Investigating Claims at ACS Non-Secure Detention Facilities
Non-secure detention (NSD) is a less restrictive option than secure detention for youth with pending Family Court cases. These placements are operated for New York City's Administration for Children's Services (ACS) by contracted providers in group-home settings, without the physically restrictive hardware of secure detention — but youth remain in the custody of the system and under the care of staff.
New York City's Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law allows survivors of gender-motivated violence, including sexual abuse, to bring civil claims against the individuals and institutions connected to the abuse, and a filing window is currently open. Whether any particular claim succeeds is decided in court; bringing a claim is an allegation, not a finding of liability. 1
The publicly documented civil litigation and criminal matters to date concern ACS secure juvenile-detention facilities — Crossroads, Horizon, and the closed Spofford center — where more than 539 civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse have been filed against the City. 2 We are investigating possible claims involving ACS non-secure detention facilities. If you experienced abuse in one of these settings, you can contact us for a confidential review of whether a GMVA claim may be available to you. These would be allegations that have not been proven in court.
Three quiet steps, on your terms
- 1You tell us as much or as little as you want.A confidential conversation with our team — by phone or online. You stay in control of the pace.
- 2We review whether you have a claim.At no cost, against the facts and the law — and we tell you honestly either way.
- 3You decide what happens next.If you choose to move forward, you pay nothing unless we win for you.
Sources & authorities
Cited to court records and government sources · Accessed June 2026