Carl F. Bryan II Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
The Carl F. Bryan II Juvenile Hall was a juvenile detention facility in Nevada County, California, that closed in January 2021. The Nevada County Grand Jury recommended the closure of the facility twice, in 2016 and 2018, citing the excessive cost of maintaining an underused facility. At the time of the 2018 inspection, the facility was housing only four detainees. Instead of continuing to operate the near-empty Bryan Hall for $2 million per year, the Grand Jury suggested closing the facility and transferring local juveniles to other counties.
Unfortunately, there have been an alarming number of allegations of institutional sexual abuse across California juvenile detention centers in recent years. Even though the Carl F. Bryan II Juvenile Hall closed several years ago, survivors of sexual abuse at the facility still have legal options for holding the responsible parties accountable.
Have you experienced sexual assault or abuse?
Helping Survivors can connect you with an attorney if you may have a case. While we cannot report a crime on your behalf, your safety is important. Please contact your local authorities for further assistance.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
- The Carl F. Bryan II Juvenile Hall is a now-closed juvenile detention facility located north of Sacramento, California, that shuttered in 2021 due to low use.
- Survivors of sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers across California have come forward in scores over the past few years to hold the facilities that enabled their abuse accountable.
- If you or a loved one experienced abuse while detained at the Carl F. Bryan II Juvenile Hall in Nevada County, Helping Survivors can help you understand your legal rights and options for seeking accountability and compensation.
Sexual Abuse Allegations at Carl F. Bryan II Juvenile Hall
While there have been no widely publicized abuse lawsuits filed against Carl F. Bryan II Juvenile Hall to date, claims of abuse are common in juvenile detention centers across California. Similar facilities have faced claims of sexual and physical abuse, typically involving staff members abusing their power to coerce vulnerable detainees into performing sexual acts.
Since California law changed in 2019 to allow survivors more time to file lawsuits, hundreds of survivors have taken legal action against juvenile detention facilities across California for juvenile detention center sexual abuse. These lawsuits allege that negligence by the county in training, hiring, and supervision allowed sexual abuse to occur between residents and staff.
How Did Sexual Abuse Occur in California Juvenile Detention Centers?
Several California counties, including San Bernardino, San Diego, and Los Angeles, are facing hundreds of lawsuits from survivors who allege they were sexually abused at county juvenile detention facilities. Most of the lawsuits allege abuse at the hands of probation officers, counselors, and other staff.
The lawsuits accuse county officials of failing to adequately screen officers before hiring them, failing to intervene and prevent abuse, failing to properly investigate complaints of abuse, and failing to discipline abusive officers. These allegations reflect a statewide failure to protect vulnerable youth from sexual violence.
Survivors of juvenile detention center sexual abuse face many obstacles when attempting to report abuse, like a fear of retaliation, lack of access to trusted adults, and systemic coverups by oversight agencies like county probation departments.
Legal Rights and Options for Survivors of California Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse
Survivors of abuse in California juvenile detention centers, including Carl F. Bryan II Juvenile Hall, have numerous legal rights and options for seeking justice and holding the perpetrators and enablers of their abuse accountable. You may be able to report abuse to law enforcement to begin the process of a criminal investigation, and you may also have the right to file a civil lawsuit. The options you have depend on your age, the type and severity of abuse, and several other factors.
How to File a Complaint with Oversight Agencies
One option survivors have after experiencing juvenile detention center sexual abuse in California is filing a formal complaint with the state. Survivors can report abuse to the Bureau of Children’s Justice of the Office of Youth and Community Restoration. Another reporting option for survivors of sexual abuse is contacting local law enforcement or the California Department of Social Services.
How to Report to Law Enforcement
Survivors can also report sexual abuse to law enforcement, including local authorities like the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department or state agencies like the California Department of Juvenile Justice. To report physical, sexual, or emotional child abuse, you can also call the Nevada County Health & Human Services Agency at 530-273-4291 or toll-free at 888-456-9380.
How to File a Civil Lawsuit
California Laws on Sexual Abuse
Under California Assembly Bill 218, survivors of childhood sexual abuse have an extended period to file civil lawsuits. This law, effective from January 1, 2020, allows survivors to file claims until they are 40 years old or within five years of discovering the abuse, whichever is later.
However, for this deadline to apply, the detainee must have been under 18 at the time of the abuse. For detainees who were 18 or older at the time of abuse, the statute of limitations only allows 10 years to take civil legal action.
Contact Helping Survivors for Legal and Support Resources
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse while detained at the Carl F. Bryan II Juvenile Hall or any other California juvenile detention center, you have legal rights and options for seeking accountability and potentially compensation. An experienced juvenile detention sexual abuse attorney can provide trauma-informed support and guide you throughout the legal process.
At Helping Survivors, we work to help heal, educate, and empower survivors of sexual abuse by informing them about their rights and available resources for support and connecting them with our partner law firms. These firms work with survivors to file civil lawsuits against the individuals, institutions, and government entities that perpetrated and enabled the abuse.
Through a successful juvenile detention sexual abuse lawsuit, you can hold the parties responsible for your trauma accountable and receive compensation for your suffering.
To learn more about your options and get connected with legal support, contact Helping Survivors today.
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