On this page, our New Jersey sex abuse lawyers will look at Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center sexual abuse lawsuits. Former juvenile inmates at Middlesex County JDC who were victims of sexual abuse at the facility are now filing civil lawsuits against the County.
Recent changes in New Jersey law have given victims or sexual abuse at juvenile facilities like Middlesex the ability to hold parties accountable and get compensation. Victims who bring a successful abuse lawsuit can get significant settlement payouts. If you have a potential case, contact our NJ sex abuse lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation.
About Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center
The Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center (MCJDC) is secure juvenile detention facility located in North Brunswick, NJ. MCJDC holds male and female juvenile inmates who are awaiting final adjudication on criminal charges but have been remanded to custody pending that determination.
MCJDC is operated by the Middlesex County Office of Adult Corrections & Youth Services under the supervision of a Warden and overseen by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners. MCJDC has become a regional juvenile detention center in recent years. Juvenile inmates from Somerset County, Monmouth County, and Mercer County are all sent to MCJDC for secure custody.
Sexual Abuse of Juveniles at OCJDC
Like most juvenile detention centers in New Jersey, MCJDC does not have a good reputation for treatment of its juvenile detainees. The New Jersey state juvenile detention facilities (operated by the NJ Juvenile Justice Commission “NJ JJC”) are some of the worst in the country in terms of treatment of inmates. MCJDC is operated at the county-level, and not by NJ JJC. In 2010, the United States Department of Justice issued a report finding that New Jersey has some of the highest rates of sexual abuse among juvenile detention facilities nationwide and that much of this abuse goes unreported.
This does not mean that MCJDC is immune from the systemic problems that have plagued the state facilities. In fact, MCJDC is considered one of the worst county-level juvenile detention facilities in the state – as explained in more detail below.
Countless juvenile inmates have been sexually abused and exploited at MCJDC over the last several decades. In most cases, this abuse was perpetrated by the correctional officers and staff members at the facility who were supposed to be protecting the inmates.
These abusers exploited their positions of authority and their access to the juvenile inmates to force and coerce them into sexual acts that they were not legally capable of consenting to. As a result of the County’s failures, children suffered sexual abuse at the hands of guards and other staff members at MCJDC who were responsible for their care.
History of Child Sexual Abuse at MDJDC
Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center has a fairly long and well documented history of sexual abuse of juvenile inmates. In 2000, a civil lawsuit against Middlesex County alleged that it negligently failed to protect a 14-year-old juvenile inmate from sexual abuse perpetrated by a guard at MCJDC. In 2005, another guard at MCJDC faced criminal charges for sexual misconduct after he was accused of raping a high school student.
Most recently, in 2024 a lawsuit was filed on behalf of 6 former juvenile inmates at MCJDC. The lawsuit alleges that each of the juvenile inmates was sexually abused by correctional staff at MCJDC.
Negligent Oversight By Middlesex County
Correctional officers and other staff at MCJDC are frequently allowed unsupervised and unmonitored access to juvenile inmates in highly private and vulnerable situations, including during strip searches and while showering. This lack of oversight creates opportunities for abuse, enabling perpetrators to exploit detainees without fear of accountability. Staff members who engage in sexual abuse often manipulate juveniles through a mix of threats and incentives—coercing them into sexual acts by offering rewards for compliance and threatening retaliation for refusal.
One of the most serious and persistent failures at MCJDC, as well as in other juvenile detention centers, is the systemic neglect in responding to reports of sexual abuse. Instead of being taken seriously and thoroughly investigated, complaints about staff misconduct have frequently been ignored or deliberately suppressed.
Holding Middlesex County Liable in a Civil Lawsuit
Middlesex County has full control and authority over MCJDC. This means that Middlesex County had a legal duty to take serious steps to ensure that inmates at MCJDC are safe from sexual abuse and assault. That means not just watching out for inappropriate behavior from staff, but also making sure detainees are protected from each other. To do that, the county needed to put solid policies and procedures in place to prevent abuse from happening in the first place.
As outlined above, the County was chronically negligent with respect to this obligation. MCJDC failed to protect inmates in a number of ways, including not enough staff supervision, weak or missing policies, poor training, and a lack of real safety measures.
Because of this negligence, Middlesex County can be held liable in civil lawsuits brought by victims of abuse. People who were sexually abused while held at MCJDC might have the right to sue and seek compensation for the harm they went through due to the county’s failure to protect them.
Potential Settlement Value of OCJDC Sex Abuse Lawsuit
How much someone might get from a lawsuit against Middlesex County for sexual abuse at MCJDC really depends on a few important things:
Strength of the Evidence:
Even if the only evidence is the survivor’s testimony, that alone can be enough to establish a case of abuse. However, having additional support—such as witnesses, documentation, or evidence of a pattern of misconduct at the facility—can significantly strengthen the claim. It’s especially important to demonstrate that the facility or staff failed in their duty to protect detainees, whether through repeated safety lapses or a lack of preventive measures.
Severity of the Abuse:
The more serious the abuse and its impact on the survivor, the greater the potential for a higher settlement. Diagnoses of PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other emotional disorders often lead to increased compensation. Still, even without a formal diagnosis, survivors’ accounts carry weight. Expert witnesses can help explain the long-term psychological and emotional effects of the trauma.
Age of the Survivor:
Younger survivors may receive larger settlements because abuse at a young age can have profound and lasting impacts on development, education, relationships, and overall life trajectory.
You Don’t Need to Name Your Abuser to Take Legal Action
Many survivors of sexual abuse at juvenile facilities like MCJDC worry that they can’t come forward unless they can identify the abuser by name. That’s not true. It is entirely possible to file a civil lawsuit without knowing the abuser’s name. Most survivors can only recall general details, such as the abuser’s physical description or aspects of the situation—and that is sufficient to begin the legal process.
Once a case is filed, your legal team can use discovery tools to uncover critical information, such as staff schedules, surveillance footage, and internal records, to identify the person responsible.
That said, if you do know the name of the abuser, it can make the case stronger—especially if that individual has a known history of abuse, prior complaints, or criminal charges. Evidence of a pattern can be powerful in showing that the facility failed to protect you.
Contact Us About MCJDC Sex Abuse Lawsuits
We are accepting Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center sex abuse lawsuits. Call us at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.
