California Juvenile Detention Center Abuse Lawsuit
Though the juvenile justice system in California is supposed to protect and rehabilitate youth offenders, the state has had extensive issues with abuse at juvenile detention centers in recent years. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against the state, numerous counties, and various government agencies for allegedly failing to protect youth in the system from physically and sexually abusive staff. This abuse has left many formerly incarcerated minors with lifelong psychological consequences.
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Content Last Updated: January 21, 2026
Key Takeaways
- For decades, California’s juvenile justice system has been the subject of extensive legal, investigative, and public scrutiny, with countless individual and class action lawsuits filed against the state and its youth facilities for alleged physical and sexual abuse.
- Some facilities, like the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall and the Polinsky Children’s Center, are currently facing dozens of lawsuits and criminal charges for abuse involving excessive force, “gladiator fights,” punitive isolation, and more.
- If you or a loved one experienced abuse while detained in a California juvenile detention facility, Police Brutality Center can help you understand your legal options.
Abuse Allegations in California Juvenile Detention Facilities
Physical abuse by staff and among inmates at juvenile detention centers is a nationwide issue, and California is no exception. Most commonly, physical abuse in juvenile detention facilities involves excessive force, where staff members physically beat youths or improperly use physical restraints. A lack of oversight and inadequate staff training often exacerbate this violence.
Physical abuse of incarcerated minors has been alleged in multiple lawsuits across California, including counties like Los Angeles and San Diego, and the misconduct has resulted in criminal charges in some cases. In early 2025, 30 former guards from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall were indicted on various charges in relation to alleged “gladiator fights” they encouraged between inmates over a period of six months in 2023.
California Juvenile Detention Facilities Where Abuse Allegedly Occurred
Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall
Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall is a temporary holding facility in Los Angeles County for children awaiting legal proceedings. It closed in 2019 due to declining youth populations but reopened in 2023. The facility has been the subject of widespread allegations of sexual and physical abuse and mistreatment, particularly related to a series of alleged “gladiator fights” arranged by staff in 2023.
In March 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the announced the unsealing of a grand jury indictment against 30 detention services officers at Los Padrinos on charges of child endangerment, child abuse, conspiracy, and battery.
According to the indictment, officers allowed and encouraged at least 69 fights to occur between youths at Los Padrinos between July and December 2023. The indictment stemmed from an investigation launched by the California Department of Justice after video footage of one of the fights leaked in January 2024.
Court records state the alleged abuse impacted 143 victims between the ages of 12 and 18.
Polinsky Children’s Center
The A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center is a 24-hour, short-term emergency shelter in San Diego County, California, for children who cannot remain at home due to abuse or neglect.
In recent years, over 150 individuals have filed lawsuits against San Diego County, claiming they were sexually abused as children by staff members at the Polinsky Children’s Center and threatened to prevent them from speaking out.
Sacramento County Youth Detention Facility
In Sacramento County, nearly two dozen people who were in custody at the county’s juvenile detention center between 1998 and 2010 received a total settlement of $475,000 from the county in 2015 to settle claims of abuse by staff at the county’s juvenile detention facilities.
According to court documents, the victims were “injured, physically and emotionally, as a result of defendants’ policy, practice, and custom of subjecting juveniles in their care and custody to excessive force, deliberate indifference to serious medical and psychological needs, and conscience-shocking conduct.”
Additionally, a class action was filed against Sacramento County in 2004 on behalf of thousands of people who were unlawfully strip-searched at the Sacramento County juvenile facility between 1998 and 2004. In 2006, Sacramento County agreed to a $6.28 million settlement and revised its strip-search procedures.
Rights and Options for Survivors of California Juvenile Detention Abuse
If you have experienced abuse in a California juvenile detention center, you have rights and legal options for holding the responsible parties accountable. You may be able to report the abuse to law enforcement, which might lead prosecutors to file criminal charges. You may also be eligible to file a civil lawsuit against the facility and its oversight agencies if staff negligence contributed to the abuse.
Filing a Complaint with Oversight Agencies
The California Bureau of Children’s Justice protects the rights of children in the juvenile justice system and other areas statewide. Complaints can be submitted online, including anonymously. Additionally, the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division works to protect the rights of children in the juvenile justice system. If they find that any part of a state or local JJ system systemically deprives children of their rights, the section can take legal action.
Reporting to Law Enforcement
While reporting juvenile detention abuse to law enforcement isn’t required for filing a civil lawsuit, it can trigger an investigation that results in criminal charges or disciplinary action against the abuser. When filing a report with a local law enforcement agency, include as many details about the abuse that you can remember. You can also call the child protective services agency in your county to report child abuse or neglect. In California, each county has a 24-hour hotline staffed by trained social workers.
Filing a Civil Lawsuit
In California, survivors of juvenile detention center abuse may be able to file a lawsuit years or even decades after the abuse occurred, depending on the nature of the abuse.
In 2019, lawmakers passed a law allowing child sexual abuse survivors to file lawsuits until their 40th birthday or within five years of discovering the harm the abuse caused, whichever is later. In 2024, California lawmakers eliminated the statute of limitations for any child sexual abuse actions arising on or after January 1, 2024.
For physical abuse, statutes of limitations differ based on the type and severity of harm.
Through civil litigation, survivors can hold the individuals and institutions responsible for the abuse accountable and help prevent further abuse. Depending on the circumstances, the institution involved may be liable for a lack of supervision, failure to conduct proper background checks, negligence, and other related issues. With the help of an experienced civil rights lawyer, a survivor can pursue compensation to cover their medical bills, mental health therapy, lost earning capacity, emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and more.
Connect With an Experienced Attorney
Police Brutality Center is proud to partner with Alex Straus, Chair of the Civil Rights Department at Milberg LLC, to help victims of civil rights abuses. Throughout his career, Mr. Straus has represented clients across the country in cases involving police misconduct, racial discrimination, and abuse in correctional facilities.
