California Sexual Abuse Settlements

For decades, survivors have come forward with harrowing stories of sexual abuse, physical violence, and systemic neglect within California’s state-run juvenile justice system. These acts of abuse took place in institutions operated by the California Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), formerly known as the California Youth Authority, and represent a dark chapter in the state’s history of institutional abuse.

The DJJ, a branch of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, oversaw juvenile detention centers, residential treatment programs, and conservation camps across the state until its closure in 2023. These state-run facilities were entrusted with the care, education, and rehabilitation of young offenders. Instead, many residents were subjected to a culture of intimidation, coercion, and exploitation—often by those charged with protecting them.

Reports of sexual abuse in California juvenile facilities span decades. Many survivors describe enduring non-consensual sexual acts, often involving force, manipulation, threats, or abuse of authority by staff. The systemic nature of this abuse has led to federal investigations, criminal prosecutions, and now, a multi-billion-dollar California sexual abuse settlement aimed at delivering long-overdue justice.

 The reports are part of a troubling pattern of misconduct within the juvenile justice system, one that has affected countless minors over decades. As of 2024, more than 5,000 adults have stepped forward, each sharing their experience of abuse that began when they were children in these facilities.  We suspect thousands more victims are out there.