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Juveniles in Corrections
Juveniles in Adult Jails and Prisons
Q: How many youth age 17 or younger are held in state prisons?
A: Fewer than 1,000 inmates age 17 or younger were under the custody* of state prisons at the end of 2017.
*Custody refers to prisoners held in the physical custody of state prisons, regardless of sentence length or authority that has jurisdiction.

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  • The number of youth under age 18 in adult prisons fell 76% between 2000 and 2017.
  • Since 2000, between 3% and 4% of inmates under 18 in custody were females.
  • From 2000 to 2005, the count of inmates under 18 in adult facilities decreased 43%. The count increased 24% to 2,743 youth under age 18 held in adult facilities by 2009, and then decreased through 2017.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/corrections/qa08701.asp?qaDate=2017. Released on June 24, 2019.

Data Source: Carson, E. Ann and Mulako-Wangota, Joseph. Bureau of Justice Statistics. (Count of inmates age 17 or younger in custody). Generated using the Corrections Statistical Analysis Tool (CSAT) - Prisoners. Available from www.bjs.gov. Retrieved June 21, 2019.

 

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