More than 350 former juvenile detainees say they were sexually abused while in the care of New Jersey or county facilities.

Some of them came forward to tell their stories for the first time and to ask the state for a full investigation.

"Two adults who were supposed to protect me and guide me used their power to hurt me," says Frederick Mable, one of the survivors.

"I was a child, I was supposed to be safe," echoes Jason Ackerson. "Instead, I was assaulted, threatened, and traumatized in a place that was supposed to help me turn my life around."

Some survivors tell Kane In Your Corner that when they tried to report the abuse, they faced retaliation.

The survivors who went public with their stories are among 352 currently suing New Jersey's county and state juvenile detention centers. The plaintiffs allege negligence in hiring, training and oversight of staff. Some allegations date back to the 1980s and involve kids as young as 12.

Attorney Clark Binkley, who represents survivors, is calling on the Murphy administration to take action.

"The governor and the attorney general have made a point of going after sexual abuse by the catholic church and other entities, so I think it makes sense to ask them what they think about what’s happening at their own facilities," Binkley says.

This isn't the first time that Kane In Your Corner has reported on the subject of juveniles being abused while in custody. In 2021, a series of investigations exposed how kids, now grown, were repeatedly abused while in the care of Warren County. Documents showed some Warren County officials were made aware of the abuse allegations but took no action. The county eventually settled three lawsuits for millions of dollars apiece.

Tyler Jones, press secretary for Gov. Phil Murphy, tells Kane In Your Corner, "the safety and well-being of New Jersey’s justice-involved youth has been a top priority of the Murphy Administration since Day 1." Jones points to an executive order establishing the Youth Justice Task Force, which Jones says will help build "a more equitable, restorative, and effective juvenile justice system."

The flurry of recent lawsuits was facilitated by a state law, passed in 2019, expanding the statute of limitations for child sex abuse survivors.