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This page looks at civil lawsuits for victims of sexual abuse at San Diego juvenile detention centers.

San Diego County Juvenile Hall is now at the center of a troubling investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct against minors who were detained at the facility. Survivors have come forward with reports of sexual exploitation, misconduct by staff members, and a pervasive culture of abuse that was allegedly ignored or covered up by those in power. These allegations are part of a larger pattern of sexual abuse within the juvenile justice system, where vulnerable youth are too often subjected to harm by the very individuals entrusted with their care.

We think San Diego will be the next California juvenile hall sex abuse settlement domino to fall.  Our lawyers talk about this, and the expected settlement amounts we expect to see in these lawsuits, below.

Survivors of the Central California Women’s Facility (often referred to as the Chowchilla Women’s Prison) have filed civil lawsuits alleging pervasive sexual abuse by correctional staff, detailing coercion, unwanted physical contact, and retaliation for reporting misconduct.

These claims underpin a growing wave of litigation holding the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) accountable. The lawsuits reveal an enduring pattern of institutional neglect, guards exploiting their authority and administrators turning a blind eye to repeated pleas for protection and justice.

Our lawyers will continue to report on every major Chowchilla lawsuit update as discovery progresses and more survivors come forward. If this follows the pattern of other institutional sex abuse cases in California, the Chowchilla women’s prison lawsuit could result in one of the largest prison-related abuse settlements in U.S. history.

Los Angeles County is at the center of one of the largest institutional child sexual abuse scandals in American history. Survivors of horrific abuse in juvenile halls and foster homes operated by the county have finally begun to see long-overdue justice after decades of silence, retaliation, and systemic neglect.

On April 29, 2025, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $4 billion settlement to resolve more than 6,800 claims of child sexual abuse spanning a period of over 60 years. This settlement is the largest of its kind in U.S. history, surpassing even the Catholic Church and Boy Scouts of America in total payout.

The lawsuits primarily center on abuse committed by county employees, probation officers, and foster care workers. Many of these acts occurred at juvenile detention centers such as Barry J. Nidorf, Central Juvenile Hall, Los Padrinos, and various probation camps. Thousands of survivors suffered in silence, only recently able to come forward due to new legal reforms in California.