Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Located in San Leandro, California, the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility is the primary juvenile detention center in Alameda County. The facility can house 358 youths at a time, who are serving a sentence or waiting for a court hearing with the juvenile justice system.

There’s no denying that maximum security units are challenging to manage, but it’s important to remember that these inmates are children. That’s why the focus should always be on rehabilitation and compassionate treatment, rather than harsh punishments. In fact, county officials have stated their commitment to “creating and maintaining a safe and humane environment” for the youths that are staying at Alameda County Juvenile Hall.

Unfortunately, government agencies often fall short of their goals, not to mention, their legal responsibility to minors in juvenile detention centers. Their negligence explains the toxic culture of sexual abuse at juvenile halls, camps, and schools throughout California. If you were sexually abused at a youth detention center, you do not have to stay silent and struggle to live with the effects of child sexual assault.

The Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility sexual abuse lawyers of Kenmore are here to provide you with advice and guidance. During a free consultation, we can help you explore the option of filing a sexual abuse lawsuit and obtaining the compensation you deserve. If you were sexually assaulted at Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility, please reach out to us at your earliest convenience.

What is Sexual Assault against a Minor?

Child sexual assault means different things, depending on the person you ask. But the definition of sexual abuse against minors is very clear where the law is concerned. Each state has an “age of consent,” which is the age where the average person is capable of giving informed consent for sexual activities. Under California law, an individual has not reached this stage until they are at least 18 years old. Thus, any adult that has sexual contact with someone below this age is guilty of child sexual abuse.

This is important to point out, as we have come across many cases over the years, where the victim was unaware that they were a sexual abuse victim. It doesn’t help that some juvenile hall administrators misinterpret the laws or intentionally try to mislead the victim. For example, a female inmate complains about a probation officer groping her breasts. The warden admits that there was inappropriate touching, which he will address with the offending officer. But since she wasn’t raped or physically injured, it’s not sexual abuse and there is no need to get the police involved.

The truth is, this girl is a victim of child sexual assault, and she has the right to seek justice through the criminal and civil courts. To learn more about your rights under the state’s child abuse laws, please speak to an Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility sexual abuse attorney.

Can I Sue Alameda County for being Sexually Abused at a Juvenile Hall?

Yes, you can file an Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility sexual abuse lawsuit if you were molested, raped, groomed, or exposed to any other sexual conduct by a juvenile hall staff member. In addition, you may have the right to sue Alameda County if their negligence allowed one of their employees to sexually abuse you.

The enabling of sexual predators by government entities has always been an issue within the prison system, but it’s especially disturbing when these incidents happen to children. And we know for a fact many of these officials care more about making the problem go away than they do about the welfare of youths in their facilities. That’s why it’s possible to sue Alameda County along with your abuser if you wish to proceed with a Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility sexual assault lawsuit.

Acts of negligence by a county agency in a juvenile hall sexual abuse case include, but are not limited to:

• The abuser was hired in spite of previous incidents and allegations of child abuse.
• Instead of being fired or investigated by the authorities, the offender was allowed to keep their job.
• Upon multiple reports of sexual assault by a specific employee, the perpetrator was moved to another facility, thereby putting more children at risk of being abused.
• Those in charge of investigating the case concealed evidence, engaged in stall tactics, offered bribes or engaged in other unethical / illegal conduct.

As you can see, there are many ways that the county of Alameda may be responsible when a child is sexually abused at Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility. For more information on your right to sue, don’t hesitate to contact the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility abuse lawyers of Kenmore Law Group.

L.A. County Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Gives Hope to Child Sexual Assault Victims

Frankly, child abuse has been going on inside California’s juvenile halls for as long as facilities have been in existence. But there was very little hope for those who were assaulted by security guards and other employees. This was due to limitations with the laws and a tendency to discredit anything that was said by a youth offender.

In the past decade or so, we’ve come a long way in our understanding of minors in the juvenile justice system. Furthermore, the laws on child sexual abuse have changed dramatically, allowing more victims to seek justice for their harm and suffering. In Los Angeles, for example, over 300 plaintiffs have recently brought a lawsuit against the county for failing to protect them from sexual assault and other forms of child abuse.

Allegations by the victims include rape, attempted rape, sodomy, extortion, sexual grooming, and many other acts of inmate sexual assault. The incidents go back as far as the 1970s, and there’s frankly no way that the county was unaware of what was going on. This lawsuit against the Los Angeles Probation Department will have a significant impact on sexual abuse claims against juvenile halls in California. Hopefully, you too, will have the courage to reach out to us and speak to an Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility sexual molestation lawyer.

Filing an Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility Sexual Abuse Class Action Lawsuit

The increased focus on juvenile hall abuse cases has resulted in many calls to our office, where people have asked us about the possibility of filing a class action lawsuit. This may be a good option for you, as the strength of your case is generally strengthened when there are multiple victims. And these lawsuits are successful as a general rule, which means there is a high chance that you will receive compensation.

However, an Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility sexual abuse class action lawsuit is not in everyone’s best interest. Class actions give you less control over the outcome of a case, including if and when to accept a settlement. That’s because class actions are led by representatives, who have the power to make such decisions, along with guidance from an Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility class action lawsuit attorney. This is probably fine if you have circumstances that are similar to the victims you are filing with. But if you have issues that make your case stand out from the rest, joining a class action may put you at a disadvantage.

As with any legal decision, you must weigh the pros and cons and make a decision that feels right to you. Our job is to provide accurate legal advice that can help you accomplish this goal. To discuss your case with a Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility abuse attorney, contact our office.

What are These Lawsuits Worth on Average?

The value of an Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility sexual abuse lawsuit is around $450,000 to $5,000,000. We know that there is a big difference between these amounts, and that’s why it’s impossible to say what these cases are worth on average. If we had to narrow it down further, the majority of juvenile hall sexual abuse lawsuits at our law firm are settled for around $1,000,000 to $3,500,000.

How much you will end up with from a lawsuit is based on many issues that are unique to your circumstances. These include the injuries you’ve sustained, which include bodily harm and mental health issues stemming from the abuse. The number of abuse incidents, the acts of abuse, the county’s reaction when they found out about the assault – these are just a few of the factors that we will need to go over with you before we can provide you with an approximate case value.

How Long Does it Take to Settle an Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility Abuse Claim?

It can take around 12 to 24 months to settle a sexual abuse lawsuit against the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility. It can sometimes take 6 months or less to reach a settlement, but the majority of claims take longer, as these are exceptionally complicated cases. If you were abused many years ago and it will take considerable effort to uncover the necessary evidence, it can take 2 or more years to settle an Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility sexual abuse lawsuit. If your case ends up in court (which happens in less than 5% of all lawsuits), settling a juvenile hall sexual assault lawsuit can take up to several years.

Which type of lawsuit you are filing can also affect the amount of time it takes to settle your case. Generally, it takes longer to settle a class action lawsuit than a personal injury claim. The preparation process for a class action can be quite extensive, and this process alone can take 1 or more years. That’s why it can sometimes take 2 or 3 years to receive payment from a sexual abuse class action lawsuit.

Ultimately, there are many factors that play a role in the settlement process, which you can discuss with a childhood sexual assault lawyer at our office.

How Much Time Do I have to File a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?

As someone that was sexually assaulted before the age of 18, you have up until your 40^th birthday to file a child sexual abuse lawsuit. This is already a generous amount of time, but there is another deadline that you can go by, which is known as the 5-year discovery rule.

The discovery rule is based on the fact that many children are not able to deal with the complex emotions that are associated with sexual abuse. Sometimes, they’re not even sure what has happened to them, and it takes many years before they realize that an adult sexually abused them. Either way, minors tend to repress memories and feelings that are traumatic or confusing for them. At some point, however, it becomes impossible to run from these issues.

Usually, adult survivors of sexual assault only realize the impact of the abuse they suffered when they are diagnosed with a psychological and/or physical injury from being abused at a juvenile hall. Under the previous law, these victims typically ran out of time to file a lawsuit, as they had exceeded the statute of limitations. Thanks to the passage of Assembly Bill 218, these victims have 5 years to seek justice from the date of discovering the impact of sexual assault.

An Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility sexual assault lawyer at our office will help you figure out the deadline that applies to your situation. Simply give us a call to schedule a free, confidential case review.

Contact Our Law Firm

If you need a lawyer who can sue Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We have a ready and willing team of attorneys that have decades of experience in child sexual abuse lawsuits. Our lawyers will work for free under the Zero Fee Guarantee and wait until the end of your case to receive payment. Since that only happens if you receive your settlement, you lose absolutely nothing if we don’t win your case.

An Alameda County Juvenile Justice Facility assault lawyer is waiting to assist you, so please contact us if you are a victim of juvenile hall sexual abuse.