| Youth in Adult Jails and Prisons |
| Q: |
How many youth age 17 or younger are held in state prisons? |
| A: |
Fewer than 300 youth age 17 or younger were under the custody* of state prisons at the end of 2021. |
Number of youth age 17 or younger in custody*
of state prisons, 2000–2021
| Year |
Total |
Male |
Female |
| 2000 |
3,892 |
3,717 |
175 |
| 2001 |
3,129 |
2,992 |
137 |
| 2002 |
3,038 |
2,927 |
111 |
| 2003 |
2,740 |
2,627 |
113 |
| 2004 |
2,477 |
2,369 |
108 |
| 2005 |
2,208 |
2,118 |
90 |
| 2006 |
2,364 |
2,259 |
105 |
| 2007 |
2,283 |
2,192 |
91 |
| 2008 |
2,717 |
2,626 |
91 |
| 2009 |
2,743 |
2,645 |
98 |
| 2010 |
2,295 |
2,217 |
78 |
| 2011 |
1,790 |
1,722 |
68 |
| 2012 |
1,325 |
1,276 |
49 |
| 2013 |
1,188 |
1,140 |
48 |
| 2014 |
1,035 |
1,005 |
30 |
| 2015 |
993 |
960 |
33 |
| 2016 |
956 |
923 |
33 |
| 2017 |
893 |
857 |
36 |
| 2018 |
699 |
675 |
24 |
| 2019 |
626 |
605 |
21 |
| 2020 |
338 |
326 |
12 |
| 2021 |
271 |
N/A |
N/A |
*Custody refers to prisoners held in the physical custody of state prisons, regardless of sentence length or authority that has jurisdiction.
N/A: data not available.
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[ CSV file ]
- The number of youth under age 18 in adult prisons fell 93% between 2000 and 2021.
- Since 2000, between 3% and 4% of inmates under 18 in the custody of state prisons were females.
- From 2000 to 2005, the number of inmates under 18 in state prisons decreased 43%. The count increased 24% to 2,743 youth under age 18 held in state prisons by 2009, and then decreased 90% through 2021.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/corrections/qa08701.asp?qaDate=2021.
Released on January 10, 2023.
Data Source: Adapted from Carson, E. Ann and Mulako-Wangota, Joseph. Bureau of Justice Statistics. (Reported number of inmates age 17 or younger held in custody in federal or state prisons, December 31, 2000-2019). Generated using the Corrections Statistical Analysis Tool (CSAT) - Prisoners. Available from www.bjs.gov. Retrieved June 21, 2019. Data for 2020 adapted from Carson, E. (2021). Prisoners in 2020 - Statistical Tables. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Data for 2021 adapted from Carson, E. (2022). Prisoners in 2021 - Statistical Tables. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
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