Statistical Briefing Book > Juveniles in Corrections Previous Page
Facility Characteristics
Q: How many juvenile residential facilities operate at or above capacity?
A: Fewer than 1 in 5 (18%) facilities reported operating at or over capacity in 2018.

Facility capacity by facility operation, facility size, and facility type, 2018

Total
facilities
Under
capacity
At
capacity
Over
capacity
Percent of
youth1 in over
capacity facilities
Total 1,510 82% 17% 1% 1%

Facility operation
Public 903 87% 12% 1% 2%
  State 331 81% 17% 2% 2%
  Local 572 90% 9% 1% 1%
Private 607 75% 25% 0% 0%

Facility size
1 to 10 residents 506 82% 18% 0% 0%
11 to 20 residents 351 80% 19% 1% 1%
21 to 50 residents 426 83% 16% 1% 1%
51 to 100 residents 159 86% 13% 1% 2%
101 to 200 residents 51 76% 22% 2% 3%
201+ residents 17 82% 18% 0% 0%

Facility type2
Detention center 625 87% 12% 1% 2%
Long-term secure 164 85% 15% 1% 2%
Reception/diagnostic center 37 92% 8% 0% 0%
Group home 240 77% 23% 0% 0%
Residential treatment center 553 78% 22% 0% 1%
Ranch/wilderness camp 27 85% 15% 0% 0%
Shelter 116 80% 20% 0% 0%

Notes: Facilities reported both the number of standard beds and the number of makeshift beds they had on the census date. Crowding occurs when the number of residents occupying all or part of a facility exceeds some predetermined limit based on square footage, utility use, or even fire codes and when the use of makeshift beds is subsequently required.

1 Only includes youth charged with or adjudicated for law violations.

2 Facility type counts sum to more than the total number of facilities because facilities could select more than one facility type.

  • In 2018, 1% of youth in residential placement were held in facilities that were operating above capacity.
  • Private facilities (25%) were more likely than public facilities (13%) to report operating either at or over capacity.
  • Facilities holding between 101 and 200 residents (2%) were the most likely to report operating above capacity in 2018.
  • Only detention centers and long-term secure facilities reported operating above capacity in 2018 (1% each). Group homes (23%) and residential treatment centers (22%) accounted for the largest proportions of facilities to report operating at capacity in 2018.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/corrections/qa08522.asp?qaDate=2018. Released on May 15, 2020.

Data Source: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Authors' analysis of Juvenile Residential Facility Census 2018 [machine-readable data files]. Washington, D.C.: OJJDP.