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Juveniles in Corrections
Victimization in Juvenile Facilities
Q: Who are the perpetrators of youth-on-youth sexual victimization in juvenile facilities?
A: Four of every ten (40%) of adjudicated youth who reported youth-on-youth sexual victimization were victimized by more than one perpretrator.

Perpetrator characteristics reported by victims of youth-on-youth sexual victimization, 2018

Perpetrator characteristics Percent
More than one perpetrator
Yes 40.3%
No 59.7%
Sex of perpetrator
Male(s) only 67.8%
Female(s) only 26.5%
Both male(s) and female(s) 5.7%
Race of perpetrator in
single-perpetrator incidents
White only 57.1%
Black only 26.2%
Other/two or more races1 16.6%
Race of perpetrator in
multiple-perpetrator incidents
White only 19.9%
Black only 35.4%
Other/two or more races1 44.7%
Were any of the perpetrators2:
Hispanic 31.6%
A gang member 45.3%
Victim's roommate 35.7%

1Includes American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander.
2Detail sums to more than 100% because some youth reported more than one characteristic. Refers to both single- and multi-perpetrator incidents.

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  • More than half (57.1%) of juvenile victims reported that at least one of their perpetrators in single perpetrator incidents of youth-on-youth sexual victimization were white, and 26% of victims reported that one or more perpetrators were black.
  • More than one-third (35.7%) of reported perpetrators were the victim's roommate, and 45% were of perpetrators of youth-on-youth sexual victimization were gang members.


    • Note: Data are based on the third National Survey of Youth in Custody (conducted between March and December 2018). The NSYC is based on a multi-stage probability sample providing representative data on adjudicated youth residing in facilities owned or operated by a state juvenile correctional authority and all state-placed adjudicated youth held under state contract in locally or privately operated juvenile facilities. The NSYC is part of BJS's National Prison Rape Statistics Program which was established to collect data on the incidence and prevalence of sexual assault in juvenile facilities under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108-79).
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/corrections/qa08803.asp?qaDate=2018. Released on February 12, 2021.

Data Source: Field, M.B. and Davis, E. (2020). Victim, Perpetrator, and Incident Characteristics of Sexual Victimization of Youth in Juvenile Facilities, 2018 – Statistical Tables. Available from: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/vpicsvyjf18st.pdf

 

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