After reports of chaos in L.A. juvenile halls, state officials visit two facilities

Officials from the California Department of Justice on Thursday visited two of Los Angeles County’s troubled juvenile halls — a sign that conditions inside the facilities are drawing the attention of state monitors. A spokesman for the county’s Probation Department, which operates the network of 10 juvenile halls and camps, initially referred questions to the other agencies involved but later issued a statement downplaying the visits. Overall, it’s unclear precisely what prompted the visits on Thursday, but they come weeks after staff members complained to the county’s Probation Commission — a volunteer group that advises the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on department policy — about working conditions inside the Nidorf Juvenile Hall. The state’s Department of Justice supports law enforcement officials statewide but also investigates potential civil rights violations and children’s justice issues, among many functions.