Thirty officers at the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall are accused of coordinating “gladiator fights” between minors at the center over a six-month period.

The orchestration of “gladiator fights” is a grotesque extension of this systemic neglect. It reflects a culture within correctional institutions more broadly that dehumanizes inmates, viewing them as sources of entertainment rather than individuals in need of guidance and support.

Officers had allowed and in some cases encouraged fights between teens being held at a detention center in Downey, Calif., the state’s attorney general said.