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January 22
1839 - Gov. Juan B. Alvarado gives most of SCV to Mexican Army Lt. Antonio del Valle. [story]
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The Los Angeles County Probation Department presented its OC Spray Phase-Out Plan to the County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, June 25, during the regular public meeting of the Board at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Downtown Los Angeles.

To view a copy of the plan, please visit Probation.lacounty.gov/ocphaseout.

Under the plan, the Probation Department will completely cease its utilization of OC Spray (commonly referred to as “pepper spray”) in juvenile camps by July 31, 2019 and in juvenile halls by September 2020. This move away from a command and control approach to juvenile justice is just one of several steps the Department is taking in reforming juvenile corrections in L.A. County.

Development of the plan was a collaborative effort that included input by numerous Probation employees, community-based organizations, and nationally-renown subject matter experts. The plan also synthesizes and addresses the related recommendations provided by the County’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Probation Reform and Implementation Team (PRIT).

Sheila Mitchell, Chief Deputy for Juvenile Services, has been a strong advocate for ensuring that the various and complex needs of the youth detained within the facilities are addressed as a key component in their rehabilitation.

“The goal is to move toward a more rehabilitative environment that addresses the underlying needs and trauma youth under the supervision of Probation have faced,” Mitchell expressed. “Improving the conditions of confinement, reducing incidents of violence for both youth and staff, and to setting goals for long-term successful outcomes are all taken into consideration in this new plan.”

Probation’s plan to reduce the use of OC spray with the result of elimination has seven key elements:
– A targeted reduction of OC spray that occurs phases out OC spray over time;
– Increased staffing levels;
– Increasing mental health services;
– Increased training for staff that includes training on crisis interventions, de-escalating aggression, and adolescent development;
– Creating a robust menu of services that will keep youth engaged, teach new skills, and offer new resources and programs that aide in their transition back into the community;
– Implementing a strength and incentive-based behavior management system; and
– Remodeling of outdated facilities to improve the atmosphere and conditions of confinement which have significant impact on both staff and youth attitudes and help transition these facilities into the small group program model currently utilized at Probation’s Campus Kilpatrick.

“This is an important paradigm shift for the Probation Department, moving from a detention services to a trauma informed approach,” explained Chief Probation Officer Terri L. McDonald. “I know this won’t be easy, but we must continue to profoundly change from an organization focused on control and confinement to one that is about engagement and rehabilitation.”

To fully implement the plan, extensive training for Probation staff, increasing the youth to staff ratio, and overhauling operational procedures to produce the best possible results for youth success will be needed. The Probation Department will be working with the County’s Chief Executive Office and the Board of Supervisors to determine how much of savings from the closure of seven camps and a juvenile hall since 2017 can be redirected to expand services for youth and staff to provide support to enhanced rehabilitative services.

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LOS ANGELES COUNTY HEADLINES
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025
The leaders of federal and local law enforcement agencies have joined together to create the Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force to investigate and prosecute fire-related crimes as Los Angeles County recovers from devastating wildfires.
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025
Metro has a plan to make it easier to get around by expanding the Metro rail system to the Westside with the D (Purple) Line Subway Extension Project. This critical, highly anticipated new addition to Metro’s network will add seven new stations and a reliable, high-speed connection between downtown Los Angeles and the Westside.
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025
The Los Angeles County Joint Coordination Information Center has released the following information as of 11 a.m. on the Palisades and Eaton Fires. A total of 37,734 acres has been consumed in the two fires. More than 17,000 structures have been confirmed as destroyed or damaged.
Monday, Jan 20, 2025
District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman has announced the appointment of Michael Gennaco as Special Prosecutor who is among the nation’s foremost experts in civil rights and police misconduct cases.
Monday, Jan 20, 2025
In response to the ongoing challenges posed by the Palisades and Eaton Fires, the county of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control has mobilized its resources and partnerships to ensure the safety and well-being of the animals affected.

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