Los Angeles, California, Legal Blog

Juvenile detention facilities are designed to house young people who are in the custody and care of the state. Because detained youth cannot simply leave when they feel unsafe, staff members hold an unusual level of control over nearly every part of their daily lives....

Church youth programs are often intended to provide young people with community, mentorship, education, and spiritual guidance. Sunday schools, youth groups, retreats, mission trips, camps, and other church-sponsored activities can give children and teenagers...

Why Reporting Misconduct Can Feel So Risky  Reporting sexual abuse in a church program can take extraordinary courage. The person reporting may be a church employee, unpaid volunteer, congregant, parent, youth-program participant, or someone who depends on the...

Trust Should Never Be Used as Leverage  Clergy members are often invited into the most private parts of a person's life. Congregants may seek guidance during grief, illness, divorce, financial stress, family conflict, or a crisis of faith. A pastor, rabbi, imam,...

When a student or employee reports sexual harassment, they should be able to expect the school or educational institution to take the complaint seriously. A principal, administrator, human resources department, Title IX coordinator, or university official who receives...

Imagine a student whose teacher suggests that a better grade or a strong recommendation could depend on spending time together outside of class. The student feels uncomfortable but worries that saying no could affect an important academic opportunity. When an educator...

Sexual Harassment Can Follow Students Through School Sexual harassment can affect a student in an elementary school classroom, a high school hallway, a college residence hall, or a graduate research lab. It can also affect teachers, professors, coaches, counselors,...

Why Educator Misconduct Demands Attention Teachers, professors, coaches, counselors, and other educators hold positions of trust. They control access to instruction, grades, recommendations, playing time, opportunities, and—especially for younger students—daily...

Juvenile detention facilities are environments where young people are placed under the complete control and supervision of adults. Detention officers may control when youth eat, sleep, shower, leave their rooms, receive visitors, access recreation, and communicate...

Retail workplaces are often associated with busy sales floors, customer interactions, registers, and visible employee activity. But not every workplace interaction happens in public view. Behind the sales floor are break rooms, stockrooms, back offices, employee-only...