Who the claim is against
IDJJ runs the state youth centres today. Before July 2006, the same facilities were run by the Illinois Department of Corrections. Either way, abuse inside a state youth centre is a claim against the State of Illinois, and claims against the State are brought in the Illinois Court of Claims, under its own filing requirements and damages limits rather than the rules that apply to a county or a private organisation.
IDJJ currently operates six secure facilities. County detention centres are outside its jurisdiction. The Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Centre is a separate case: since 2008 it has been run by the Office of the Chief Judge, so a claim there can involve both Cook County and the State. That page is linked below.
The agency holds the records that these cases turn on: shift rosters, incident reports, grievance files, transfer logs and personnel records.
The agency holds the records that these cases turn on: shift rosters, incident reports, grievance files, transfer logs and personnel records.
Questions people ask
Will my name be public?
Steps can be taken to protect your identity in the court record, and they are raised before anything is filed.
What does it cost?
Nothing up front. These claims are taken on a contingency fee, so there is no fee if there is no recovery.