L.A. County’s juvenile hall faces service delays due to untrained, unmotivated staff, despite meeting staffing minimums, sparking a federal oversight push.

A court monitor says L.A. County’s juvenile hall staffing crisis stems not from insufficient numbers but from untrained, unmotivated staff redeployed from other probation roles, leading to delays in youth services despite meeting minimum staffing levels. The state DOJ has requested receivership over noncompliance, citing poor training, mismanagement, and inconsistent data, while the county disputes claims and highlights retention improvements. The court is assessing whether current practices meet reform requirements.