New York Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Meirowitz & Wasserberg represents survivors of sexual abuse at New York juvenile detention centers, including Horizon and Crossroads. The GMVA filing window is open through July 29, 2027. We provide free and confidential consultations.
Expertise
Samuel Meirowitz is “Top 100 Trial Lawyer” and an accomplished personal injury lawyer, trial attorney and relentless advocate for his clients. Previously, he served the State of New York for four years as a prosecutor in the Bronx District Attorney’s office. Mr. Meirowitz is admitted to practice law in New York and Florida State Courts.
Content written by Samuel Meirowitz
Samuel Meirowitz is “Top 100 Trial Lawyer” and an accomplished personal injury lawyer, trial attorney and relentless advocate for his clients. Previously, he served the State of New York for four years as a prosecutor in the Bronx District Attorney’s office. Mr. Meirowitz is admitted to practice law in New York and Florida State Courts.
Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Sexual Abuse at New York Juvenile Detention Centers
More than 500 survivors of sexual abuse at New York juvenile detention centers filed lawsuits against NYC-run facilities. They claim these centers encouraged a culture of sexual abuse for decades and failed to protect minors from staff abuse.
Key juvenile detention centers named in lawsuits include Horizon Juvenile Center, Crossroads Juvenile Center, Spofford Juvenile Center (also known as Bridges), Rikers Island, Brentwood Residential Center for Girls and Brookwood Secure Center.
Survivors can file lawsuits against city agencies, regardless of whether their abuser or abusers faced criminal charges. Defendants include NYC agencies such as the Administration for Children’s Services, NYC Department of Correction and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS).
Lawsuits say that these institutions were supposed to protect young people, but instead failed them. A new 2026 amendment to NYC law extends the time to file or refile a lawsuit and hold these centers accountable.
New York Facilities Named in Abuse Lawsuits
Survivors filed hundreds of lawsuits against a handful of New York detention facilities, and the bulk of them are run by the City of New York.
- Horizon Juvenile Center: Allegations include sexual grooming, long-term sexual abuse and covering up or failing to report abuse. Employees say a combination of low pay, mismanagement and threats fostered an environment of violence and sexual harassment.
- Crossroads Juvenile Center: Staff at the center used their authority over residents to sexually abuse, beat and bribe them for sexual favors. Lawsuits allege a “culture of secrecy” allows abuse to continue.
- Spofford Juvenile Center: Spofford, later known as Bridges, has a decades-long history of abuse and terrible conditions. It closed permanently in 2011. The majority of recent abuse lawsuits — about 65% — are linked to Spofford.
- Rikers Island: This facility has been plagued by decades of sexual abuse complaints. In addition to lawsuits that claim juvenile sexual abuse, former female inmates filed more than 700 lawsuits for sexual abuse under the New York Adult Survivors Act.
- Brentwood Residential Center: In 2023, a former youth support specialist at the center gave a 15-year-old detainee drugs and sexually abused her. He was later indicted for rape and endangering the welfare of a child.
- Brookwood Secure Center: In 2024, a psychologist who worked at Brookwood was charged with 65 sex offenses after an investigation found she had sexually assaulted several center residents. One of the survivors filed a lawsuit against staff members for ignoring and enabling the abuse.
If you were sexually abused at a facility not listed above, you may still be able to file a lawsuit. A compassionate, experienced lawyer at Meirowitz & Wasserberg can help you figure out if you have a case.
Do You Qualify? Who Meirowitz & Wasserberg Can Help
Meirowitz & Wasserberg can help you file a lawsuit if you were sexually abused by staff while detained in a New York juvenile detention center. They can also help some survivors whose earlier cases were dismissed under the previous NYC Gender-Motivated Violence Act, because a new 2026 amendment extends the deadline to file.
You may qualify if:
- You were held at a New York juvenile detention facility (including city-run youth centers or units on Rikers Island).
- You were sexually abused by a staff member (such as a guard, counselor, therapist, nurse or other facility employee).
- The person who harmed you was an employee of the facility or a contractor — not another detainee.
- You are a family member of a survivor and want to contact a lawyer on their behalf.
- Your case was filed under the NYC Gender-Motivated Violence Act between March 1, 2023, and March 1, 2025, and was dismissed because the court said the facility or city agency could not be held liable. Under the GMVA amendment from January 29, 2026, you may be able to refile your lawsuit.
There’s no cost for a confidential consultation, and there’s no obligation to file a lawsuit. The decision to move forward is entirely up to you, but we’re here to help you learn about your options.
The GMVA Filing Deadline — What You Need To Know
The GMVA is an NYC law that allows sexual abuse survivors to sue institutions, not just individual abusers. Judges dismissed some juvenile detention center abuse lawsuits filed between 2023 and 2025 because the centers could not be held accountable under previous laws.
However, NYC amended the GMVA to add an 18-month lookback window, a temporary period during which the statute of limitations for a crime doesn’t apply. The lookback window starts on January 29, 2026, and closes on July 29, 2027. This means that, even if the abuse occurred decades ago, you may have the right to file during this 18-month window.
It also means that if your claim was dismissed between 2023 and 2025 under institutional liability arguments, the 2026 amendment may allow you to refile.
What Compensation Can Survivors Seek?
Survivors of sexual abuse in New York’s juvenile detention centers can file a civil suit to recover compensation for physical, emotional and financial damages, as well as pain and suffering.
Compensation in a juvenile detention center abuse lawsuit may include:
- Past and ongoing medical and therapy costs
- Medical bills resulting from physical harm
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Lost wages and income
No specific amount of compensation is guaranteed, because how much you recover as a survivor depends on the facts of your individual case. Our lawyers can explain the damages you can include in your lawsuit.
How Meirowitz & Wasserberg Handles These Cases
Meirowitz & Wasserberg is experienced in NYC institutional abuse litigation, and we handle each survivor’s case with compassion and dignity. We provide a free, confidential consultation where we listen to your experience.
If we determine you have a claim and you want to file a lawsuit, we handle the legal process so you don’t have to confront the institution alone. There is never a fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Our local experience matters. Each NYC sexual abuse lawyer with our firm is familiar with the local law and the courts in all five boroughs where these cases are filed.
How To Report Abuse and Protect Your Rights
Before reporting abuse to the state, you should consult an attorney. A lawyer can protect your rights during the reporting process.
Document everything you remember. This includes dates, names of abusers, the name of the facility and what happened.
You do not need a police report to file a civil lawsuit. One of our lawyers can help you file a claim and present evidence to maximize any compensation you can receive under the law.
If you choose to file an abuse report, you can fill out a web intake form on the New York Justice Center website or call the Vulnerable Persons Central Register (VPCR) Hotline Number at 1-855-373-2122.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still file a lawsuit if the abuse happened years ago?
Yes. Under a 2026 GMVA amendment, you may be able to file a lawsuit under a new lookback window that runs from January 29, 2026, to July 29, 2027. Check with a lawyer to see if this applies to your situation.
Can I sue the facility, not just the individual abuser?
Yes. Under the GMVA, you can sue a juvenile detention center, not just the abuser.
What if my case was dismissed?
If your case was dismissed from 2023 to 2025, you may be able to refile between January 29, 2026, and July 29, 2027, based on the new NYC GMVA lookback window. Contact a lawyer to learn about your legal options.
Do I need a police report to file a civil lawsuit?
No, you don’t need a police report. You can file a civil lawsuit regardless of whether there are criminal charges against your abuser.
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