Urban Camp Juvenile Detention Center: What to Know

The Urban Camp in San Diego is part of the Youth Transition Campus, a juvenile detention center for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18. Since 2022, it has operated near the Metal Lark courthouse. Before that, the youth were relocated from the now closed Camp Barrett to the urban camp inside Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility in 2018.

In recent years, multiple San Diego County Juvenile Detention Centers, including the Youth Transition Campus and Kearny Mesa, have been the subject of lawsuits. Former detainees alleged that negligence and hiring, training, and supervision allowed sexual abuse by staff and others to occur. Although a 2021 inspection of the Urban Camp reported no abuse in the prior year, its parent facilities have been directly named in legal claims.

Survivors of sexual abuse at Urban Camp, or other California juvenile detention centers have legal rights and options. They can report abuse to the San Diego Police Department, the county probation departments, or oversight agencies such as the Office of Youth and Community Restoration or the California Bureau of Children’s Justice. Survivors can also contact RAIN for emotional support and resources. In addition to reporting, survivors may have the right to file a civil lawsuit. These lawsuits allow victims to hold facilities and staff accountable and to seek compensation for medical costs, emotional distress, and other damages.

California law sets filing dates known as statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases. In 2019, the law extended these deadlines, allowing survivors to file claims until their 40th birthday or within 5 years of discovering the harm. A separate law effective in 2024 removed the statute of limitations entirely for abuse that occurred on or after January 1st, 2024. Abuse that took place before that date still falls under the 2029 deadline. Because proving abuse in juvenile detention cases can be difficult, especially when it happened years ago, survivors often turn to experienced sexual abuse attorneys for help. Attorneys familiar with these cases can guide survivors through the legal process, gather evidence, and pursue lawsuits against the individuals and institutions that failed to prevent abuse.

At Helping Survivors, we connect survivors with law firms that handle juvenile detention sex abuse cases. Our legal partners work on a contingency basis, meaning there are no upfront legal costs and they are only paid if they win. If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse at Urban Camp or other San Diego juvenile detention facilities, contact Helping Survivors today to learn more about your legal right and options.