Chicago’s Untold Story of Widespread Child Abuse in State Facilities

‘Illinois seems to be a hotbed for a lack of accountability and transparency on the part of government agencies. Most recently we have learned that police in Chicago were using a domestic “black site” in the Homan Square area to illegally detain, question, and torture Americans suspected of crimes.

However, before that story broke, Illinois was already in the midst of another controversy. One that has received very little attention outside of local and state media.

State treatment and residential centers for youth in Illinois are rampant with abuse – physical, mental, and sexual. The Chicago Tribune has done a great job exposing the story though their “Harsh Treatment” investigation. The investigation found that hundreds of youth are assaulted and raped by fellow youth at Illinois residential centers. When these rapes and assaults are reported the authorities rarely ever act. In many cases veteran residents introduce new residents into the world of prostitution. Thousands of residents of state homes and centers have ran away and according to the Chicago Tribune, dozens have never been found.’

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