Probation outlines juvenile depopulation plan, moves girls to Kilpatrick and expands programming

Probation leadership told the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 18 that the department is in an active phase of a depopulation and facility‑restructuring plan intended to improve care for youth in custody and better match services to distinct populations.

Guillermo Viera, the county’s probation officer, said the plan is focused on moving specific populations into specialized campuses so staff and services can be better matched to needs. "That was predicated on an understanding that utilizing the existing facilities that we have to separate specific populations would both assist in us better utilizing the staff that we have," Viera said, and added that on the girls' side the plan included vacating a separate campus and concentrating girls at Kilpatrick. "As of yesterday we had 16 that had been moved… it’s up and running with 15 girls," he told supervisors.

Viera and deputies described broader reassignments: use of a Neidorff building for SYTF‑track boys (about 33 currently housed there), plans to better utilize Dorothy Kirby and other campuses, and a projection that Los Padrinos population could be reduced to the low 200s when the transitions conclude. The chief emphasized that these moves aim to stabilize staffing and to improve program delivery.

Supervisors pressed on several fronts. Nursing leadership said nursing coverage at Kilpatrick now includes two nurses per day and evening shift and one onboarded for the night shift, with a goal of full 24/7 nursing coverage by early December once one more nurse can be hired. Probation and CHS described expanded programming for girls at Kilpatrick — about 21 programs developed or expanded with a roughly $1 million program budget — including vocational training, arts, mentoring, and a CNA training component. Barry J. and other sites also have individual program inventories (CHS and Probation said Barry J. now hosts about 28 programs, expanded from 11 earlier).

Supervisors and staff agreed the next priority is to develop quality‑assurance metrics for the programs, not only counting contracts but evaluating outcomes and fidelity. Probation said it will begin a formal QA effort to ensure contracted providers deliver promised services and to measure whether programs affect recidivism and behavioral outcomes.

Board members also asked about alternatives and decarceration strategies, particularly to avoid adding youth back into custody. Probation reported ongoing court‑partnership efforts and local diversion programs and noted about 4,000 out‑of‑custody referrals are processed annually, showing part of the county’s movement toward noncustodial responses.

The department said it will report further on staffing, quality‑assurance metrics and outcomes, and supervisors emphasized continuing audits and transparency as the depopulation plan proceeds.

The update will be followed by written and verbal report‑backs requested by the board as the department implements the next phases.