Los Angeles Supervisors Vote to Phase Out Pepper Spray in Juvenile Facilities

In the wake of a scathing report by the Los Angeles Inspector General regarding the rampant misuse of pepper spray against incarcerated children, PJDC joined dozens of juvenile justice and civil rights organizations to urge the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to phase out the use of pepper spray in all juvenile facilities.  The measure passed unanimously on February 19, 2019. 

As PJDC Policy Director Sue Burrell noted in a letter to the Board of Supervisors, “The reality is that the vast majority of juvenile facilities in the United States do not use pepper spray at all. A national survey by the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators (CJCA), found that that only six (12 percent) of the agencies authorize staff to carry chemical sprays in secure facilities, and only 15 (29%) allow the use of chemical sprays.”

PJDC is thrilled that the Board of Supervisors has taken this important step to make sure that the nation’s largest juvenile justice system comes into alignment with the majority of juvenile justice systems across the country.

Click here to read PJDC’s letter of support.