Illinois Juvenile Detention Center Abuse: Get Help
Individuals impacted by physical or sexual abuse in an Illinois juvenile detention center have legal rights and options. Helping Survivors can help you understand them if you reach out to us today.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
Key Takeaways
- There have been dozens of reports of physical and sexual abuse within the Illinois juvenile detention center system, including several incidents that resulted in facility closures in 2024.
- While the media is finally talking about this epidemic, many individuals are still being impacted or were impacted years ago and have yet to seek help and healing.
- If you or someone you know experienced sexual violence in an Illinois juvenile detention center, you have rights and options, including the ability to file a civil lawsuit against the facility.
Juvenile Detention Center Abuse in Illinois: An Overview
Juvenile detention centers generally are short-term confinement facilities used to detain minors accused of crimes while criminal proceedings are pending. While some individuals might only spend a few weeks in a juvenile detention center facility, others might spend years.
Studies show that juvenile detention centers have incredibly high rates of sexual victimization—even higher than those of adult prisons and jails.
The physical, emotional, and sexual abuse within Illinois juvenile detention centers is often the highest in the nation. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2012 National Survey of Youth in Custody, Illinois was among the four worst states in the nation for sexual abuse in juvenile detention facilities.
The DOJ report showed that 15 percent of youth inmate respondents in Illinois facilities have reported experiencing some form of sexual victimization—roughly 35 percent higher than the national average for such facilities.
These results were horrifying, and the survey has prompted an investigation by the state legislature. However, the abuse has not stopped happening in these centers.
It is apparent that hundreds to thousands of individuals have been impacted by abuse in Illinois detention centers over the decades. If you or someone you know has experienced physical, emotional, or sexual abuse while in an Illinois juvenile detention center, you have rights and options. We can help you understand them. Continue reading and contact us for more personalized information based on your experience.
- Juvenile Detention Center Abuse in Illinois: An Overview
- Illinois Juvenile Detention Center Abuse: Examples & How to Get Help
- Rights and Options for Individuals Impacted by Juvenile Detention Center Abuse in Illinois
- How an Experienced Juvenile Detention Center Abuse Lawyer Can Help Today
- Want To Speak With A Lawyer?
Illinois Juvenile Detention Center Abuse: Examples, Locations, & Media Attention
While some examples of abuse in juvenile detention centers are clear, others may be harder for those impacted to label and process. Based on media reports, public filings, and lawsuits filed against Illinois detention center facilities and employees, specific patterns of abuse have come to light.
Examples of Illinois Juvenile Detention Center Abuse
If you experienced any of the following forms of abuse, you have rights and options to seek help and healing. These options may differ depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the harm, including the statute of limitations, so speaking to someone as soon as possible is critical.
Some examples of abusive conduct include the following:
- Strip searches
- Inappropriate sexual comments
- Inappropriate touching
- Molestation
- Sexual assault, including forced oral sex and rape
- Being given food, drugs, cellphones, or contraband in exchange for sexual acts
- Use of restraint chairs
- Physical abuse, including beatings, headlocks, and kicking
While this is not a complete list of harm that could occur in these types of facilities, these are all real-life examples of juvenile detention center abuse reported in Illinois facilities.
Even if you believed at the time you consented to the acts, the law may still deem the acts nonconsensual. Under Illinois law, minors under 17 lack the legal capacity to consent to sexual activity. In addition, detention center guards and staff members cannot invoke consent as a defense in cases involving older detainees. Any consent is invalid because they hold a position of authority and control over the detainee.
List of Juvenile Detention Centers in Illinois
There are multiple juvenile detention center facilities in Illinois—some have been closed down due to the abuse allegations while many are still operating.
The following is a list of the juvenile detention centers in Illinois:
- Illinois Youth Center
- Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, also known as Audy Home
- PEACE Center at St. Charles
- IYC Per Marquette
- IYC St. Charles
- IYC Chicago
- IYC Warrensville
- IYC Harrisburg
- Adams County Juvenile Detention Center in Quincy, IL
- Champaign County Juvenile Detention Center in Urbana, IL
- St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center in Belleville, IL
- Vermilion County Juvenile Detention Center in Danville, IL
- Winnebago County Juvenile Detention Center in Rockford, IL
- Kane County Juvenile Justice Center in St. Charles, IL
- Knox County Mary Davis Detention Home in Galesburg, IL
- McLean County Juvenile Detention Center in Normal, IL
- Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center in Peoria, IL
- Lake County Hulse Detention Center in Vernon Hills, IL
- LaSalle County Juvenile Detention Center in Ottawa, IL
- Madison County Juvenile Detention Center in Edwardsville, IL
- Sangamon County Juvenile Center in Springfield, IL
- IYC Joliet – also known as Will County River Valley Justice Center (closed)
- IYC Kewanee (closed)
If you have experienced physical or sexual abuse in any of these facilities, you may be entitled to seek monetary compensation for the harm that happened to you.
Media Attention: Juvenile Detention Center Abuse in Illinois
May 17, 2024: Youth detention facilities face increased scrutiny amid a wave of abuse lawsuits
Nearly 20 years ago, Jeffery Christian, then a teenager, was sent to a southern Illinois juvenile detention center, where he expected support for personal growth. Instead, he was subjected to severe sexual abuse and neglect by staff.
His lawsuit is part of a recent wave of lawsuits against Illinois juvenile detention centers involving over 90 plaintiffs. These suits allege systemic abuse in these facilities, similar to cases emerging nationwide, including in New York City, Maryland, and New Jersey.
These lawsuits describe rape, forced sexual acts, and abusive rewards and punishments by those meant to protect and rehabilitate troubled youths. Experts highlight the inherent dangers in such facilities, emphasizing the need for high-quality leadership and independent monitoring. They acknowledge that many children should never be placed in these environments, which aren’t conducive to helping children with perceived behavioral issues.
January 4, 2024: Illinois Judge Closes Juvenile Detention Center After ‘Facility in Crisis’ Fails to Meet New State Standards
The judge overseeing the troubled Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center in southern Illinois ordered its closure as of December 31, 2023, due to staffing shortages that hindered compliance with new state standards for youth treatment.
This decision follows a November report by Capitol News Illinois and ProPublica highlighting the state’s lax enforcement despite poor audit findings. The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice issued updated standards in 2021 to improve mental health services and education and limit restraints and seclusion. However, inspections revealed the facility failed to meet these requirements, leading to a 2023 ACLU lawsuit alleging constitutional rights violations through excessive restraint and lack of adequate services.
July 2, 2023: Children face solitary confinement in Illinois jail, ACLU alleges
A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union alleges that children as young as 11 are subjected to solitary confinement for up to 23 hours daily at the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center in Illinois. The suit accuses the facility of allowing unsafe conditions, violating children’s rights, and depriving them of education. Children need staff permission for basic tasks like flushing toilets and go weeks without school lessons, the suit says. Additionally, the facility allegedly exposes children to hazards issues like black mold and lacks mental health professionals.
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Rights and Options for Individuals Impacted by Juvenile Detention Center Abuse in Illinois
Those sent to juvenile detention centers have already likely experienced psychological and physical traumas as children and teenagers. Studies show that minors who act out in ways that result in detention at these facilities have already suffered childhood sexual and physical trauma at high rates.
However, rather than finding a place to heal and learn new skills at these detention facilities, they are subjected to further harm and traumatization. Hundreds of individuals have already bravely come forward to speak out against juvenile detention center abuse and seek help and healing.
If you experienced abuse at a juvenile detention center in Illinois, you have rights and options, including reporting the abuse to the state, filing a civil lawsuit, speaking to the media, and seeking mental health resources. Your legal right to file a civil lawsuit will depend on Illinois’ statute of limitations, which sets the deadline for filing suit. However, determining the deadline that applies to your case can be complicated.
Helping Survivors works with experienced juvenile detention center abuse lawyers who can answer your questions and explain your rights and options. If you reach out to us, we can connect you with someone today.
File a Civil Lawsuit for Illinois Juvenile Detention Center Abuse
If you have experienced physical or sexual abuse in an Illinois juvenile detention center, you may be entitled to file a civil lawsuit or participate in an existing one against the state, the facility, and the individuals who caused the harm.
Sexual abuse lawsuits, like other injury claims, are subject to a legal deadline called the statute of limitations. Once this deadline passes, victims can no longer file a claim or seek compensation.
Determining the statute of limitations for your claim can be complex due to various factors. In Illinois, the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse claims brought by victims abused as minors generally follows these guidelines:
In Illinois, survivors of sexual abuse as a minor generally have 20 years from the date they turn 18—their 38th birthday—to file a civil lawsuit.
If you have experienced sexual abuse while in an Illinois juvenile detention facility, the best way to understand the statute of limitations for your case is to consult a lawyer. Helping Survivors can connect you with an attorney who can advise you about the deadline that applies to your case and ensure you file suit on time.
Report to the Illinois Oversight Board
Individuals can also report sexual abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers to the state board that oversees these organizations. The department overseeing youth centers in Illinois is the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission. They offer a helpline that can be reached at 1-800-843-6154. For deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, they offer a TTY line at 1-866-324-5553.
Please note: We highly recommend you speak to an experienced juvenile detention center abuse attorney before contacting the state board. They can protect your rights during the reporting process. Helping Survivors can put you in touch with an experienced attorney today.
Report to Law Enforcement
Reporting the abuse to law enforcement can be a daunting task for survivors of juvenile detention center abuse, especially if the abuse came at the hands of individuals associated with law enforcement, such as a correctional officer, police officer, or other staff member.
If the individual experiencing juvenile detention center sexual abuse is still in the juvenile system, they may not feel safe to report the abuse themselves. However, a trusted individual on the outside can help them explore their rights and options. Start by speaking to an experienced attorney, who can ensure the individual doesn’t experience retaliatory abuse while seeking help.
If the abuse happened a long time ago, you still have a right to report the abuse to law enforcement. However, the ability of the state to prosecute the offense will depend on various factors, including the availability of evidence.
Helping Survivors can help you understand the process for reporting abuse to law enforcement should you wish to take this step.
How an Experienced Juvenile Detention Center Abuse Lawyer Can Help Today
If you have suffered harm from a sexual assault, abuse, or harassment while in an Illinois juvenile detention center, you may be entitled to pursue legal action by filing a civil lawsuit against the facility. Legal action against a juvenile detention center can help you secure compensation to cover the resources you need to recover from the harm.
An experienced lawyer specializing in juvenile detention center abuse can advise you of your legal rights and do the following:
- Investigate and gather evidence of the abuse
- Prepare and submit a report to the authorities, such as the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission
- Report the incident to law enforcement if it hasn’t been done yet
- Initiate a sexual abuse lawsuit against the juvenile detention center on your behalf
- Manage all communications with the detention center, their legal representatives, and the courts
- Guide you through the deposition process, where parties and witnesses provide testimony under oath
- Negotiate with facility representatives for a potential settlement
- File the lawsuit under seal or anonymously to protect your identity as allowed by law
- Advocate for your best interests throughout the case
- Represent you in all court proceedings related to the case
Finding a trustworthy lawyer can be overwhelming, especially after such a traumatic experience. At Helping Survivors, we collaborate with experienced law firms nationwide that assist survivors of all forms of sexual abuse, including those with expertise in juvenile detention center abuse cases.
Every law firm we work with has trauma-informed professionals who are fierce advocates in the courtroom. They also offer free consultations and take cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront fees, and they only get paid if and when they win. Contact us today, and we will do everything possible to help you.
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