L.A. County seeking ways to reduce number of incarcerated pregnant youth
The county's Board of Supervisors wants an alternative to locking up girls who are carrying children and many of whom themselves are juveniles
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Los Angeles County is exploring various strategies to reduce and end the incarceration of pregnant youth and one way the Board of Supervisors intends to do so is by approving a motion proposed by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and co-authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn.
“Improving their care is a matter of reproductive justice,” reads the board motion.
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Last year, 1,039 girls were reportedly booked into L.A. County juvenile detention facilities. Fifty tested positive for pregnancy upon intake, and one gave birth while incarcerated, according to a June report from the Department of Health Services.
About 34 of those 50 young women were under supervision by the child welfare system as well as probation, the report states.
“Much has been done to enhance the care and treatment of adult women who are incarcerated and pregnant. Today, we turn our attention to incarcerated pregnant girls by improving the care they receive while in our custody,” said Solis. “Whenever possible, these young girls should be given the tools and skills they need to successfully be diverted back to the community so they can safely parent and finish their education. These young mothers are not forgotten.”
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Supervisor Hahn added, “We are going to put more resources towards keeping pregnant girls out of our custody in the first place. However, until all pregnant girls are diverted from detention facilities, we need recognize that those in our custody are also in our care and must have access to the resources they need to stay healthy”
Back in February, the Board of Supervisors approved a motion that called for the Department of Health Services (DHS) to thoroughly examine available resources and best practices that aim to enhance the well-being of pregnant and incarcerated women and girls.
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A July 24 DHS report found that incarcerated pregnant young women require specialized accommodations such as mental health services and additional bedding and visitation that allows intimate and bonding between a baby and its mother.
“LA County has services that can help incarcerated pregnant girls heal from the trauma they’ve endured in their young lives,” said Supervisor Solis. “I am committed to helping these vulnerable girls break free from the cycle of poverty.”
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