YOUTH JUSTICE MEETING with SUPERVISOR HORVATH'S OFFICE

The vast majority of us are too lucky and  too privileged to ever have to think about, let alone care about, youth justice. We believe our apathy is wrong.

There are children – actual kids – most of whom are being held pre-trial, meaning before they’ve been found guilty of anything (except being poor.) These facilities -- currently the one they're in is called Los Padrinos -- are "run" by the LA County Probation department. 

The probation department is having a hard time even getting officers to show up to work in these places. And even though they are supposed to provide education and enrichment programs, none are provided. None. All the kids do all day is sit. In a cell. And watch TV. Saul Sarabia, a youth justice expert and professor at UCLA, who is helping us to build a coalition, tells us that kids are held for on average 5 months in these places. We looked online to find recent photos of Los Padrinos. There aren’t many, but here’s one:

We should not be okay with this.  And I know we say we are not, but our actions -- or inactions-- say otherwise.  Our inactions say we are okay with this.

For a few months we have been meeting with Supervisor Lindsay Horvath’s office about what they're doing to change this system.  Our goal in these meetings is to develop the conversation, and to hold the folks in charge accountable.

 The next meeting with the Supervisor’s office is coming up on Sept 29. The last time we met only 2 HODG folks showed up – and one left early because – god bless her, – she assumed there would be a big group, not just 2 people in a corner.  I am hoping this go around will be different. Nothing will be asked of you at these meetings except to pull up a chair, enjoy a cup of coffee, and join the conversation.  

LA County's Youth Justice Problem:

A Coffee w/ Supervisor Lindsay Horvath’s Office

Friday, Sept 29th

2:30 - 3:30

Downtown Starbucks

217 N. Hill Street

RSVP: helen at hm.eigenberg@gmail.com