Lawsuit Alleges Mistreatment and Solitary Confinement of Children at Illinois Juvenile Detention Center

The ACLU of Illinois filed a lawsuit alleging inhumane conditions at a juvenile detention center in Southern Illinois.
Children as young as 11 were confined alone in small cells up to 23 hours a day and lacked access to education and mental healthcare.
The facility had black mold on the walls and employed no mental health professionals.
The lawsuit seeks to improve conditions and argues the mistreatment violates the 14th Amendment rights of the children.
Solitary confinement is banned for youth in Illinois due to the potential for trauma and increased suicide risk.