In April of this year, a lawsuit was quietly filed in federal court. The 200-page complaint names various officials at state agencies and local governments. It claims they knowingly aided and abetted the physical or sexual assault of children who were in juvenile detention and correctional facilities in Nevada.
The suit, brought by John Doe, lists 96 accounts of sexual assault of minors by correctional staff over the span of decades and paints a picture in vivid and excruciating detail. It also alleges that the abuse was "not a matter of isolated misconduct" but rather "systemic failure."
Those allegations come just months after state inspectors published their own report. It questioned whether management at some facilities, or even those who license them, is adequately protecting the children in their care.
The Nevada Independent's Tabitha Mueller broke the story about the lawsuit. She told "State of Nevada" that the victims are looking for some level of justice.
"Victims are asking for compensation, ranging from helping them address their mental health needs to damages," Mueller said. "And I think they're also looking for accountability here. I mean, these are victims who had a lot of, you know, their youth taken away, and in a large respect, from what they're alleging."
As for the matter being handled in civil court versus criminal court, ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah said that ,many times, it's the only way victims can get tangible outcomes. He added, no form of justice can make up for the abuse they suffered; however, their stories can help create better outcomes for children currently in the state's juvenile justice system.
"Civil lawsuits are often the only recourse that victims of abuse by the government in any form or fashion," Haseebullah said. "It's impossible for [perpetrators of abuse] to make up for the misconduct that they've engaged in, but certainly, at least, awareness has been brought to the conversation surrounding the issues that have existed here."
Guests: Tabitha Mueller, reporter, The Nevada Independent; Athar Haseebullah, executive director, ACLU of Nevada
