Youth Service International Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Youth Service International programs can be a vital way for young men to learn more about the world around them. These programs focus on helping youth discover the good in the world around them by providing service, time, or friendship. Unfortunately, this program has resulted in multiple Youth Service International sexual abuse lawsuits. 

However, service organizations like Youth Service International must carefully vet employees to ensure the children’s well-being and prevent abuse, including sexual abuse. Minors often travel with youth service leaders around the world or in their communities, completing service projects or spending time alone with leaders, making it crucial to ensure youth leaders are safe around minors.

If you suffered sexual abuse in youth service institutions like Youth Service International, you deserve justice. Our youth detention center sexual abuse lawyers pursue civil cases against organizations like Youth Service International, holding them accountable for their failures to protect vulnerable young people.

About Youth Services International

General Overview

Youth Service International (YSI) is the largest private provider of treatment programs for troubled teens in the juvenile justice system. At its height, Youth Service International operated 22 centers in 12 states, serving approximately 3,000 individuals. The company was founded in 1991 and had 2,900 employees.

The URL for the official Youth Service International website is currently up for sale. There’s a reason you can’t find Youth Service International’s website anymore.

Who Owns Youth Service International?

W. James Hindman founded Jiffy Lube and Youth Service International. When Pennzoil purchased Jiffy Lube in the 1990s due to declining profits, Hindman reinvested the funds to launch Youth Service International.

Youth Service International maintained contact with multiple state departments, including those in Maryland, Iowa, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah. The organization claimed it had 25% lower expenditures than state-run programs by paying youth to work at the school and preventing its staff from unionizing. Over time, Yout Service International continued to expand.

In 1999, Youth Service International was purchased by James Slattery. Youth Service International became the youth portion of Correctional Services Corporation, a Sarasota-based company. This occurred the same year several of his facilities were closed following failed audits. However, he cited their unprofitability as the reason for closing the programs. 

GEO then bought the youth programs, but later sold the schools back to Slattery. Massive amounts of overcharges and continuous abuse allegations led to Florida canceling its contracts with the programs, and YSI agreed to a $2 million payout back to Florida around 2016. 

Now, you can’t find anything about YSI programs. However, the effects of abuse are still with the victims.

Have Troubled Teens Filed Lawsuits Against Youth Service International?

State departments across the country have investigated Youth Service International, and states have ended contracts with the company due to allegations of severe abuse within the programs.

State of Florida Department of Juvenile Justice v. Youth Service International

In 2016, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice sued Youth Service International for failing to provide appropriate and necessary services to its clients. The organization held seven contracts for that fiscal year, all of which were transferred to other service providers.

Youth Service International was making $90 million from the contracts at the time, but they settled with the state for only $2 million. The lawsuit alleged that Youth Service International falsified claims for tens of millions of dollars and that employees faked important documents like mental health checks.

United States Department of Justice v. Youth Service International

Youth Service International settled with the US Department of Justice for failing to provide the necessary accommodations for a deaf student at Victor Cullen School in Sabillasville, MD. This included refusing to allow him to use sign language or ASL interpreters during program participation.

Lawsuits Against Charles H. Hickey Jr. School

In 2023, 37 men sued the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School for sexual abuse that happened during their time there. With the help of Maryland juvenile detention center sexual abuse lawyers, the men alleged that employees would come into their cells at night and rape them, sometimes in groups.

They also claimed that employees would offer them bribes like candy and cigarettes to keep them from disclosing the abuse.

Charles H. Hickey Jr. School had been operated by Youth Service International from the early 1990s, during the time the alleged abuse occurred.

Lawsuit against Victor Cullen Center

Victor Cullen Center in Maryland, previously run by Youth Service International, has a history of abuse going back to 1995, when audits found issues like inadequate care and poor recordkeeping.

In a recent lawsuit filed after Maryland’s 2023 Child Victims Act, a plaintiff alleged sexual abuse at the Victor Cullen Center. The victim’s account discusses being sodomized, beaten, and threatened with death if he let anyone find out what was happening.

What Laws Govern Youth Service International Sexual Abuse Cases

Although Youth Services International (YSI) itself is a private provider that historically operated residential and juvenile programs under contract with state agencies, civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse in connection with its facilities and programs are governed by state law where the incidents occurred.

In many instances, former YSI facilities like the Victor Cullen Center were operated by or for the Maryland Dept. of Juvenile Services, meaning Maryland law typically applies to civil claims over sexual abuse in that context. 

Maryland Child Victims Act — Civil Filing Rights

For civil lawsuits involving sexual abuse of minors — including claims against organizations or their operators — Maryland has adopted landmark legislation that fundamentally changes how long survivors can wait to file. This helps victims get the justice they deserve against detention centers, even if the abuse happened decades ago:

• Child Victims Act (SB 686 / Md. Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings § 5-117 et seq.): This law repeals the civil statute of limitations on child sexual abuse claims, meaning survivors who were under 18 when harmed can file a civil lawsuit regardless of how much time has passed since the misconduct occurred. It also defines key terms related to civil actions for child sex abuse and establishes liability standards for institutions and individuals.
• Under the current statute § 5-117, “sexual abuse” for civil purposes includes conduct such as rape, incest, and other sexual acts involving a minor, which forms the legal basis for bringing claims arising from institutional failures to protect youth. 

The Child Victims Act was signed into law in 2023 and affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2025, permitting survivors to pursue civil damages regardless of when the harm occurred. 

Civil Liability Principles

Beyond the statute of limitations, survivors alleging harm connected to YSI programs often rely on general civil law principles of negligence, which include:

• Negligent Supervision and Hiring — Claiming a location failed to adequately screen, train, or supervise its staff, leading to harm.
• Premises Liability and Institutional Liability — Arguing that the organization entrusted with youth care did not provide a safe environment as required under state standards.

While these legal theories come from common law rather than a specific statute, they are frequently asserted in civil lawsuits tied to institutional misconduct, including at juvenile facilities previously managed by YSI.

Department of Juvenile Services Oversight Authorities

Many YSI-operated facilities — such as the Victor Cullen Center — were regulated and overseen by the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS). This state agency provides care and treatment for court-ordered youth placements in secure environments. 

Although these agency oversight statutes (e.g., those related to DJS operations) do not themselves create private rights of action, they establish the legal duties that civil claims often cite when alleging institutional failure to protect, improper care, or abusive environments.

Lawsuits against Youth Services International are governed by the state where the allegations and the establishment are located. For example, if someone were assaulted in Georgia, the suit would be governed by Georgia law. Our lawyers are well-versed in laws nationwide to help you learn which ones apply to your case. 

What Violations Were Committed by Youth Service International?

Georgia Prison Has the Highest Rate of Sexual Abuse Among Juvenile Detention Centers

In 2013, the Huffington Post reported that one of Youth Service International’s Georgia facilities had the highest sex abuse rate in the United States. One in three individuals held at the Paulding Regional Youth Detention Center in Dallas, Ga., reported at least one instance of sexual victimization in the past year.

Paulding Regional Youth Detention Center was closed in December 2013. Jesse Williams, Senior Vice President of Operations at Youth Service International, was called to testify in front of the Office of Justice Programs Review Panel on Prison Rape in January 2014.

During the meeting, Williams claimed they had implemented the “Diana Screen,” meant to identify and remove employees at risk of perpetrating sexual crimes. Williams also stated they could not find the reason for the abuse due to its closure at the end of the year.

Florida Center Closes Due to Abuse and Use of Force

Before the State of Florida canceled all contracts with Youth Service International in 2016, it canceled a contract for the Santa Rosa Substance Abuse Treatment Center in Milton, Florida, for failing to comply with all standards.

A 2014 audit found that the company was not maintaining an abuse-free environment and that some employees used excessive force. Only two of three employees were terminated for mistreating the prisoners in programs, while one was referred for additional training.

Concealing Reports of Abuse at Charles H. Hickey Jr. School

The Huffington Post report about Youth Service International also discussed the rampant abuse at Charles H. Hickey, Jr School, which later led to multiple lawsuits. The report provides a shocking account of the problem, which included a 16-year-old inmate sexually assaulting a female staff member and boys breaking into cells to assault other boys.

The US Department of Justice launched an investigation into the school in 2004, finding that employees attempted to hide evidence of sex abuse and only reported approximately two-thirds of cases. Eventually, the state took over, but did not fine Youth Service International for its mistreatment.

What Are Your Rights as a Sexual Abuse Victim?

You have the right to find a qualified sexual abuse attorney and to pursue a civil case against Youth Service International for damages. These damages may include economic losses, such as medical bills, and non-economic losses, such as loss of enjoyment of life.

How Can a Lawyer Help You Against the Juvenile Justice System?

Sexual abuse lawyers will thoroughly investigate your case and determine whether you have grounds to pursue compensation.

For example, we may find audits discussing abuse, prior charges against employees, or eyewitness testimony from fellow inmates. We will also determine the damages you can claim and draft a demand letter outlining the amount we believe is justified.

Once we have gathered adequate information, we will respond to communications from Youth Service International or its lawyers on your behalf, ensuring you can focus on healing. As a trauma-informed law practice, we focus on our clients’ well-being throughout the process and can direct you to local resources to support your healing.

Based on our investigation, we will negotiate the highest possible settlement. Many cases are settled out of court, which speeds up the process. However, if Youth Service International refuses to provide a satisfactory settlement, we will file a lawsuit and represent you in court.

While negotiations are faster, they may provide less money than a lawsuit. We’ll carefully balance the possible damages you can receive with the stress a lawsuit can cause.

Secure Expert Legal Representation!

Youth Service International has allowed thousands to suffer in its for-profit institutions. Having faced numerous lawsuits related to their programs, the company has a long history of abusing minors and falsifying records.

Injury Lawyer Team is here to hold them accountable for their failures and ensure you receive justice. Our team provides world-class representation on a contingency fee basis, meaning you owe us nothing unless we can earn you compensation through a sexual abuse lawsuit. 

Complete our online form to schedule a free consultation.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure th