Pennsylvania Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
Pennsylvania juvenile detention centers are supposed to rehabilitate troubled youth to set them on a brighter path. However, various forms of abuse have plagued these facilities across the state. In recent years, numerous adults have filed lawsuits alleging they had been sexually abused as children while housed at both state-run and privately owned facilities.
If you or a loved one has suffered abuse at a Pennsylvania juvenile detention center, you have legal rights and options. Police Brutality Center has resources and connections with experienced civil rights law firms to help you take the first step in finding justice.
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Content Last Updated: August 7, 2025
Key Takeaways
- Much like in other states across the nation, juvenile detention centers in Pennsylvania are rampant with child sexual and physical abuse.
- Those who experienced abuse while detained at a Pennsylvania juvenile detention center may be eligible to file a civil rights lawsuit and pursue justice and compensation for the harm.
- Several factors determine how long a victim has to file a lawsuit, including the victim’s age at the time of the abuse and how long ago it occurred.
- Police Brutality Center can help victims find justice by connecting them with experienced civil rights attorneys in Pennsylvania.
Allegations of Sexual Abuse in Pennsylvania Juvenile Detention Centers
More than 200 people have filed lawsuits alleging they were sexually abused as children while housed at Pennsylvania juvenile detention centers between the early 2000s and 2023. The lawsuits, which echo those brought in New Jersey and New York, assert that guards, nurses, supervisors, and others committed sexual offenses against detained youths. The lawsuits alleged that the sexual abuse ranged from “inappropriate strip searches to rape using violent physical force,” the Associated Press reported.
The lawsuits target numerous state-run and private facilities, including the following:
- Loysville Youth Development Center: This secure residential facility in Perry County houses boys and young men ages 12 through 20 who have been adjudicated delinquent.
- North Central Secure Treatment Unit: This facility at the Danville State Hospital in Montour County offers treatment programs for male and female children and young adults aged 13 to 20. One plaintiff alleges she was violently raped by a counselor about 20 years prior, resulting in pregnancy.
- South Mountain Secure Treatment Unit: This facility is within the South Mountain Restoration Center in Franklin County and offers treatment programs for boys and young men aged 13 to 20.
- Northwestern Academy: This treatment center was operated by Merakey USA. It closed in 2016. The Associated Press reported that his facility is accused of having a “culture of sexual abuse and brutality.”
- VisionQuest National Ltd., an Arizona-based company, and Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, operate other facilities named in the lawsuits
The allegations of sexual abuse include the following misconduct and more:
- Rape or sexual assault
- Unwanted touching or fondling
- Unnecessary strip searches
- Offers of food, drugs, cellphones, or contraband in exchange for sexual acts
- Oral sexual contact
- Looking at a child’s private parts for sexual gratification
- Sexually explicit conversation with a child for sexual gratification
- Exposing a child to pornographic material
- Exposing oneself to a child
Report on Systemic Failures and Institutional Negligence in Pennsylvania Juvenile Detention Facilities
In 2022, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance and the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions launched an investigation into allegations of abuse and neglect at residential treatment facilities operated by four providers, including Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.
The Senate subsequently published a report titled “Warehouse of Neglect,” which found that children suffer routine harms such as sexual, physical, and emotional abuse while inside the facilities. The publication also pointed to a 2020 Philadelphia Inquirer investigation that uncovered widespread sexual violence at Devereux facilities, which affected more than 40 children over 25 years.
According to a 2023 publication by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, nearly 500 incidents of substantiated staff-perpetrated sexual abuse against juveniles were reported between 2013 and 2018 at juvenile detention centers in the United States. Nearly half of those incidents involved staff members employed at the reporting facility for one year or less. The Bureau of Justice Statistics said substantiated incidents were allegations investigated and determined “to have occurred based on a preponderance of the evidence.” Those incidents could have had multiple victims or perpetrators, meaning more persons could be involved than in the total number of incidents.
Sexual abuse has remained a problem in juvenile detention centers despite legislative efforts like the Prison Rape Elimination Act, also known as PREA, which requires detained juveniles to be screened for sexual behavior and potential vulnerability to abuse. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that there have been more than 7,000 complaints of abuse at residential facilities in Pennsylvania in the past decade
Rights of Individuals Impacted by Pennsylvania Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse
Victims of abuse at Pennsylvania juvenile detention centers may be entitled to monetary damages to compensate for their medical bills, mental health care, lost earning capacity, pain, suffering, emotional trauma, and more. Working with an experienced civil rights attorney through the Police Brutality Center can help you recover the maximum amount.
The amount of time a child sex abuse survivor has to file a civil lawsuit depends on several factors, including when the abuse occurred and the victim’s age at the time. Under a 2019 Pennsylvania law, victims who were minors at the time of the abuse now have until their 55th birthday to file suit. Meanwhile, victims who were 18 to 24 at the time of the abuse have until their 30th birthday to take action.
However, the 2019 law is not retroactive. Before the 2019 law, the civil statute of limitations required minor victims to file a case within 12 years of turning 18—or their 30th birthday. Thus, only those born after November 26, 1989, have until their 55th birthday to file suit.
Because of statutory deadlines, speaking with an attorney as soon as possible is crucial. A civil rights attorney in Pennsylvania can help you determine your legal options and answer questions relevant to your case. An attorney also has access to resources to help assemble a compelling case and has the authority to subpoena evidence on your behalf.
For a victim’s case to succeed, the victim must have ample evidence to show that it is more likely than not that the alleged abuse occurred. Evidence to support the victim’s claim can include the following :
- The victim’s testimony
- Testimony of those who witnessed the abuse
- Written communications with the abuser, including emails, text messages, and social media posts
- Photographic evidence
- Surveillance video
- Facility records
- Medical records documenting the injuries
- Therapy records documenting the mental and emotional impacts
Report Abuse
Child sexual abuse can have long-lasting effects. Adults who have experienced childhood abuse can suffer from long-term physical ailments and mental health issues, including chronic fatigue syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, eating disorders, and more.
Child abuse or neglect in Pennsylvania can be reported by calling ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313. ChildLine is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week hotline operated as part of Pennsylvania’s mandated child protective services program. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, each report is handled by a trained specialist who determines the most appropriate action.
How The Police Brutality Center Can Help After Abuse
Police Brutality Center connects victims to experienced civil rights attorneys who can guide them in navigating the complex federal and state laws. We also provide support and informational resources to help victims get justice and hold the responsible parties accountable for the harm caused.
If you or a loved one has endured abuse at a Pennsylvania juvenile detention center, contact us today for a free consultation.