Kings County Juvenile Detention Center Abuse Investigation

Author: Disability Rights Advocates
Published: 2023/09/05 - Updated: 2026/02/10
Publication Type: Investigative Report
Category Topic: Laws and Rights - Related Publications

Contents: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This investigative report details findings from a multi-year examination conducted by Disability Rights California and Disability Rights Advocates into conditions at the Kings County Juvenile Detention Center. The investigation documents systemic abuse including routine pepper spraying of minors, prolonged solitary confinement, physical restraints, and disproportionate punishment of youth with mental health and behavioral disabilities. The report provides crucial documentation for families, advocates, legal professionals, and policymakers working to address disability discrimination in juvenile justice systems. Corroborated by the Board of State and Community Corrections in June 2023, these findings offer authoritative evidence of civil rights violations affecting detained minors with disabilities, along with actionable recommendations for reforming detention practices and implementing community-based diversion programs - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Deficient and Discriminatory Conditions at Kings County Juvenile Detention Center

Disability Rights California (DRC) and Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) have released a report, "Youth in Crisis: How Kings County Locks Up Youth with Disabilities." This report outlines findings from a multi-year investigation of the conditions at the Kings County Juvenile Center. DRC and DRA call on Kings County to reform the horrific conditions and needlessly punitive practices at the detention center.

While at the Juvenile Center, youth are frequently shackled and "body-slammed" by custody officers or forced to sit alone in a hallway for hours at a time for minor infractions. Youth are routinely pepper sprayed in their cells, day rooms and classrooms, often in their face and eyes. Young people with mental health and behavioral disabilities are disproportionately subject to these practices, which leads to serial discipline, court reports, and extensions of their length of stay.

Main Content

DRC and DRA's investigation also revealed that the County's youth arrest and detention rates are excessive - among the highest per capita in the state by several measures. The County lacks diversion program and detains youth who pose little risk, including for status offenses such as truancy.

The lack of diversion programs means youth with disabilities are held in the Kings County Juvenile Center for disability-related behavior that could have been addressed by County staff more effectively in the community, and at less cost.

"Our intent with this report is to call on Kings County to reform the horrific conditions in the Juvenile Center. Juvenile detention facilities across the nation have prohibited the use of pepper spray and other traumatizing practices, and Kings County should do the same," said Melinda Bird, Senior Litigation Counsel at DRC.

"Kings County has neglected its youth with disabilities for years, preferring to cycle them in and out of detention rather than meeting their basic needs in the community. The youth of Kings County deserve better," said Thomas Zito, Supervising Attorney at Disability Rights Advocates.

In June 2023, the Board of State and Community Corrections' (BSCC) made findings that corroborated DRC's and DRA's findings. The BSCC report found the County was out of compliance in certain areas due to excessive use of pepper spray, unlawful use of solitary confinement, and inadequate programming and counseling services. Many of the BSCC's findings were repeat concerns. In its prior, 2021 inspection report, the BSCC also found that youth in crisis spent days in solitary confinement due to the lack of on-site mental health staff.

DRC and DRA call on Kings County to reform conditions at the detention center and the revolving door that returns youth to the detention center repeatedly, disrupting their education and employment.

Disability Rights California (DRC)

Disability Rights California is the agency designated under federal law to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities. The mission of DRC is to defend, advance, and strengthen the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities.

Disability Rights Advocates (DRA)

Disability Rights Advocates has offices in California and New York, Disability Rights Advocates is the leading national nonprofit disability rights legal center. Its mission is to advance equal rights and opportunity for people with all types of disabilities nationwide. DRA represents people with all types of disabilities in complex, system-changing, class action cases. Thanks to DRA's precedent-setting work, people with disabilities across the country have dramatically improved access to education, health care, employment, transportation, disaster preparedness planning, voting, and housing.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: The release of this report marks a critical juncture for juvenile justice reform in California's Central Valley. While Kings County's excessive detention rates and punitive practices have persisted for years, the corroboration by state oversight agencies and the detailed documentation of disability-based discrimination creates unprecedented pressure for systemic change. The findings raise fundamental questions about whether detention facilities designed to rehabilitate young people can continue to employ tactics - like pepper spraying children in confined spaces and isolating youth with mental health needs for days - that experts across the nation have abandoned as both ineffective and traumatizing. As other jurisdictions successfully implement community-based alternatives that address behavioral issues without incarceration, Kings County faces a choice between maintaining a costly cycle of re-detention or investing in evidence-based interventions that actually serve the county's most vulnerable young residents - Disabled World (DW).

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Disability Rights Advocates and published on 2023/09/05, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.