Camp Glenwood Juvenile Sex Abuse Lawsuits

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The page will look at sex abuse lawsuits involving juvenile inmates at Camp Glenwood in San Mateo County. Camp Glenwood is a juvenile rehabilitation camp for male offenders. Juveniles who were sexually abused or assaulted by staff members at Camp Glenwood can bring civil lawsuits against San Mateo County and get financial settlements.

If you have a potential sex abuse lawsuit involving Camp Glenwood juvenile camp in San Mateo County, call our sex abuse lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation.

Camp Glenwood Juvenile Center

Camp Glenwood is a juvenile detention and treatment camp in La Honda, California. Camp Glenwood houses male juvenile offenders between the ages of 14 and 18. The juveniles at Glenwood are those who have been adjudicated of a criminal offense and sentenced by the judge specifically to Camp Glenwood.

Camp Glenwood is operated by the San Mateo County Probation Department (SMCPD). It is one of two juvenile detention centers for males in the county. The other is the juvenile hall, which is a higher security level detention center than Camp Glenwood.

Camp Glenwood began operating in 1964. The facility sits on 60 acres in a very rural area, miles away from any significant residential population. The campus has 11 buildings, including a school, a kitchen, an administration building, and two dormitories. Camp Glenwood is not a high-security facility; therefore, the juvenile detainees are not locked up, and there is no fence or wall surrounding the property.

The average age of juveniles detained at Glenwood is 15.5. Most residents are from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and the majority speak English as a second language. The facility has a maximum population of 60 juveniles.

Sexual Abuse of Juveniles at Camp Glenwood

California has a troubling history of physical and sexual abuse within its juvenile detention facilities. This issue has been repeatedly exposed through high-profile lawsuits, criminal charges, and extensive investigations by both state and federal authorities. Although Camp Glenwood is a local county facility, it has suffered from all of the same systemic issues and rampant sexual abuse of inmates that have plagued the state juvenile system for years.

Unfortunately, juvenile inmates at facilities like Camp Glenwood are highly vulnerable and often targeted for sexual abuse by predatory staff members at the facility. Staff on juvenile inmate sexual is an all too frequent occurrence at places like Camp Glenwood, where the remote, isolated setting makes it even easier to prey on inmates. Recent federal and state investigations, along with lawsuits and news reports, have shed light on the true extent of the problem of sexual abuse of juvenile inmates.

Sex Abuse Lawsuits in San Mateo County Juvenile Facilities

San Mateo County juvenile facilities have come under fire for decades of unchecked sexual abuse and systemic negligence. Survivors from Camp Glenwood, the San Mateo County Juvenile Hall, and affiliated county-run programs have stepped forward to expose a disturbing culture of abuse, cover-up, and administrative failure.

This is not a case of isolated misconduct. The allegations reflect a broader breakdown in oversight, with staff abusing their authority, administrators ignoring red flags, and county officials failing to intervene. These failures created an environment where children in custody were left vulnerable to repeated sexual exploitation by the very adults tasked with protecting them.

Survivors of abuse in any San Mateo County juvenile facility have the right to pursue civil claims. These lawsuits are about more than compensation—they are a means of holding institutions accountable and forcing long-overdue change in a system that prioritized silence over safety.

Our sex abuse attorneys are reviewing cases involving Camp Glenwood, Juvenile Hall, and other San Mateo County youth programs.

San Mateo County Liability and Oversight Failures

Camp Glenwood and Juvenile Hall are both operated by the San Mateo County Probation Department, which is ultimately responsible for the safety and welfare of every child in its custody. That responsibility includes screening and hiring qualified staff, training employees on appropriate conduct, and implementing effective systems to prevent and investigate abuse. These are vulnerable and troubled children. Mission one has to be to keep them safe.

Instead, survivors describe a county system where complaints were ignored, abusive staff were left in place, and meaningful oversight was almost nonexistent. The failures were not just about individual bad actors, but about San Mateo County officials allowing a dangerous culture to continue unchecked.

Under California law, San Mateo County can be held liable when its negligence enables sexual abuse inside juvenile facilities. Civil lawsuits against the county are often the only means by which survivors can hold the system accountable, expose the depth of the failures, and recover financial compensation for the harm they have suffered.

Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse of Juvenile Inmates At Camp Glenwood

Camp Glenwood is a county-level facility under the jurisdiction of the San Mateo County Probation Department (SMCPD), which is responsible for overseeing all aspects of its operations. This includes the screening, hiring, training, and supervision of correctional officers and staff. As the overseeing authority, SMCPD had a legal responsibility to ensure the safety, care, and custody of the juveniles at the facility.

SMCPD could be held liable for sexual abuse at Camp Glenwood if it was aware of the issue but failed to take reasonable actions to protect the inmates. To prove liability, a victim would need to establish a link between their abuse and SMCPD’s negligence. This could include specific instances of neglect, such as disregarding previous complaints about known abusers, or more general failures, such as insufficient policies or inadequate staff supervision.

Camp Glenwood Sex Abuse Deadline to File Lawsuit

If you or someone you know was sexually abused at Camp Glenwood or another San Mateo County juvenile facility, you may still have a path to justice. California has changed its laws several times in recent years to expand the rights of survivors, and history shows that legal deadlines are not always the end of the story.

In Los Angeles County, survivors with claims that were technically time-barred have still received settlement payouts. Counties and their insurers want global closure, and they know the law could change again. For that reason, even survivors who believe they are outside the statute of limitations should consider pursuing a claim.

For abuse occurring on or after January 1, 2024, California law is clear: there is no statute of limitations. Survivors can file at any time. For abuse that occurred before that date, the old deadlines still technically apply — until your 40th birthday or within five years of discovering the impact of the abuse. But in practice, defendants often include older claims in settlement frameworks to avoid piecemeal litigation.

Our firm is reviewing all Camp Glenwood and San Mateo County juvenile facility claims, even if you think your deadline has expired. These lawsuits are not just about money. They are about forcing accountability, securing closure for survivors, and making sure institutions that failed children are finally held responsible.

Settlement Value of San Mateo Juvenile Facility Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Survivors of sexual abuse at Camp Glenwood or at other San Mateo County juvenile facilities may be entitled to significant financial compensation through civil lawsuits. These juvenile hall lawsuits hold the San Mateo County Probation Department accountable for the systemic negligence that allowed staff to exploit children in custody.

It is incredibly hard to put a dollar amount on human suffering like this.  But it is a job we have to do.

The good news is we now have a benchmark for how these cases are being valued. In California, settlements in juvenile detention sex abuse lawsuits, including large groups of cases out of Los Angeles County, have averaged close to $600,000 per survivor. That figure is not a cap. It is a marker. Some cases resolve for less, but stronger claims with clear negligence and severe harm can escalate significantly, even into seven figures in the right cases.

These factors are key:

  • Severity of the Abuse: Prolonged abuse or violent assaults almost always lead to higher payouts.

  • Impact on the Survivor: Diagnosed PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other long-term mental health conditions increase case value, as do lasting physical injuries.

  • County Negligence: Evidence that San Mateo ignored reports, failed to supervise staff, or protected abusers will dramatically raise juvenile hall settlement amounts.

  • Age of the Victim: Younger victims often receive higher settlement compensation because of the lifelong consequences of abuse at an early age.

  • Quality of Representation: These are complex cases against powerful defendants. Survivors with experienced sex abuse lawyers consistently recover more because the county and its insurers know those lawyers will take the case to trial if necessary. You want to hire the best lawyer that you can.

Contact Us About Camp Glenwood Sex Abuse Cases

If you were sexually abused as an inmate at Camp Glenwood in San Mateo County, you may be able to file a lawsuit and get compensation. Reach out to us online or call 800-553-8082.