Lawsuit Information Center
This page will look at sex abuse lawsuits involving juvenile inmates at the now closed Sacramento County Boys Ranch. The Boys Ranch housed male juvenile offenders from 1960 to 2010. During that time, countless juvenile detainees at the Boys Ranch were subjected to sexual abuse and assault by staff members due to the negligence of the Sacramento County Probation Department. These victims can now bring civil lawsuits and get compensation.
If you have a potential sex abuse lawsuit involving Boys Ranch in Sacramento County, call our California sex abuse lawyers, today at 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation.
About Sacramento County Boys Ranch
Boys Ranch in Sacramento County was a juvenile detention and correctional facility that housed male juvenile offenders between the ages of 15 and 17. Juvenile detainees at Boys Ranch received educational and vocational services, as well as substance abuse treatment and therapy. The Boys Ranch facility covered over 140 acres with over a dozen buildings.
The Boys Ranch opened back in 1960 and the facility was expanded several times during its decades of operation. Boys Ranch had a capacity to hold around 100 juvenile inmates. During the last year of operation, around half of the juvenile inmates at Boys Ranch were classified as gang members and came mostly from inner city areas. Inmates sent to Boys Ranch included those who committed relatively serious crimes, but not serious enough to qualify for incarceration at a state juvenile detention center.
The Boys Ranch was shut down in 2010 and the facility has been vacant ever since. The shut down of Boys Ranch was prompted by budget cuts.
Inmates At Boys Ranch Were Victims Of Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse of juvenile inmates in California’s detention centers was a major problem for many decades, and still is to this day. A number of federal investigations and high profile civil rights cases revealed that sexual abuse of juvenile inmates by staff members at facilities such as Boys Ranch was widespread. This was mainly attributed to the neglect of authorities charged with administering these facilities.
For decades, children detained in California juvenile detention facilities, such as Boys Ranch, have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of guards, counselors, and other agents. The sexual abuse at California facilities has ranged from inappropriate strip searches to rape using violent physical force. Staff and agents these juvenile facilities have had, and continue to have, inappropriate and criminal sexual relationships with inmates, oftentimes involving bribery and grooming.
What Qualifies As Sexual Abuse?
Sexual assault or abuse is defined as intentional sexual touching or contact without the other person’s consent and for the purpose of sexual gratification, arousal, or humiliation. In the context of a civil lawsuit, sexual abuse or assault is often referred to as sexual battery, and it can range from groping a breast to rape.
There are two key components that must be present to meet the definition of sexual abuse in California. First, the sexual touching must be done intentionally. If one inadvertently grabs a student’s breast vagina in a crowded elevator or to catch them from falling, there is no intent, and it does not qualify as sexual abuse.
The second element is the lack of consent. For intentional sexual touching to qualify as abuse or assault, it must be done without mutual consent. Under California law, minors under the age of 18 cannot give consent to sexual touching. Any sexual contact with a minor by an adult is automatically considered sexual battery. That means that ANY sexual contact with a juvenile inmate would be considered sexual abuse, regardless of whether the juvenile consented.
Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse of Juvenile Inmates At Boys Ranch
Boys Ranch was a county-level facility under the operational control and responsibility of the Sacramento County Probation Department (SCPD). SCPD was in charge of screening, hiring, training, monitoring and supervising all correctional officers and staff members at Boys Ranch. As the supervising authority, SCPD had a legal duty to ensure the care, custody, and control of the juveniles housed at Boys Ranch.
SCPD can be held liable for sexual abuse of juvenile inmates at Boys Ranch based on the fact that it knew that sexual abuse of inmates was a problem, but failed to take reasonable action to protect its inmates. If a victim was sexually abused at Boys Ranch, all they would need to do is establish a link between that abuse and some type on negligence on the part of SCPD. That could be specific negligence, such as failing to investigate prior complaints about the abusers. It could also be more general negligence, such as failing to implement policies or failing to property monitor staff.
California’s Statute of Limitations for Sacramento Boys Ranch Sex Abuse Lawsuits
California law has fundamentally changed the landscape for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, making it possible to hold institutions like Sacramento Boys Ranch accountable even decades after the abuse occurred. Historically, strict statutes of limitations functioned as a shield for abusers and the institutions that enabled them, barring lawsuits before many survivors were even ready to come forward. The law now recognizes the unique dynamics of child sexual abuse—victims often do not process their trauma from detention center abuse until years later, and institutions frequently engage in cover-ups that delay justice.
Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 340.1, survivors of childhood sexual abuse can file a lawsuit up until their 40th birthday, or within five years of discovering that their psychological injuries were caused by the abuse—whichever is later. This is a massive expansion from previous deadlines and is particularly important for lawsuits against juvenile facilities like Sacramento Boys Ranch, where victims were minors at the time and may have suppressed their trauma for years. Before this law, survivors who missed an arbitrary deadline were permanently shut out of the legal system. That is no longer the case.
For adults abused after turning 18, the statute of limitations is 10 years from the date of abuse or three years from the date they discovered their emotional harm. Another major shift is that government-run facilities like Sacramento Boys Ranch no longer have their usual procedural defenses. Normally, filing a claim against a public institution requires giving notice within just six months of the incident. That rule does not apply in childhood sex abuse cases. This means Sacramento County—like other agencies that have failed to protect children—cannot hide behind procedural technicalities. Survivors now have a clear legal path to hold them accountable.
Settlement Value of Boys Ranch Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Sex abuse lawsuits tend to have a high settlement value, particularly when they involve juveniles or minors. The amount of money you can get from suing SCPD for sexual abuse at occurring at the Boys Ranch facility depends on a few things. Here are the main things that make the money you might get more or less:
- Proof/Evidence: In many cases, the only evidence is the victim’s testimony. That is often enough to establish that the abuse happened. However, anytime there is additional evidence to back up the victim’s testimony it will significantly boost the settlment value of the case. This evidence can be in the form of testimony from other eyewitnesses (e.g., other inmates or staff).
- Direct Negligence: Plaintiffs who have evidence of “direct negligence” on the part of SCPD or administrators at Boys Ranch will have stronger cases. Direct negligence means negligent conduct involving the specific individual who committed the sexual abuse. For example, if a victim is alleging that officer Joe sexually abused him, evidence of prior complaints specifically about officer Joe that were ignored will increase the value of the case.
- Severity of Abuse: The severity of the sexual abuse inflicted on a victim also makes a major difference in the value of the case. Cases involving forcible penetration are typically considered the most severe, while at the other end of the scale would be groping.
- Age of the Victim: The age at which the victim experienced abuse. Younger victims may receive higher settlements due to the long-term impact on their life.
Contact Us About Boys Ranch Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse Cases
If you were sexually abused as an inmate at Sacramento County Boys Ranch, you may be able to file a lawsuit and get compensation. Reach out to us online or call 800-553-8082.