Juvenile Ranch Facility Sex Abuse Lawsuit
Juvenile Ranch Facility, a former juvenile detention center near San Diego, California, is named in multiple lawsuits alleging rampant sexual abuse in the county’s youth detention facilities. The lawsuits allege abuse dating as far back as 1970 and as recently as 2022, but most survivors detail abuse that occurred between the 1990s and 2010s. The Juvenile Ranch Facility’s two main premises, Rancho del Campo and Rancho del Rayo, both face accusations that corrections officers sexually abused minor inmates. The facility is now closed.
At Helping Survivors, our advocates work to connect survivors of childhood sexual abuse at juvenile detention centers with experienced legal professionals to explain their rights and legal options for justice.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
- Since California extended its statute of limitations for child sexual assault civil claims in recent years, juvenile detention facilities across San Diego County have been the subject of multiple lawsuits by former inmates alleging sexual abuse by probation officers.
- Before its closure in 2016, the Juvenile Ranch Facility in Campo, California, housed juvenile males in two main units, Rancho del Campo and Rancho del Rayo.
- Lawsuits filed by childhood sexual abuse survivors allege that administrative staff at the Juvenile Ranch Facility and its units did nothing to prevent abuse.
What Is the Juvenile Ranch Facility?
The Juvenile Ranch Facility, or JRF, was located at 957 Forest Gate Road in Campo, California, until the county closed it in 2016. The detention center had two primary facilities, Rancho del Campo and Rancho del Rayo. The latter consisted of two drug treatment dorms. The JRF held up to 250 juvenile males ages 12 through 17, but its population steadily declined before its closure.
Rancho del Campo was a structured behavioral program designed to address behavioral issues in minors who committed crimes and were awaiting court hearings or further placement. Contrarily, Rancho del Rayo offered drug and alcohol treatment in an 84-day program in addition to behavioral treatment for rehabilitation. Detainees at both facilities received mainstream education during their stay.
In 2016, San Diego County closed both JRF facilities and reassigned all detainees to Camp Barrett, another county juvenile detention facility. However, as arrest numbers declined, the San Diego County Probation Office eventually shuttered Camp Barrett in 2018, folding detainees into the county’s Youth Transition Campus.
Sexual Abuse Allegations at Rancho del Campo and Rancho del Rayo
Current lawsuits against San Diego County allege a systemic failure of the county’s Probation Department to prevent corrections officers from sexually abusing vulnerable youths across the county, including at both Juvenile Ranch Facility campuses.
Some survivors said they were often ordered to meet officers in isolated locations where they were sexually assaulted. Others allege they were assaulted in their own bedrooms. If they didn’t accept the abuse, officers threatened to extend their confinement, beat them, or kill them. Victims who did report abuse were allegedly ignored by administrative staff.
A Systemic Culture of Abuse
The structure of California’s juvenile detention system enables an environment conducive to abuse, providing probation officers with power, authority, the ability to isolate victims, and limited oversight. The San Diego County Probation Department had full administrative control of the facility and was legally obligated to ensure juvenile inmates were protected, but survivors say the department failed in that duty. Specifically, survivors allege that the Probation Department did not adequately screen new officers, intervene in abuse or try to prevent it, properly investigate complaints, or discipline accused officers.
San Diego County’s Juvenile Justice Commission conducted annual inspections of the Juvenile Ranch Facility, including the Rancho del Campo and Rancho del Rayo campuses. The last inspection occurred in 2015 and found that there were no reported allegations of staff members sexually assaulting youths in 2013 or 2014. Survivors, however, assert otherwise.
Rights and Options for Survivorsof Juvenile Ranch Facility Abuse
In California, survivors of childhood sexual abuse at Juvenile Ranch Facility and similar detention centers have guaranteed legal rights and options. Often, survivors can pursue criminal and/or civil legal actions to hold responsible parties accountable, but only civil lawsuits can provide financial compensation.
In recent years, California has expanded its statute of limitations for child sexual assault twice. In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 218 into law. The bill updated state law to allow child sexual assault survivors to file lawsuits until their 40th birthday or within five years of discovering the harm the abuse caused, whichever is later. Five years later, Assembly Bill 452 became law, eliminating the civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual assault claims arising on or after January 1, 2024. For cases of abuse that occurred earlier, the 40th birthday deadline still applies. These extended deadlines have encouraged countless survivors to come forward.
Report Abuse to Law Enforcement & Oversight Agencies
Childhood sexual assault victims can report abuse to a local police agency. In California, victims of abuse at juvenile detention facilities can also report sexual abuse to the California Board of State and Community Corrections or the Bureau of Children’s Justice.
File a Civil Lawsuit Against San Diego County
Civil juvenile detention center sexual abuse lawsuits can compensate survivors for medical costs, emotional distress, pain and suffering, lost wages, therapy, and other related damages. Such suits can also hold the parties who perpetrated and enabled the abuse accountable. So far, lawsuits against San Diego County’s juvenile detention centers have named the county and individual corrections officers as defendants.
To learn more about the legal process for reporting abuse, contact Helping Survivors today. We can connect you with an experienced juvenile detention abuse attorney who can provide a free consultation to help you understand your legal rights and options.
How Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse Lawyers Can Help
If you or a loved one has experienced sexual abuse while detained at the Juvenile Ranch Facility or another San Diego County juvenile detention center, an attorney experienced with juvenile detention center abuse cases can help. At Helping Survivors, the sexual abuse law firms in our network offer free, confidential consultations with experienced legal professionals to inform survivors of their rights and options.
Our mission is to help heal, educate, and empower people impacted by sexual assault and abuse by providing resources and recommending law firms that can file civil lawsuits against the responsible parties. As a survivor, you should feel empowered to assert your legal rights in full confidence if you choose. To learn more about your rights and legal options for seeking justice, contact Helping Survivors today.
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