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Statistical Briefing Book

Youth in Corrections
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Description

Youth in Corrections

The most severe sanction that a juvenile court can impose entails the restriction of a youth's freedom through placement in a residential facility. Most often, such placement occurs after a youth has been adjudicated delinquent for an offense; however, a youth may also be held in detention after arrest or during court proceedings.

This section primarily draws on data from OJJDP’s Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement (CJRP) and Juvenile Residential Facility Census (JRFC) to document what is known about youth in residential placement and the facilities that hold them.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provide the latest answers to the most commonly asked questions about youth in corrections. Here you can learn about the number and characteristics of youth in residential placement nationwide and in each state. You can also learn about the facilities where these youth reside.

Demographics

  • How many youth are held in residential placement on a given day in the U.S.? [Answer]  Updated
  • What is the female proportion of youth in residential placement? [Answer]  Updated
  • How do residential placement rates vary by race? [Answer]  Updated
  • How old are most youth in residential placement? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does the race/ethnicity profile of youth in residential placement vary by offense? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does the race/ethnicity profile of youth in residential placement vary by offense and gender? [Answer]  Updated
  • How do female residential placement rates vary by race/ethnicity and State? [Answer]  Updated
  • How do male residential placement rates vary by race/ethnicity and State? [Answer]  Updated

Offenses

  • Does the offense profile of youth held in residential placement vary by State? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does the race/ethnicity profile of youth in residential placement vary by offense? [Answer]  Updated
  • How does the type of offense resulting in placement vary by race/ethnicity? [Answer]  Updated
  • How does the type of offense resulting in placement vary by sex? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does the offense profile of detained youth in residential placement vary by State? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does the offense profile of committed youth in residential placement vary by State? [Answer]  Updated

Time in Placement

  • Does time in placement vary for detained youth and committed youth? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does time in placement vary by sex? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does time in placement vary by race/ethnicity? [Answer]  Updated
  • How long do youth stay in juvenile residential placement facilities? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does time in placement vary by type of offense for detained youth? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does time in placement vary by type of offense for committed youth? [Answer]  Updated

Facility Characteristics

  • Are most youth held in small facilities? [Answer]
  • Do public facilities hold more youth than private facilities? [Answer]
  • Are male and female youth held in separate facilities? [Answer]  Updated
  • Do residential placement facilities hold both youth younger than age 13 with older teens? [Answer]  Updated
  • Do residential placement facilities hold violent youth as well as non-violent youth? [Answer]  Updated
  • How many juvenile residential facilities operate at or above capacity? [Answer]

Facility Practices and Services

  • Do private and public facilities provide onsite residential treatment? [Answer]
  • What facility type is most likely to provide onsite residential treatment services? [Answer]
  • Education: Are youth in residential placement evaluated for educational needs? [Answer]
  • Education: When are youth in residential placement facilities evaluated for educational needs? [Answer]
  • Mental Health: Are youth in residential placement evaluated for mental health needs? [Answer]
  • Mental Health: When are youth in residential placement facilities evaluated for mental health needs? [Answer]
  • Suicide Risk: Are youth in residential placement evaluated for suicide risk? [Answer]
  • Suicide Risk: When are youth in residential placement facilities evaluated for suicide risk? [Answer]
  • Substance Abuse: Are youth in residential placement evaluated for substance abuse problems? [Answer]
  • Substance Abuse: When are youth in residential placement facilities evaluated for substance abuse problems? [Answer]

State Comparisons

  • How do residential placement rates vary by State? [Answer]  Updated
  • What factors influence State residential placement rates? [Answer]  Updated
  • How do States vary in their use of private facilities? [Answer]  Updated
  • Does the number of juvenile residential placement facilities vary by State? [Answer]
  • Does the offense profile of youth held in residential placement vary by State? [Answer]  Updated
  • What is the female proportion of youth in residential placement? [Answer]  Updated
  • How do residential placement rates vary by race? [Answer]  Updated
  • How do detention rates vary by race? [Answer]  Updated
  • How do commitment rates vary by race? [Answer]  Updated
  • How do female residential placement rates vary by race/ethnicity and State? [Answer]  Updated
  • How do male residential placement rates vary by race/ethnicity and State? [Answer]  Updated

Victimization in Juvenile Facilities

  • What proportion of youth report being sexually victimized in juvenile facilities? [Answer]
  • Does the rate of sexual victimization in juvenile facilities vary by victim demographics? [Answer]
  • Who are the perpetrators of youth-on-youth sexual victimization in juvenile facilities? [Answer]
  • What are the incident characteristics of sexual victimization in juvenile facilities? [Answer]

Youth in Adult Jails and Prisons

  • How many youth age 17 or younger are held in adult jails? [Answer]
  • How many youth age 17 or younger are held in state prisons? [Answer]

 

 

With support from OJJDP, the National Center for Juvenile Justice has developed a family of data analysis and dissemination tools that give users quick and easy access to detailed statistics on a variety of juvenile justice topics.

Two such data analysis tools provide access to data about youth in corrections:

  • Easy Access to the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement was developed to facilitate independent analysis of national data on the characteristics of youth held in residential placement facilities, including detailed information about the youth's age, sex, race/ethnicity, placement status, length of stay, and most serious offense. This data analysis tool includes a large set of pre-defined tables detailing the characteristics of youth in residential placement (age, sex, race/ethnicity, offense, type of facility, and placement status). Users can view profiles for a single jurisdiction or State Comparison tables. The CJRP data are collected biennially for OJJDP by the U.S. Census Bureau in odd-numbered years.
  • Juvenile Residential Facility Census Databook was developed to facilitate independent analysis of national data on the characteristics of youth residential placement facilities, including detailed information about facility operation, classification, size, and capacity. Users can view profiles for a single jurisdiction or State Comparison tables. The JRFC data are collected biennially for OJJDP by the U.S. Census Bureau in even-numbered years.

 

Date Created: June 1, 2023