Central Juvenile Hall
 | |
| Location | Boyle Heights, Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| Status | Operational |
| Opened | 1921 |
| Managed by | Los Angeles County Probation Department |
Central Juvenile Hall (also known as Eastlake Juvenile Hall or Central) is a youth detention center in Los Angeles County. Central houses both boys and girls.[1] The Central Juvenile Hall complex was originally established in 1912 as the first juvenile detention facility in Los Angeles County.[2] The hall sits on twenty-two and one-half acres of land in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. The facility has 24 buildings including living units, two infirmaries, two school buildings, two gyms, kitchen facilities, a chapel, and mechanical areas.[2]
Conditions
In 2014, the Los County Grand Jury criticized the conditions of the hall, and proposed that it be torn down.[3] Into 2016, juvenile justice reform advocates pushed a proposal that would split the Los Angeles County Probation Department in two parts, one for overseeing juveniles and one for adults.[4]
One former Central ward wrote about his experience in solitary confinement in 1962.[5] Into the 2000s, former inmates recalled being placed in solitary confinement at Central.[6]
Programs
In 1997, Sister Janet Harris, then Catholic Chaplain at Central, cofounded InsideOUT Writers (IOW).[7] The organization uses creative writing to encourage personal growth and transformation within the California juvenile justice system and still teaches writing workshops inside Central.[8] Mark Salzman taught for IOW at Central, and wrote a book about his experience.[9] In 2011, IOW teamed with the Los Angeles Opera to perform stories written by incarcerated youths at Central.[10]
In 2012, rap artist RZA spoke to teen fathers at Central.[11] UpRising Yoga has held yoga classes for boys and girls incarcerated at Central.[12]
Notable juvenile inmates
References
- ^ Fritz, Mike. "Photo essay: Life inside a juvenile detention center for girls". PBS Newshour. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ a b "1999 Los Angeles County Grand Jury Report". Los Angeles County Grand Jury. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Sewell, Abby. "Future of L.A. County's main juvenile hall is uncertain". LA Times. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Sewell, Abby. "Should L.A.'s probation agency be split between youths and adults?". LA Times. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ "In Solitary at LA's Juvenile Hall, circa 1962". Solitary Watch. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
{{cite web}}:|first1=missing|last1=(help) - ^ Green, Marcus. "In two dozen states, juvenile offenders can be put in solitary. Advocates want to change that". pri.org. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ "Sister Janet Harris". Loyola Law School. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Archer, Christine. "California Teacher Uses Writing to Inspire Incarcerated Youth". JJIE. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ McCollam, Douglas. "Rough Drafts". NY Times. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Molvi, Fareeha. "LA Opera performs stories by incarcerated youth at juvenile hall". 89.3 KPCC. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Romero, Dennis. "RZA OF WU-TANG CLAN TO TEACH TEENS IN JUVENILE HALL HOW TO BE BETTER FATHERS". LA Weekly. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Schware, Rob. "Yoga: How We Serve Incarcerated Youth". Huffington Post. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Warren, Jenifer. "Tookie Williams Is Executed". LA Times. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
