lawsuit abuse youth lawyer Illinois juvenile detention.

Illinois has one of the nation’s worst problems with child sex abuse at juvenile detention centers. That’s according to attorneys representing more than 900 survivors who have filed lawsuits against the state. Dozens of complaints allege decades of systemic abuse by the employees at state and county-run facilities. Similar lawsuits have popped up in states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, but Illinois stands out for the volume of cases that began piling up only last year and the lackluster response from state leaders, according to attorneys. The latest Illinois complaints were filed Tuesday and represent 107 people at 10 centers statewide.