Illinois Youth Center-Joliet Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
- The Illinois Youth Center in Joliet was one of nine IYC locations across Illinois that housed juvenile offenders. The facility closed in 2013 for budgetary concerns.
- Between 2024 and 2025, more than 900 individuals have sued Illinois and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice for allegedly allowing sexual abuse to run rampant on their watch.
- Survivors of sexual abuse at IYC-Joliet and other Illinois juvenile detention centers have legal rights and options for seeking accountability and compensation.
Over the past two years, nearly one thousand alleged victims of sexual abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers, including the Illinois Youth Center in Joliet, have sued the state for allowing sexual abuse of minors in its juvenile justice facilities. If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse at IYC-Joliet or another state-run juvenile detention center, you may be able to hold the responsible parties liable.
What was the IYC Joliet?
The Illinois Youth Center-Joliet was the only all-male maximum-security facility in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice that housed maximum-security-classified youth, juvenile technical parole violators, and juvenile parolees charged with adult crimes in Cook County. The facility closed in 2013 due to state budget concerns. Before its closure, staff members faced criminal charges for sexually assaulting and abusing youth detainees. In 2012, a former youth supervisor at IYC-Joliet was sentenced to six years in prison for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old in custody in 2008.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Survey of Youth in Custody published in 2013, Illinois was one of the four worst states in the nation for sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers. The report found that 21% of inmates at IYC-Joliet reported having sexual contact with staff—more than twice the national average.
- What was the IYC Joliet?
- Reports of Sexual Abuse and Misconduct in Illinois Youth Centers
- Developments in Illinois Youth Center-Joliet Sex Abuse Lawsuits
- Rights and Options for Juvenile Detention Survivors in Illinois
- Frequently Asked Questions about Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse in Illinois
- Speak With an Experienced Sexual Abuse Attorney
Reports of Sexual Abuse and Misconduct in Illinois Youth Centers
The first major wave of sexual abuse lawsuits against Illinois juvenile detention centers came in May 2024, and as of late 2025, nearly 1,000 former detainees at Illinois youth detention facilities have sued the state for failing to protect them from predatory staff. Many plaintiffs reported being threatened or bribed to keep quiet. Survivors accuse the state, the Illinois Department of Corrections, and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice of failing to investigate allegations of abuse.
Survivors have alleged abuse that occurred as long ago as 1996 to as recently as 2023, involving alleged victims aged 9 to 17. The lawsuits filed so far allege abuse by prison officers, sergeants, nurses, therapists, a chaplain, and others at nine IYC locations across the state, including IYC-Joliet.
Developments in Illinois Youth Center-Joliet Sex Abuse Lawsuits
In May 2024, 95 former detainees from nine Illinois Youth Center locations, including Joliet, filed a lawsuit against the State of Illinois, the Illinois Department of Corrections, and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice for allowing sexual abuse to occur at IYC locations for decades. The lawsuit alleges that the state knew about the abuse for years, but still neglected to protect confined youth and implement policies to ensure protection.
According to the lawsuit, employees of the state’s Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice routinely sexually abused the plaintiffs when they were minors, or negligently failed to prevent sexual abuse from occurring while they were in state custody.
Rights and Options for Juvenile Detention Survivors in Illinois
Juvenile detention center sexual abuse survivors have the right to report to law enforcement and oversight agencies. Additionally, survivors may be able to file civil lawsuits against the state of Illinois for negligently allowing abuse to occur in state-run facilities.
Filing a Complaint with Oversight Agencies
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse while in the custody of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice at IYC-Joliet or another juvenile detention facility, you can call 217-557-1030 and dial 1 for Administration to report abuse. Sexual abuse and misconduct also can be reported to the state Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-2873.
Further, survivors and their loved ones can report childhood sexual abuse that occurred in state care to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services’ Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-722-9124.
Reporting to Law Enforcement
Any victim can begin the process of reporting juvenile detention center sexual abuse by contacting their local police agency over the phone or visiting the station in person. Most police departments have officers who are trained to interact with sexual assault victims and can help them determine their next steps.
We understand that some survivors may be hesitant to interact with law enforcement or reporting agencies. We recommend contacting an experienced sexual abuse attorney who can help you understand your rights and options.
Filing a Civil Lawsuit
Childhood sexual abuse survivors in Illinois can potentially file civil lawsuits against the perpetrators and enablers of the abuse, even if it occurred years or decades ago. Under Illinois’ statute of limitations, survivors have until their 38th birthday to file a lawsuit.
A civil lawsuit enables survivors to seek monetary compensation for the harm they endured and hold the responsible institution accountable, thereby preventing future harm. Helping Survivors can connect you with an experienced juvenile detention center abuse attorney for free today.
Frequently Asked Questions about Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse in Illinois
Can I File a Lawsuit if the Abuse Occurred Years Ago?
Under Illinois law, civil lawsuits for damages based on childhood sexual abuse must be commenced within 20 years of the victim’s 18th birthday or within 20 years of their discovery that the abuse caused harm.
What Compensation Can Survivors Receive?
When filing a lawsuit for juvenile detention sexual abuse, survivors may be able to recover various types of compensation through a settlement or jury award, including damages for medical bills, therapy costs, pain, suffering, emotional distress, and more. Sometimes, courts award survivors punitive damages if the defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious or negligent.
The amount of compensation you may be able to recover in a juvenile detention sex abuse lawsuit is determined by various factors, including the nature and severity of the abuse, its duration, your age when it occurred, and the long-term effects of the abuse.
Speak With an Experienced Sexual Abuse Attorney
If you or a loved one endured sexual abuse while detained at the Illinois Youth Center in Joliet or at another Illinois juvenile detention facility, you have legal rights and options for holding the responsible parties accountable.
At Helping Survivors, we work to heal, educate, and empower sexual abuse survivors by providing information, resources, and connections to our legal partners. These firms have years of experience litigating sexual abuse cases and work with survivors to file civil lawsuits against the individuals and institutions that perpetrated and enabled the abuse they endured.
By providing confidentiality, legal representation, and trauma-informed support, our legal partners help survivors obtain justice. To learn more about your legal rights and options after experiencing abuse, contact Helping Survivors today.
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