Lawsuit Information Center

This page examines sexual abuse lawsuits involving juvenile inmates at the Hulse Juvenile Detention Center in Vernon Hills, Illinois.​ Like other juvenile detention facilities across Illinois, the Hulse Juvenile Detention Center has faced serious allegations of sexual abuse, staff misconduct, and institutional neglect. Survivors have come forward with claims of abuse by staff members, inadequate supervision, and retaliation for reporting mistreatment. These patterns reflect broader systemic issues within Illinois’s juvenile detention system, where accountability has often been lacking.​

If you believe you have a potential sexual abuse lawsuit involving the Hulse Juvenile Detention Center, contact our sexual abuse lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation. We are committed to fighting for survivors and holding county officials accountable for the harm that was allowed to happen.​

The Hulse Juvenile Detention Center

Located in Vernon Hills, Illinois, the Hulse Juvenile Detention Center is Lake County’s primary facility for holding youth who have been arrested or charged with delinquent acts. Officially known as the Robert W. Depke Juvenile Complex Center, the facility is operated by the 19th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois and has historically served both pre-adjudicated and adjudicated youth. It is named after former Lake County Board Chairman Robert W. Depke.

The complex is not just a detention center. It also houses the FACE-IT Residential Treatment Program (Families Acting Collaboratively to Educate and Involve Teens), which is a court-mandated initiative aimed at rehabilitation rather than incarceration. FACE-IT is intended to provide counseling, therapy, and behavioral intervention services for male youth between the ages of 12 and 17. The program was designed to address underlying issues like substance abuse, family conflict, and mental health disorders that often contribute to juvenile delinquency. Youth in FACE-IT live in the facility for extended periods, with structured schedules that include schooling, therapy, and group sessions.

Publicly, the Hulse Center and its affiliated programs promote a mission of “accountability, support, and rehabilitation.” But reports from survivors and recent legal inquiries suggest a much darker reality inside the walls of the facility. Multiple allegations have surfaced indicating that youth were subjected to abuse, neglect, and mistreatment by staff members or by peers under staff supervision. Survivors have described a range of experiences, from verbal degradation and physical intimidation to outright sexual abuse.

Much of the scrutiny has centered on institutional failures that lead to sexual abuse, including a lack of oversight, insufficient staff training, and a culture of silence that allegedly allowed abusive behavior to continue unchecked. Some former residents allege that their complaints were ignored or retaliated against, creating an environment where reporting abuse felt unsafe or futile.  This was not just a Hulse problem.  It was, and still is, to a lesser degree, a national problem. These patterns are disturbingly similar to what has been documented in juvenile justice systems across the country.

This pain has been disproportionately felt by Illinois victims.  Since May 2024, approximately 800 individuals have filed lawsuits alleging sexual abuse during their time in Illinois juvenile detention centers, with incidents spanning from 1996 to 2023. These allegations include severe misconduct, such as rape, forced sexual acts, and physical assaults committed by staff members across various roles, including corrections officers and kitchen staff. Just an epic tragedy that is only now getting the attention it deserves. 

For many detained youth, safety was not a promise. It was a gamble.

Reports of Abuse and Neglect

The Hulse Juvenile Detention Center has been the subject of allegations involving sexual abuse, physical misconduct, and neglect. Survivors have reported being assaulted by staff and other detainees, often in areas with little supervision. Some incidents occurred in showers, cells, or during transport, where staff either failed to intervene or were directly involved.​

Internal documents and audits have revealed gaps in supervision and inconsistencies in incident reporting, raising questions about staff awareness and response to abuse. These systemic issues suggest that the facility’s environment allowed abuse to occur and persist.​

Patterns of Retaliation and Silence

Survivors have described a culture at Hulse where reporting abuse led to retaliation. Youth who spoke out faced isolation, loss of privileges, or further harassment by staff. This environment discouraged reporting and allowed abuse to continue unchecked.​

Institutional protection often took precedence over child protection. Administrators failed to act on credible warnings, and staff turnover was high without corresponding accountability. These patterns reflect a system more focused on preserving its reputation than ensuring the safety of its residents.​

A Missed Opportunity for Reform

Despite calls for reform, structural issues at Hulse remained largely unaddressed. Efforts to implement trauma-informed training, increase oversight, and establish clear reporting mechanisms were insufficient. Lawsuits allege that those responsible for responding to abuse reports participated in cover-ups or discouraged legal action.​

The failure to enact meaningful change highlights a lack of leadership and moral responsibility. The system’s design lacked adequate checks and safeguards, leading to ongoing harm for detained youth.​
Lawsuit Information Center

A facility cannot claim to protect children if it protects their abusers.

Hulse Sex Abuse Settlement Compensation Amounts

As of now, there have been no large-scale settlements tied specifically to Hulse-related sexual abuse claims. But comparable cases from other jurisdictions offer a useful benchmark for estimating potential compensation ranges and the legal frameworks shaping these outcomes. These examples help illustrate what survivors might expect if litigation tied to Hulse moves forward in a meaningful way.

For instance, in California, Los Angeles County agreed to pay over $4 billion to resolve more than 3,000 sexual abuse claims involving county-run juvenile halls and probation camps. This remains one of the largest government-funded sexual abuse settlements in U.S. history and underscores the scale of liability public institutions can face when systemic failures in oversight and protection are exposed. Similarly, in New Jersey, the state paid over $87 million to resolve lawsuits brought by survivors who alleged abuse in the custody of the Juvenile Justice Commission and other state-run youth facilities. Those cases also pointed to institutional cover-ups and long-standing patterns of neglect. These settlements send a clear message: institutions that fail to protect vulnerable youth can and will be held accountable.

How Is Settlement Compensation Calculated?

While every case is different, compensation in institutional sex abuse cases is generally based on several factors. These include the nature, severity, and duration of the abuse, the survivor’s age and vulnerability at the time, any efforts by the institution to conceal or ignore the abuse, and the ongoing impact on the survivor’s mental and physical health. In many of these MDLs and coordinated proceedings, additional weight is given to how many individuals were involved and whether systemic policies contributed to the harm.

If legal action related to Hulse follows a similar path, survivors may see similar forms of relief. Whether through a global settlement program or individual verdicts, these cases are about more than money. They are about giving survivors a voice and holding those in power accountable for years of inaction.

Settlement Compensation in Juvenile Detention Sexual Abuse Cases

Settlement amounts in juvenile detention sexual abuse lawsuits are often substantial, particularly in serious cases where compensation can reach into the millions. These high figures reflect the profound and lasting harm suffered by victims, the institutional failures that allowed the abuse to occur, and the significant resources required for survivors’ long-term recovery and support. In Illinois, many of these cases involve widespread negligence or misconduct within juvenile detention facilities. As a result, attorneys often pursue substantial settlements from the well-funded third parties responsible for the abuse.

Below is a summary of the handful of factors that tend to drive the settlement value of juvenile sex abuse lawsuits.

1. Severity and Duration of Abuse
The extent and length of the abuse are the most critical factors in determining compensation. Cases involving prolonged abuse or particularly violent acts typically command higher settlement amounts. Jurors and insurance carriers alike recognize the devastating emotional and physical toll such abuse inflicts on victims.

2. Impact on the Victim
The lasting effects of the abuse—especially on a victim’s mental health, daily functioning, and overall quality of life—are central to settlement negotiations. In Illinois, attorneys often use expert testimony from mental health professionals to illustrate the depth of trauma, which strengthens the case for higher compensation.

3. Institutional Negligence
The degree of institutional failure plays a major role in shaping the outcome of these lawsuits. Facilities with documented patterns of ignoring abuse reports or maintaining dangerous policies are more likely to face significant liability. When presented with evidence of systemic neglect or gross misconduct, juries are especially inclined to award large sums.

3. Identification of the Abuser
Being able to name the individual guard or staff member at the facility who committed the sexual abuse is NOT necessary. The victim’s testimony and a general description of the abuser is enough to bring a case. However, for cases where the victim is able to identify the abuser by name that information can sometimes increase the potential settlement value of the case.

Deadline For Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse Lawsuits in Illinois

Recent changes in Illinois law have strengthened the rights of childhood sexual abuse survivors, providing broader protections and more time to pursue justice. For incidents that occurred on or after August 20, 2019, there is no statute of limitations—survivors may file a civil lawsuit at any time.

For abuse that occurred prior to that date, survivors typically have until they turn 38 years old, or 20 years from the date they discovered that the abuse caused their injuries—whichever period provides more time.  It’s important to note that the 20-year “discovery rule” can be more complex than it appears. Courts don’t rely solely on when a survivor personally believes they made the connection between the abuse and the resulting harm. Instead, judges consider when a reasonable person in similar circumstances would have recognized the link. This means the legal clock may begin ticking earlier than some survivors realize.

Know Your Rights and Legal Options

Under Illinois law, minors in detention cannot legally consent to sexual activity with adults in authority. Such behavior is presumed coercive and abusive. Survivors of sexual abuse at the Hulse Juvenile Detention Center have the right to pursue civil claims, even years after the abuse occurred, under Illinois statute 735 ILCS 5/13-202.2.​

Damages may include compensation for emotional trauma, therapy costs, loss of educational opportunities, physical injury, and long-term psychological harm. Many lawsuits also seek systemic reform to prevent future abuse and ensure safer conditions for detainees.​

Contact Our Attorneys

If you or a loved one suffered abuse at the Hulse Juvenile Detention Center, we want to hear your story. Our lawyers offer free, confidential consultations and fight tirelessly for survivors of institutional abuse. You pay nothing unless we win your case.​

Call us at 800-553-8082 or contact us online to learn more about your legal rights.

This page looks at sexual abuse lawsuits involving juvenile inmates at the Winnebago County Juvenile Detention Center in Rockford, Illinois.

Like many juvenile detention facilities across Illinois, reports of sexual abuse, violence, and neglect have plagued the Winnebago County Juvenile Detention Center for years. Youth detained at the facility have alleged abuse by staff, inadequate supervision, and retaliation when reporting mistreatment. These troubling patterns reflect a broader systemic issue across Illinois juvenile detention facilities, where accountability has long been elusive. Survivors are now stepping forward to file lawsuits, demanding justice and systemic reform.

If you believe you have a potential sex abuse lawsuit involving the Winnebago County Juvenile Detention Center, contact our sex abuse lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation. We are committed to fighting for survivors and holding county officials accountable for the harm that was allowed to happen.

This page addresses sexual abuse lawsuits involving juvenile inmates at the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center.

Like many detention facilities across Illinois, Peoria’s juvenile detention center has faced troubling allegations of abuse, misconduct, and failure to protect the vulnerable youth in its custody. What was supposed to be a temporary holding facility has, for some, become the place where their lives were permanently changed. Behind locked doors, the harm that occurred was not always seen, but it was deeply felt. Survivors are now coming forward, and lawsuits are beginning to reveal what happened inside this mid-sized facility.

If you believe you have a potential sex abuse lawsuit involving the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center, contact our Illinois sex abuse lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or request a free online consultation. You may be entitled to compensation and accountability for what you experienced.

The Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center

The Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center (PCJDC) is a secure detention facility located in downtown Peoria, Illinois, with a rated capacity of approximately 63 youth. The Peoria County Juvenile Probation Department operates it and serves as a short-term holding center for minors who are awaiting court proceedings, sentencing, or placement into a long-term program. Though smaller in size than state-run institutions like IYC St. Charles or IYC Harrisburg, the risks inside this facility are no less serious. In many ways, youth in local detention centers like Peoria are even more vulnerable due to fewer layers of external oversight, limited mental health staffing, and less frequent state-level inspections.

PCJDC has three living pods (Pods A, B, and C). Each pod has three separate living spaces surrounding a dayroom. Each pod  has a separate outdoor recreation space, accessible from the pod dayroom.  The facility has two gyms, one of which contains weight-training equipment and a school area with multiple classrooms.

Guards / correctional officers at PCJDC are referred to as “Youth Development Specialists.” The facility is supposed to have 30-35 of Youth Development Specialists on staff, but PCJDC has had chronic issues with understaffing. During an inspection in 2022, there were only 18 staff employed at the time. Peoria maintains an active training program for all its staff and employees. Staff are required to conduct online education and training through the Relias system, as well as some in person education.

Allegations of Abuse at PCJDC

Like many juvenile detention facilities across Illinois, the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center has received criticism from juvenile justice reform advocates for inadequate staff training, poor living conditions, and inconsistent supervision protocols. These are the same conditions that often create an environment where abuse—whether physical, emotional, or sexual—can occur undetected or unaddressed. While specific allegations of sexual abuse at the Peoria facility have historically flown under the radar, that silence does not mean abuse has not occurred. Survivors often wait years before coming forward, especially when the abuse happened inside an institution where they were told to stay quiet, follow orders, and not question authority.

Juvenile detainees in Peoria have reported being kept in cells for extended periods without access to fresh air, education, or adequate psychological care. Some former residents describe being humiliated by staff, punished without explanation, and ignored when they asked for help. The facility’s limited capacity also means that juveniles with vastly different needs—those with minor offenses and those facing serious charges—are often housed together, creating an unpredictable and unsafe environment.

In a place where you have no control over your body, your time, or your safety, even small acts of abuse can feel like the end of the world—and often leave damage that lasts for years.

Sexual Abuse and Civil Lawsuits Filed by Survivors

If you were sexually abused while detained at the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center, you are not alone. Survivors are now coming forward to file civil lawsuits that name county facilities like this one. These lawsuits are not limited to isolated incidents. Many of them expose a deeper, more systemic failure by counties to properly train staff, prevent abuse, and respond appropriately when something goes wrong.

Survivors have described staff members who abused their power to control, manipulate, or exploit vulnerable youth. Some stood by while other residents inflicted harm. Others failed to take action when reports were made—creating an environment where silence was safer than speaking up. And in a locked facility, where every aspect of a young person’s life is controlled, that silence can be deadly.

Those filing civil lawsuits may be eligible to recover compensation for a wide range of harm, including:

• Psychological trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and long-term emotional distress
• Ongoing costs of therapy, psychiatric care, and support services
• Physical injuries or pain stemming from sexual or physical assaults
• Loss of trust in authority, educational disruption, and barriers to adult independence
• Pain and suffering resulting from institutional betrayal and humiliation

For some, these lawsuits are about financial recovery. For others, they are about making sure that what happened to them is finally acknowledged. Filing a lawsuit may also be a way to force change, ensuring that future children in Peoria County are not put through what you experienced. Either way, you deserve to be heard. And you have the legal right to come forward.

Oversight Failures and County Responsibility

When abuse happens inside a juvenile detention facility, it is not just the abuser who is responsible. The county that runs the facility and the officials who are supposed to oversee it carry legal and moral responsibility for what took place. In the case of the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center, that responsibility falls on Peoria County, its juvenile probation department, and its facility administrators.

Detention facilities are not private homes. They are taxpayer-funded institutions. That means they are required to follow clear rules and policies on how to train staff, supervise youth, report abuse, and protect children in their care. When those systems fail—when staff members are not properly screened, when abuse reports go unanswered, or when victims are punished for speaking up—it is the result of negligence at the top.

Survivors who are now filing lawsuits against Peoria County are not just calling out the individuals who harmed them. They are also holding the county accountable for years of inaction, mismanagement, and silence. These cases are about recognizing that abuse behind locked doors does not happen in isolation. It happens when leadership looks away, when oversight is weak, and when policies exist only on paper.

Institutions fail when they treat children like inmates to be controlled, not lives to be protected.

Illinois law allows survivors to bring claims against counties and public entities when their failure to act created the conditions for abuse to occur. These claims are a powerful tool for exposing what went wrong—and forcing meaningful change. If you experienced abuse at the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center, your story may help ensure no child is ever left that vulnerable again.

Your Rights Under Illinois Law

Under Illinois law, sexual abuse of a minor is always illegal. It does not matter whether the youth appeared to comply or whether the adult was a staff member, contractor, or volunteer. Consent does not apply to these situations. The law recognizes the clear imbalance of power and the impossibility of true voluntary agreement in a custodial environment.

Illinois law prohibits sexual conduct between any staff member and a juvenile in custody. This includes guards, counselors, probation officers, or anyone else in a position of authority. The law also allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits even many years after the abuse occurred.

Deadline for Filing a Sex Abuse Lawsuit in Illinois

Thanks to changes in Illinois law, survivors of childhood sexual abuse now have stronger protections and more time to seek justice. For abuse that occurred on or after August 20, 2019, there is no statute of limitations. Survivors may file a civil lawsuit at any time.

For abuse that occurred before that date, survivors generally have until they are thirty-eight years old, or twenty years after they first realized the abuse caused their injuries, whichever allows more time. This is outlined in the Illinois Childhood Sexual Abuse Statute at 735 ILCS 5/13-202.2.

It is important to understand that the twenty-year discovery rule is not always as straightforward as it may seem. Courts do not rely solely on when a survivor believes they made the connection. Judges often ask when a reasonable person in similar circumstances should have connected the abuse to their harm. In some cases, that clock may start earlier than you expect.

If you are considering a lawsuit, it is important to speak with a qualified attorney who understands how these rules apply. You may still be eligible to file a claim, even if the abuse happened many years ago. But the safest course is to have your situation evaluated as soon as possible.

Settlement Value of PCJDC Sex Abuse Lawsuits

The potential settlement amounts and jury payouts in Illinois juvenile detention center sex abuse lawsuits depend on a combination of legal strategy, institutional accountability, and whether the state chooses to settle or fight. Below are the key factors that influence potential compensation for survivors.

Severity and Impact of the Abuse: The extent of the abuse suffered plays a major role in determining settlement payouts. Lawsuits involving severe and repeated abuse—especially those with documented PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other lasting mental health conditions—typically result in higher jury verdicts and settlement amounts. Even without a formal diagnosis, victims can still present a strong claim. Expert testimony from psychologists and psychiatrists can help establish the long-term damage caused by the abuse.

Strength of Evidence and Institutional Negligence: A victim’s testimony can be enough to establish that abuse occurred.  It is important to make that crystal clear. But additional evidence makes it much harder for institutions to deny responsibility. Internal reports, witness statements, prior complaints against abusers—these details increase settlement value. If records show that administrators ignored warnings or allowed abusers to remain in contact with children, settlements tend to increase significantly. Some institutions do everything they can to protect themselves. When systemic negligence is proven, jury awards can be through the roof and that is reflected in compensation amounts.

Age of the Victim at the Time of Abuse: The younger the victim, the greater the long-term consequences. This is less about what happened at the time of the abuse, as awful as that was.  It is more about how that trauma follows victims into adulthood, affecting their education, relationships, and career opportunities. Younger victims often receive higher settlement compenation because their road to recovery is longer and more difficult.

Identification of the Perpetrator: Identifying the abuser is not required for a successful claim. However, it strengthens the case, especially if the perpetrator has a history of misconduct. If records show that the institution ignored previous reports of abuse, it becomes much harder for the defense to argue against liability. This often leads to higher settlement payouts.

Talk to a Lawyer Today

If you were abused while held at the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center, you deserve to be heard. The pain you carry is real, and so is your right to seek justice. Our legal team is here to help survivors take back their voices and hold institutions accountable for the harm they allowed to happen.

We offer free, confidential consultations. There is no cost unless we win your case. Our attorneys understand how to approach these cases with care, privacy, and strength.

Call us today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online to learn more about your options. You have been silenced long enough. Let us help you take the next step.