NEW JERSEY TRAINING SCHOOL SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Fighting for Survivors Abused at the Jamesburg Juvenile Detention Center

New Jersey Training School, also known as Jamesburg, has been mired in years of scandal involving staff-on-inmate sexual abuse. It was also singled out by a scathing U.S. Department of Justice report that found the facility was among the worst juvenile detention centers in the nation when it came to sexual victimization of youth inmates.

Now, Levy Konigsberg is helping former youth inmates housed at New Jersey Training School step forward in the fight for justice. In January 2024, we filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of 50 men who were sexually abused while detained at NJTS and are working with a growing number of others to explore their eligibility for litigation under the recently passed New Jersey Child Sexual Abuse Act. If you have a potential case, we want to help.

Levy Konigsberg: Leading the Fight for New Jersey Training School Sexual Abuse Victims

In January 2024, Levy Konigsberg Attorneys Moshe Maimon and Clark Binkley filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of 50 men who were sexually abused while housed at the New Jersey Training School.

As detailed in our complaint, youth inmates housed at NJTS were for decades subjected to sexual abuse at the hands of facility staff, who regularly used physical force, threats, and manipulation to take advantage of youth under their care. The suit aims to hold the State of New Jersey, which operates the Juvenile Justice Commission, accountable for its failed oversight of the facility and for supervisors’ chronic failures to reign in a systemic problem of sexual abuse, violence, and exploitation among staff.

As noted in the complaint, our investigations have found that sexual abuse may have been committed by a variety of employees at the New Jersey Training School, including:

• Correctional/detention officers
• Counselors
• Supervisors
• Teachers
• Nurses
• Other staff and volunteers

The lawsuits we have filed, which were made possible by a New Jersey law extending the statute of limitations in civil childhood sexual abuse cases, are only the tip of the iceberg. Our firm also currently represents more than 150 survivors who were sexually abused at various New Jersey juvenile detention facilities and continues to speak with others who are looking for information about their right to step forward. We’re readily available to discuss whether you have grounds to pursue a claim as well.

History of Sexual Abuse at New Jersey Training School

The New Jersey Training School (NJTS), also known simply as “Jamesburg,” is the largest juvenile justice facility in the state. Located in Monroe Township, it is operated by the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission as a secure care facility that houses approximately 200 male juveniles ranging in age from 12 to 23 years old.

Despite having “school” in its name, NJTS is a prison-like detention facility with roots dating back to 1867, when it was opened as a home for troubled youth. For decades, it has been criticized for abhorrent conditions and for promoting a staffing culture that condoned exploitation, violence, and rampant sexual abuse.

The New Jersey Training School’s damning legacy of violence, poor conditions, and sexual abuse has been documented by various investigations and legal filings over the years. Some examples include:

• In June 2022, a report from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice – $600K to Damage Our Kids Forever: A Youth Incarceration Disaster – detailed how New Jersey has invested millions of dollars into its failed and shameful youth incarceration system by sharing the stories of youth currently and formerly incarcerated in juvenile detention facilities statewide. This includes many youth inmates from the New Jersey Training School, who detailed the prevalence of conditions likely to lead to sexual abuse, including its remote location that isolated detainees from family and support networks, dehumanizing practices of regularly placing children in solitary conferment, and depriving youth of adequate food, clothing, and other necessities unless their families could afford items at overpriced commissary.

• In June 2017, a former inmate filed a civil lawsuit against the NJ Juvenile Justice Commission after he was sexually assaulted by supervisor Karen Selmon while incarcerated at the New Jersey Training School in June 2015. According to the suit, Selmon, who had a history of mental illness and sexual misconduct and later pled guilty to criminal sexual conduct, offered to provide the then 19-year-old inmate with contraband in exchange for favors before engaging in sex with him in an isolated area of the detention center. The lawsuit also claimed that the facility’s superintendent, Lionel Henderson, knowingly ignored a culture of improper sexual behavior within the Commission’s largest housing complex.

• In January 2010, a report released by the U.S. Department of Justice found that the New Jersey Training School was among 13 facilities nationwide with the highest rate of youth inmates subjected to sexual abuse. According to the report, nearly one in every three juveniles at the facility reported some type of sexual victimization. The DOJ report also noted high rates of sexual victimization at other New Jersey juvenile detention facilities.

• In December 1987, the New Jersey Free Press published a report showing high rates of sexual abuse complaints at New Jersey juvenile detention facilities, including the New Jersey Training School. It also quoted the head of the state Juvenile Detention Monitoring Unit who commented that overcrowding at facilities likely leads to more incidents of child abuse. The report is one of many insights showing how NJTS has struggled with a decades-long sexual abuse problem.

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:

• You were sexually abused by a guard, counselor, nurse, or other youth residential treatment or juvenile detention center staff member.
• The abuse occurred at any youth residential treatment or juvenile detention facility.

Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold youth residential treatment facilities,  juvenile detention centers, private healthcare companies, and other facility operators accountable for their failures to stop abusive staff members and protect young residents.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

New Jersey Sexual Abuse Attorneys

In New Jersey, the statute of limitations previously imposed a strict deadline for victims of sexual abuse to file claims or seek compensation. However, recognizing the lasting impact of sexual abuse and the obstacles survivors face in pursuing justice, the state enacted the Child Victims Act in 2019. This landmark legislation significantly extended the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse cases. The law provides more opportunities for victims to seek justice and compensation, acknowledging the complexities and challenges associated with reporting and prosecuting sexual abuse.

Under New Jersey law, specifically NJ Stat. § 2A:14-2a, survivors of sexual abuse now have an extended timeframe to pursue legal action.  Childhood sexual abuse victims can file civil claims until age 55 or seven years after recognizing the trauma, whichever is later. This allows survivors to seek justice against their abusers and any liable institutions. For those sexually abused as adults (age 18 or older), the deadline to file a civil lawsuit is seven years from the incident of abuse.

Seeking legal guidance is crucial when navigating the complexities of the statute of limitations. Your attorney can review your case, explain the statute of limitations to you, and assist you in determining if you are eligible to file a lawsuit.

We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers and youth residential treatment facilities. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing legal representation and support to survivors, and we are actively investigating allegations of abuse. We are working tirelessly to ensure that survivors have access to justice and that future generations of young people are safe from harm within these institutions.