Sexual Abuse in Illinois Youth Detention Centers
Youth detention centers in Illinois are supposed to help young people get their lives back on track. But sadly, many of these facilities have (and have had for many years) a serious problem invovling sexual abuse against the young people staying there.
Many victims don’t speak up about the abuse they suffer. They might feel vulnerable, afraid or ashamed. But more and more, this abuse is coming to light. Victims are now looking for legal help to take action and hold their abusers responsible.
Our Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Lawyers can help. Our main priority is to help sexual abuse victims who want to take legal action against their abusers and the institutions responsible. Our lawyers who specialize in youth center abuse in Illinois are here to help you through the whole legal process of getting compensation. Call us right away. You will get:
- A 100% free, zero-obligation consultation
- Completely confidential consultation
- Advice on what to do
- If we accept your case, you don’t pay us anything at all unless we win and recover money for you
Why Choose Our Sexual Abuse Lawyers?
Our attorneys have an incredible reputation of getting very large settlements, verdicts, (and maybe most importantly) justice for our clients. We have been able to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdits for our clients. We have a powerful and long track record of fighting for the most money possible in sexual abuse cases. This helps many of our clients seek justice for what happened to them.
If you or a family member was a victim at any of these facilities, please contact us right away:
Juvenile Detention Centers in Illinois
Adams County Juvenile Detention
Superintendent: John Jones
Address: 200 N. 52nd Street, Quincy, IL 62301
Phone: 217-277-2233
Champaign County Detention
Superintendent: Connie Kaiser
Address: 400 Art Bartell Drive, Urbana, IL 61802
Phone: 217-384-3780
Cook County Juvenile Detention
Superintendent: Stewart Williams
Address: 1100 South Hamilton Ave, Chicago, IL 60612-4284
Phone: 312-738-8200
Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center
Superintendent: Shawn Freeman
Address: 409 East Washington, Benton, IL 62812
Phone: 618-438-2222
Kane County Juvenile Detention Center
Superintendent: Rick Anselme
Address: 37W655, Rt. #38, St. Charles, IL 60175
Phone: 630-406-7480
Mary Davis Detention Home
Superintendent: Rodney L. Cleair
Address: 1319 East Fifth Street, Galesburg, IL 61401
Phone: 309-343-5112
Hulse Detention Center – Lake County
Superintendent: Susan G. Korpai
Address: 24657 N. Milwaukee Ave, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Phone: 847-913-1105
LaSalle County Detention Home
Superintendent: Pat Sweeney
Address: 707 Etna Road, Ottawa, IL 61350
Phone: 815-434-8300
Madison County Detention
Superintendent: Steven Bowker
Address: 100 West Fifth Ave, Edwardsville, IL 62025
Phone: 618-692-1002
McLean County Detention
Superintendent: Cathy Waltz
Address: 903 North Main Street, Normal, IL 61761
Phone: 309-888-5550
Peoria County Detention Center
Superintendent: Brian Brown
Address: 223 N. Maxwell Road, Peoria, IL 61604
Phone: 309-634-4200
St. Clair County Detention
Superintendent: Don Schaefer
Address: 9006 Lebanon Road, Belleville, IL 62223
Phone: 618-397-0766
Sangamon County/Custody Services Division
Superintendent: Toni Perry
Address: 2201 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, IL 62703
Phone: 217-747-8000
River Valley Justice Center – Will County Juvenile Detention
Superintendent: John Prinzi
Address: 3200 W. McDonough St, Joliet, IL 60436
Phone: 815-730-7070
Vermilion County Juvenile Detention Center
Superintendent: Judy J. Hartshorn
Address: 150 Sager, Danville, IL 61832
Phone: 217-431-6691
Winnebago County Juvenile Detention Center
Deputy Director: Bill Vedra
Address: 5350 Northrock Drive, Rockford, IL 61103
Phone: 815-282-6878
Experience in Filing Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
Our law firm knows how to file sex abuse cases. It’s what we specialize in. Our caring legal team understands the special things that need to be considered when building these complicated cases. The laws about time limits for filing cases and what’s allowed in court keep changing. We stay up to date on everything important for these cases.
Your Privacy is Very Important to You and Us!
No one wants the painful details of their sexual assault to be public. We promise to keep everything private throughout the process. In some cases, we can even file as a Jane Doe or John Doe in court records to keep things more private.
From your first free and private meeting with us, anything you share stays between us. This is called attorney-client privilege. We’ll go over any testimony or evidence that will be shared during your case so that you feel comfortable moving forward. If you decide you don’t want to file a lawsuit after talking to us, you don’t have to.
We Can Help You No Matter Where You Live – We Handle Cases Nationwide
We help clients who suffered childhood sexual abuse all across the United States. We have the resources and experience to build a strong case for you to get compensation. If you live in Illinois now or spent time in a county youth detention center here as a teen, we can help you build a strong case.
We’ve Won Big Settlements Before
Our Juvenile Hall sexual abuse victim lawyers have recovered very large settlements and jury awards. We’re confident we can build the strongest case possible to fight for the most compensation in your case.
We don’t just look at what you’ve lost already. We also build a case that shows how sexual abuse will unfairly affect you in the future. We’ll do everything we can to get you the most money possible. We can help you if you or your family member was assaulted at any of these types of facilities:
- Youth detention facility
- Juvenile hall
- Youth correctional facility
- Juvenile correctional facility
- Youth development center
- Juvenile justice center
- Youth rehabilitation center
- Juvenile residential facility
- Secure youth facility
- Youth treatment center
- Juvenile custody center
- Youth services center
- Juvenile camp
- Youth reform school
- Juvenile detention home
Understanding Illinois Youth Center Sexual Abuse
Both sexual and physical abuse happen a lot in Illinois youth centers used for juvenile detention. In Illinois, more than 15% of youth in county juvenile detention centers face sexual abuse.
Most victims don’t report their sexual assaults to the staff at juvenile detention facilities. When they do, they risk getting hurt again by staff or their attackers. When abuse is reported, the staff might not do much to stop it or report it properly to the right people. A research study showed that data on abuse was missing for Illinois.
According to its own reports, the state doesn’t often seriously investigate claims of misconduct against staff members. In the most recent report, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice said that all five reports of staff-related sexual harassment and misconduct were unproven, even though the rate of sexual abuse is so high.
Common Forms of Youth Detention Center Abuse
Even though many cases of sexual abuse aren’t reported, from what is reported, we can see that different types of childhood sexual abuse regularly happen in juvenile detention centers.
Child Sexual Abuse
Sadly, many children are sexually abused in juvenile detention facilities. This happens in different ways, but all types cause severe psychological harm and emotional trauma.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault can range from unwanted sexual contact or being sexually molested to very serious sexual abuse. In past cases, many different employees have been held responsible, from juvenile justice specialists to counselors and teachers.
Often, these cases have both a civil case (for money) and a criminal case (for punishment). The state might charge the person responsible with misdemeanor criminal sexual abuse, felony official misconduct, or multiple felony counts of child abuse. Even if the state doesn’t file criminal charges, you can still file a civil claim with our help.
Youth Inmate Abuse
If not watched properly, children can suffer from sexual or physical abuse from other young people in detention. It’s possible to hold the attacker and their family responsible. But in the end, it’s still the job of juvenile detention facilities to watch the behavior of residents and protect them from abuse.
Staff Sexual Misconduct
One of the most common forms of sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers is when staff members sexually abuse youth. Young people living in a juvenile detention center can’t legally agree to sexual contact, even if they’re 18 years old. It’s an abuse of power and against the law.
Inappropriate Touching
Any inappropriate touching is a type of sexual abuse in Illinois juvenile detention facilities. Whether it’s brushing a hand over a thigh during a search or sexual molestation, this can count as sexual assault.
Unlawful Strip Searches
Even though they’re in detention, Illinois youth have the right to dignity and respect. Unnecessary and illegal strip searches subject youth to humiliation and fear. It can be a form of sexual abuse and a punishment for youth who don’t comply with demands for other sexual acts.
Who Can File a Youth Detention Center Sexual Abuse Claim in Illinois
Generally, two groups of people can file civil lawsuits against Illinois youth detention facilities:
Sexual Abuse Victims
People who have been sexually abused while living in a juvenile detention facility can file their own lawsuits against the juvenile detention center and the sexual predators who worked there. As minors, child victims may need the help of their parents or legal guardians. However, many victims come forward as adults to exercise their legal rights to compensation.
Parents or Legal Guardians
Parents or legal guardians who discover sex abuse may decide to pursue justice while their child is still a minor. They may opt to take legal action, whether or not the victim wants to do so, as a way to hold the juvenile detention center accountable for what happened.
Criminal Cases of Sexual Abuse in Illinois Youth Centers
As of 2024, hundreds of people have come forward with allegations against Youth Centers operated by the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. The abuse allegations happened at nine youth centers. By coming forward, these former Illinois youth hope to prevent future abuse from happening.
Unfortunately, the claims of sexual abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers are not new. Over the past 15 to 20 years, numerous cases have been settled for victims who were sexually abused. In 2008, Illinois juvenile detention center guard Thomas O’Donnell pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy. The case resulted in a $900,000 settlement.
The Time Limit for Filing a Lawsuit in Illinois
The time limit for filing a lawsuit is called the statute of limitations. It refers to how long you have to file a claim in civil court.
Previously, the time limit in Illinois for filing a lawsuit after suffering sexual abuse as a child was 20 years after turning 18. This meant that victims needed to file their claims against the Illinois juvenile detention centers by the time they were 38 years old. Many victims need a lot of time to process everything that happened to them. They may not be ready at age 38.
In 2019, a new law was passed that removes the time limit for child sexual abuse claims. This means that child sex abuse victims can come forward at any time. However, the law was not retroactive. If the time limit has already passed on your case, you may not be able to file a claim under this new law.
How Our Illinois Youth Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawyers Can Help
Our legal team is here to help you file your civil claim for juvenile detention center sexual abuse. We will help you seek justice through the civil court system and stand by you every step of the way.