San Bernardino Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
San Bernardino County’s juvenile detention facilities are currently at the center of multiple lawsuits and investigations over alleged child sexual abuse by staff. Survivors of juvenile detention center sexual abuse in California should know that they have legal rights and options for holding the responsible parties accountable.
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- San Bernardino County has several juvenile detention centers, including the Central Valley and West Valley facilities. These facilities have received extensive backlash and legal action for alleged sexual abuse of minor inmates.
- Across California, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against numerous counties, including San Bernardino, San Diego, and Los Angeles, for alleged sexual abuse that the counties failed to stop.
- If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse at a juvenile detention center in San Bernardino County, even if it was years ago, Helping Survivors can help you understand your legal rights and options for seeking accountability.
Across San Bernardino County, multiple juvenile detention facilities have been named in lawsuits and allegations of child sexual abuse by staff since as early as the 1970s. The lawsuits filed so far claim abuse at facilities like the Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center and the West Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center. The plaintiffs allege that the county failed to protect vulnerable youth in its care.
Juvenile detention center sexual abuse can have a devastating lifelong impact on survivors. If you have suffered abuse while detained at a juvenile detention center, you have legal rights and options for holding the responsible parties accountable for the harm. Helping Survivors is here to help you understand your legal rights and connect you with the legal assistance you need.
Allegations of Sexual Abuse at James G. Bowles Juvenile Hall
Since 2019, numerous California counties, including San Bernardino, San Diego, and Los Angeles counties, have faced hundreds of lawsuits from survivors who say they were sexually abused in county-run juvenile detention facilities by probation officers, counselors, and other staff. These lawsuits point to a potential pattern of abuse and multiple counties’ failures to adequately supervise their juvenile facilities.
San Bernardino County, in particular, is already facing multiple lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by staff at its juvenile facilities dating back to the 1970s. The lawsuits assert that the county’s probation department systemically failed to protect minor detainees by providing inadequate supervision and underreporting abuse incidents.
Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center
The Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center, sometimes referred to as Gilbert Street Juvenile Hall, is one of San Bernardino County’s main juvenile detention facilities. The center has a capacity of 260 and is primarily staffed with county probation corrections officers and supervisors. Unfortunately, like many California juvenile detention facilities, the CVJDAC is the subject of lawsuits alleging widespread sexual abuse of detained minors by county employees.
In December 2023, four abuse survivors filed lawsuits against San Bernardino County, including one alleging abuse by a probation officer at the Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center when the victim was just 10 years old. The lawsuits assert that the county’s probation department systemically failed to protect minor detainees by providing inadequate supervision and underreporting abuse incidents.
West Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center
The West Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center was a juvenile detention facility in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The facility opened in the late 1990s with room to house 182 juveniles awaiting adjudication in San Bernardino County. It closed in 2011 due to funding cuts. Shortly before its closure, West Valley faced significant public backlash after the U.S. Department of Justice reported that more than 8% of juveniles at the facility reported experiencing sexual abuse by staff in 2008 and 2009.
How Did Sexual Abuse Occur in San Bernardino Juvenile Halls?
Sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers often occurs under a common set of conditions and with specific perpetrators. Generally, a lack of oversight and supervision of guards and detainees can lead to abuse, as can situations where guards can be isolated with individual detainees. Perpetrators are often staff members, like guards and counselors.
A lack of meaningful discipline for officers accused of misconduct also contributes to the proliferation of abuse in juvenile facilities. The juvenile detention abuse lawsuits filed in California so far allege that county officials failed to adequately screen officers before hiring them, failed to intervene and prevent abuse, failed to properly investigate complaints of abuse, and failed to discipline abusive officers. These allegations reflect a statewide failure to protect vulnerable youth from sexual violence.
Rights and Options for Survivors of San Bernardino Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse
Many childhood sexual abuse survivors feel reluctant to come forward about what they experienced. However, it’s still important for them to know that they have numerous legal rights and options should they choose to pursue legal accountability. Some of these options include reporting to state oversight agencies and law enforcement, as well as filing civil lawsuits to seek monetary compensation for the harm they endured.
Filing a Formal Complaint with the State
Even if the abuse you endured at a San Bernardino juvenile detention center occurred years ago, you can still report the abuse to California’s Child Abuse Hotline at 858-560-2191. This is an important step toward creating documentation that can be relied upon when filing a lawsuit. It also helps ensure accountability for perpetrators and enablers of abuse.
Juvenile detention abuse survivors in California also have the option to file a formal complaint with the state. They may report abuse to the Bureau of Children’s Justice of the Office of Youth and Community Restoration or the California Department of Social Services.
Reporting Abuse to Law Enforcement
Another reporting option for sexual abuse survivors is to contact local law enforcement. However, before you report abuse to authorities or take legal action, it’s a good idea to speak with an experienced juvenile detention sexual abuse attorney to ensure your rights and well-being are protected.
Filing a Civil Lawsuit
Over the past few years, thousands of survivors have filed lawsuits against California counties, probation departments, and juvenile facilities for alleged sexual abuse that occurred in the state’s juvenile detention centers. You may have grounds to sue San Bernardino County and its probation department, which operates the county’s juvenile detention facilities, if you experienced sexual abuse while detained at a San Bernardino juvenile hall.
Recently, lawmakers eliminated the statute of limitations for any child sexual abuse actions arising on or after January 1, 2024. However, for abuse that occurred before that date, there is a time limit for filing a child sexual abuse lawsuit in California. The previous statute of limitations set that time limit, giving victims of childhood sexual abuse until their 40th birthday to file a lawsuit. Additionally, victims who are now over age 40 may still have legal recourse if they have only discovered their psychological injuries from the abuse within the past five years. This means survivors may still be able to take legal action even if the abuse occurred decades ago.
When pursuing civil legal action for juvenile detention center sexual abuse, it’s critical to work with an experienced attorney who can help you navigate the legal system and represent you in court or settlement negotiations. Helping Survivors can connect you with a juvenile detention sexual abuse attorney at no cost.
Want To Speak With A Lawyer?
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse while detained at a San Bernardino juvenile detention facility, you have legal rights and options for holding the responsible party accountable. At Helping Survivors, we work to assist survivors with access to resources for support and connect them with our legal partners who can help survivors file civil lawsuits over the abuse they’ve endured.
By filing a lawsuit against the individuals and institutions that perpetrated and enabled the abuse, survivors can pursue compensation for their suffering. To learn more about your legal rights and options as a survivor of abuse, contact Helping Survivors today.
Want To Speak With A Lawyer?
