Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall
Juvenile detention facilities are supposed to protect and rehabilitate the minor detainees they house. Unfortunately, facility staff members sometimes take advantage of these vulnerable youth. Sexual abuse is tragically common in government institutions such as juvenile halls because county officials ignore inmates’ complaints and fail to adequately screen, supervise, and discipline staff.
In recent years, hundreds of people have sued juvenile detention facilities across California for juvenile detention center sexual abuse. The lawsuits allege that negligence by the county allowed sexual abuse to occur between residents and staff. While Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall in San Jose, California, has not been named in any lawsuits to date, the county has a history of abuse by predatory staff.
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
- Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall is a California co-ed juvenile detention facility that hosts minor offenders while they serve their sentences or await adjudication.
- Across California, various counties and juvenile detention centers have faced lawsuits in recent years over alleged sexual abuse of minor inmates by staff.
- If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse at Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall, you may be eligible to file a civil lawsuit against the facility. Contact Helping Survivors to learn more about your legal rights and options.
What is Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall?
Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall is a minimum-security juvenile detention facility run by the Santa Clara Probation Department. The San Jose-based co-ed facility has 390 beds and houses male and female youth while they await court decisions on their cases. Following a case’s resolution, a minor could stay at Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall or be transferred to a state facility, depending on the severity of the crime and the juvenile’s criminal history.
Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall
Numerous California counties, including San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino, have faced hundreds of lawsuits from survivors alleging they were sexually abused in county-run juvenile detention facilities. Most of these lawsuits allege abuse by probation officers, detention facility counselors, and other staff.
The lawsuits filed so far 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.
Although Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall has not been named in any child sexual abuse lawsuits so far, staff members at county-run facilities have previously been accused of sexual misconduct. In 2021, former Santa Clara County juvenile court counselor Giorgio Raul Garcia was arrested on multiple counts of sexual assault of a female minor under 14. The victim reported being assaulted by Garcia while he was her appointed counselor through the county’s juvenile court system. This alleged assault occurred 15 years after a different female juvenile reported similar misconduct by the same counselor.
Legal Rights & Options for Survivors of Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse
Survivors of sexual abuse at juvenile detention facilities like the Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall may be eligible to file a civil lawsuit to hold the responsible parties accountable and recover compensation. Unlike criminal charges, civil lawsuits do not result in jail time for the perpetrator; instead, survivors may seek monetary compensation for the harm they’ve suffered. To better understand your legal rights and options over sexual abuse, consult an experienced juvenile detention sex abuse attorney.
Abuse survivors also have the right to report abuse to the authorities and access legal and mental health support services. In Santa Clara County, victims can report abuse to social services or the Probation Department. Sexual abuse victims statewide also may file reports with the Office of Youth and Community Restoration or the California Bureau of Children’s Justice.
Before reporting juvenile detention center sexual abuse, we highly recommend that you speak with an experienced sexual abuse attorney to learn about how to protect your rights. At Helping Survivors, we can connect you with an experienced juvenile detention center abuse attorney who can evaluate the circumstances of your case and help you understand your options.
How a Sexual Abuse Lawyer Can Help
If you have experienced sexual abuse at Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall, you might be eligible to sue Santa Clary County. The county operates and supervises the juvenile hall and is responsible for taking action against staff members when there is credible evidence of abuse.
However, filing a civil lawsuit can be complex, and it is vital to have legal representation. A lawyer with experience handling sexual abuse cases involving juvenile detention centers knows how to navigate the legal challenges and effectively advocate for you in court.
When considering legal action, one major factor to understand is California’s statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases. In 2019, Assembly Bill 218 significantly extended the limitations period and revived some previously time-barred claims. Under A.B. 218, survivors were given until their 40th birthday or within five years of discovering their injury to file suit. In 2024, lawmakers passed A.B. 452, eliminating the statute of limitations for any child sexual abuse actions arising on or after January 1, 2024.
Speak With an Experienced Sexual Abuse Attorney Today
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse by staff or another detainee at Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall, you have rights and legal options for holding the responsible parties accountable.
At Helping Survivors, we work to educate and empower survivors of sexual abuse by connecting them with resources and making legal introductions to our partner law firms. These firms have experience in juvenile detention sexual abuse cases and work with survivors to file civil lawsuits against the individuals and institutions that enabled and perpetrated their abuse.
Every survivor’s experience is unique, and what you choose to do after experiencing sexual violence is ultimately your choice—there is no right or wrong answer. However, Helping Survivors can connect you with a trauma-informed lawyer who can provide a free consultation. The lawyers we work with take cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs, and they only get paid if they recover compensation for you.
To learn more about your rights and legal options, contact Helping Survivors today.
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