Illinois Hit With 900 Abuse Lawsuits Over Juvenile Detention Centers

Illinois is confronting a surge of litigation over decades-old sexual abuse allegations in its juvenile detention system, after lawyers filed 107 additional complaints this week. The latest suits lift the number of former detainees seeking damages to more than 900, covering incidents said to have occurred between 1995 and 2022 at Illinois Youth Centers and the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. Plaintiffs describe rape, groping and other assaults carried out by staff while they were in state custody. Attorneys from firms including Bailey & Glasser and Levy Konigsberg argue that the breadth of the accusations gives Illinois one of the worst records for child sexual abuse in juvenile lockups nationwide. The lawsuits name the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, the Illinois Department of Corrections and Cook County as defendants, alleging systemic failures to protect minors and hold employees accountable. The Department of Juvenile Justice said it is aware of the filings and cited updated policies aimed at detecting misconduct but declined further comment on the active cases. Lawyers representing survivors say they are seeking compensation and institutional reforms to prevent future abuse. They warn that the financial exposure for the state could be substantial given the scale and severity of the claims.