As many as 12.3% of youth in juvenile facilities in the United States have reported sexual victimization [1]. The majority of these sexual abuse survivors are abused over and over again [2].
Childhood sexual abuse survivors face significant long-term challenges as a result of being sexually assaulted. This includes increased physical illnesses, suicidal ideation, and self-harm, disinhibited behavior, and poor school performance. Many survivors misuse alcohol and substances, may have PTSD, and are at risk for criminal and/or violent behavior [3].
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has experience helping victims of child sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers seek justice for what happened to them.
Why Choose Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
When it comes to hiring a youth detention center sexual abuse lawyer, it is important to choose a law firm that you can trust, that is knowledgeable about state and federal laws surrounding child sex abuse lawsuits.
Modern state laws continue to evolve to adapt to the complexities of sexual assault cases, especially cases involving minors. Having a well-informed attorney on your side can help you pursue justice and maximize your settlement size.
Compassionate and Dedicated Legal Team
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has a compassionate and dedicated legal team available to help you with your civil legal filings. We are experts in the civil legal system and are here to help you take action against the correctional facilities where the abuse occurred and your abusers. A member of our team is available 24/7 to help you get started with a free consultation.
Nationwide Representation and Resources
Some law firms only practice in one jurisdiction. However, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has experience with both federal and state-level cases. We continue to operate and provide legal services nationwide. Our team has the resources available to build a strong case for compensation on your behalf.
Committed to Confidentiality and Sensitivity
Our experienced legal team understands the deep and long-term impacts child sexual abuse survivors face, especially when it comes to cases of juvenile detention center sex abuse. We are commited to confidentiality and sensitivity throughout the civil lawsuit process.
Understanding Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse
Children and teens living in youth detention centers are at an increased risk of sexual assault and abuse.
Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed in 2024 against youth detention facilities in Illinois, New York, Maryland, and New Jersey [4]. In these lawsuits, victims allege similar accounts of how they were raped, inappropriately touched, or forced to perform oral sex by employees.
Sometimes, victims were rewarded with snacks or extra recreation time for complying. In other cases, they were punished for refusing. The sexual predators were those individuals tasked with keeping them safe, such as counselors, correctional officers, doctors, nurses, and teachers at the detention center. Instead, these trusted adults often groomed them and sexually assaulted them.
Children often have no way to defend themselves against sexual victimization, especially when the people who hurt them are in charge of providing care for them. They cannot consent and may not even realize what is happening to them.
Common Forms of Youth Detention Center Sexual Abuse
Unfortunately, there are many different forms of abuse claims listed in juvenile detention center sex abuse lawsuits. These include:
- Rape – Rape includes sexual acts between youth and juvenile detention center staff members, even if juvenile detainees do not raise objections. Sexual contact between staff and youth is always considered non-consensual and is a form of sexual assault.
- Inappropriate touching – When staff inappropriately touch youth, whether it is touching their thigh or buttocks or during sexual molestation, it is a form of sexual abuse.
- Indecent exposure – If detainees are left inappropriately dressed or exposed to staff or other inmates to degrade or humiliate them, this can count as a form of sex abuse.
- Staff sexual misconduct – Most sexual abuse committed within a juvenile correctional facility is sexual misconduct from staff. This can include forced sexual activity and sexual assault from staff members.
- Staff harassment – Staff harassment can cause significant psychological harm, whether or not the harassment is sexual in nature.
- Physical abuse – This is when detention facilities allow peers or staff members to cause physical injuries through hitting, kicking, or other forms of violence.
Eligibility to File a Youth Detention Center Sexual Abuse Claim
Generally, two parties are eligible to file a youth detention center sexual abuse claim under the appropriate civil statute.
First, there is the victim of sexual assault or abuse themselves, who, with the help of their legal guardians, can file a civil lawsuit to seek financial compensation while they are still minors. Depending on the state jurisdiction and the adolescent’s age, some older teens can file sex abuse lawsuits on their own.
Once the victim turns 18, they are also able to file a lawsuit on their own without the help of their parent or legal guardian. Many states have laws that toll the statute of limitations to allow victims who have been sexually abused to file a lawsuit after they reach the age of majority.
Parents and legal guardians of children and teens who have been abused can also file a civil case against detention facilities and the government entities and private companies operating them to hold these institutions accountable.
However, aside from civil cases filed by victims and their families against American juvenile detention centers, there have been numerous criminal cases, too.
In the past few years, federal authorities have led a federal investigation into the conditions of several juvenile halls, including eight youth detention centers and a youth development center run by the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. There was also a recent settlement with the victims of the Broad River Road Complex in South Carolina [5].
States have settled numerous cases arising from juvenile justice detention facilities. In 2023, two supervisors at the Horizon Juvenile Center in the Bronx were charged with federal crimes after hurting a teen [6].
In 2024, a jury awarded $38 million to a former resident of Sununu Youth Services Center in New Hampshire for the abuse he suffered as a teen. 1,100 other former residents of the youth development center have also filed claims [7].
The Statute of Limitations for Filing a Lawsuit in the United States
The statute of limitations refers to the amount of time that you have to file a claim for financial compensation after an injury or other event that causes you harm. This varies from state to state but could be as short as a year or two. Since most juvenile detainees are minors, filing a claim within this time frame can be one of the various legal barriers they face.
Fortunately, there are some things that could potentially help. Some states allow for the statute of limitation to be tolled or paused until the victim reaches the age of 18. This means that victims can sue detention facilities once they become adults.
Other states have taken measures to give victims of child sexual abuse more time to file a claim by revising state laws. For example, a nationwide study revealed that the Backbone Mountain Youth Center in Maryland had the highest sexual victimization rate of the facilities studied [8].
In 2023, Maryland eliminated the civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases [9]. This means that victims with previously time-barred claims can now take legal action against the sexual predators and detention facilities that have hurt them.
How Our Youth Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawyers Can Help
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is here to help you seek justice after suffering from juvenile detention center sexual abuse. We help victims and their families file abuse claims against the juvenile detention center responsible and recover compensation in the civil court system.
Case Evaluation
The process starts by scheduling a free initial consultation with a member of our law firm to discuss your case. We will go over everything that happened and give you more information about your legal options moving forward and what you can expect.
Depending on the state, how long ago you were sexually assaulted, and the specific juvenile detention facility involved, your options could look different.
Investigation
If you decide to move forward with a civil case, we will begin the process of investigating your sex abuse case. This starts by collecting evidence. While this often includes the victim’s testimony, there are other types of evidence that might be available to support your sexual abuse case.
This could include witness testimony, surveillance footage, and past legal cases. There have been certain juvenile detention facilities that have been repeatedly identified as where many other sexual assaults have taken place. If you were sexually abused in one of these juvenile detention facilities, these past cases can help to prove what happened.
Filing Civil Lawsuits
After collecting evidence and building a strong legal case, your juvenile detention center sex abuse attorney will file your case with the appropriate court. Depending on the jurisdiction and who runs the juvenile detention center, the exact process may vary. Just know that your attorney will take care of this process for you.
Settlement Negotiations
In many claims, cases against juvenile detention facilities will be handled outside of court. Your lawyer will negotiate with the defendant’s legal team and their insurance providers to reach the maximum settlement possible. If a fair settlement cannot be reached outside of court, your lawyer will lead the process of taking your case to trial.
Compensation for Youth Detention Center Sexual Abuse Victims
There are different types of compensation available for victims who have been sexually abused at juvenile detention centers.
Economic Damages
Economic damages relate to tangible financial losses that you experience as a result of sexual abuse. This includes the costs of medical treatment, lost wages, property damage, and the cost of therapy.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages do not relate to tangible financial losses. Rather, these are subjective and intangible costs, such as emotional trauma and pain and suffering. Judges often calculate these based on a formula. In some cases, the amount that you receive in non-economic damages is more than economic damages.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are ruled in cases where the action was especially egregious or horrific. It is meant to dissuade similar behavior from happening again in the future.
Sexual abuse cases against juvenile detention centers could be prime candidates for punitive damages, as their prevalence is evidence that states and juvenile detention centers are not taking the steps they need to stop sexual abuse from happening.
Youth do not have a say in going to the facilities, and the least that the state can do is to prevent sexual abuse and provide a safe environment for detainees by punishing the responsible parties.
Factors That Influence Compensation
It’s impossible for your legal team to accurately predict how much compensation your sexual abuse against a juvenile detention center will settle for. However, there are some factors that are known to influence the amount of compensation awarded in sexual abuse claims. These include the:
- The severity of sexual victimization
- Impact of the sexual assault or sexual molestation on the victim’s life
- Financial losses
Contact Our Youth Detention Center Abuse Attorneys Today!
If you or a loved one suffered sexual abuse or sexual assault while under the care of detention centers, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help hold these institutions accountable through the civil court system. Our team works on a contingency fee basis, so you do not need to pay anything upfront or out of pocket for our services. If we don’t win, you won’t owe us anything.
We have helped our clients secure millions, let us do the same for you. Contact us by filling out our contact form or calling toll-free at (888) 424-5757. A member of our team is available 24 hours a day to take your call.
Resources: [1] Bureau of Justice Statistics, [2] Just Detention International, [3] Bravehearts, [4] NPR, [5] US Department of Justice, [6] Southern District of New York, [7] AP News, [8] Cumberland Times-News, [9] Zero Abuse Project