Juvenile Facility Abuse

In recent years, the alarming issue of both physical and sexual abuse occurring in juvenile facilities has garnered attention. Lack of oversight and nationally accepted standards for tracking these abuse cases makes it challenging to know exactly how frequently abuse is occurring. However, a 2007 Associated Press study in which juvenile correction centers in each state were contacted to find out the number of juvenile deaths and alleged and confirmed cases of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse by staff members revealed that there were 13,000 claims of abuse in centers across the country since 2004.

One of the primary culprits of physical abuse in juvenile facilities, and an issue that has sparked much controversy, is the use of physical restraints and devices. There have been quite a few cases of restraint-related deaths, including a Florida teen that was restrained while several guards repeatedly struck him and a 17-year-old in Maryland who lost consciousness and died after being held to the floor face down. In the latter case, prosecutors stated the staff waited 41 minutes after the teen was unresponsive to call for help. Maryland attorney, Steven H. Heisler represented the family of the 17-year-old in a wrongful death case against the state and the private facility in which a confidential settlement was reached.

The issue of sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers is also widespread. The federal Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a 2010 report that shows one in 10 youths in juvenile facilities and large non-state facilities reported sexual victimization by staff in the prior year. In the very worst facilities in the study, 20 to more than 30 percent reported sexual abuse.

Knowing your son or daughter has committed a crime and is in a juvenile facility can be difficult enough for a parent, but with the increasingly documented cases of abuse in these facilities, it can be a cause for serious concern. Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” is a Baltimore juvenile facility abuse lawyer committed to protecting the rights of young people who have suffered any type of abuse in a juvenile correction center. Mr. Heisler can help you hold any at-fault parties legally accountable. For a no-cost consultation regarding your case, please call (877) 228-4878.