Pepper spray usage, violence surged after L.A. County juvenile hall transfers

Pepper spray usage and violence skyrocketed at Los Angeles County’s second largest juvenile facility last year after dozens of youth were shifted there from the beleaguered Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, newly released figures from the county Probation Department show.

The transfer of about 55 youths to Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar from July through September led to a 150% spike in the use of oleoresin capsicum spray, or pepper spray, and a 23% increase in overall violent incidents...