Victims allege sex abuse in Maryland youth detention facilities under new law allowing them to sue

By LEA SKENE
Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — More than 100 people incarcerated as children in Maryland juvenile detention facilities have sued the state alleging they endured sexual abuse from staff members decades ago. The lawsuits are made possible by a new state law that eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims. State lawmakers passed the Child Victims Act with the Catholic Church clergy abuse scandal in mind, but an unexpected spotlight has settled on the state’s juvenile justice system. Officials with the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services have said they take the allegations seriously and are are “working hard to provide decent, humane, and rehabilitative environments for youth.”