services while probation focuses on custodial and public-safety duties.
County staff and legal advisers described open issues the board asked to be resolved before full endorsement. Angela Via, acting branch manager for County legislative affairs, told supervisors the county had raised technical concerns with the billnoting it "does not change the requirements that peace officers must supervise the youth," that funding streams would need to be reallocated by statute, that other code sections currently vest certain duties with the chief probation officer, and that the bill did not yet grant access to juvenile case files under Welfare &nbs p;Institutions Code section 827. Via said the county was working with the author's office on amendment language.
Several advocates and community groups urged quick action. Melinda Kakani of ChildrenDefense Fund told supervisors "untie your hands already so that you can, in fact, do better by our young people." Members of advocacy coalitions, including the Anti-Recidivism Coalition and ReimagineLA, urged the county to authorize DYD to provide programmatic care.
Board direction and next steps: Supervisors adopted a motion to send a county letter supporting SB 357 "if amended," reflecting the county's intent to work with the bill author on clarifying language. The board instructed county legal and legislative staff to continue developing amendments addressing funding reallocation, peace officer standards, statutory responsibilities of the chief probation officer, and juvenile records access.
Ending: The vote was 5-0. County staff will coordinate with the author's office and return with amendment language for the board's review if needed.
