This report presents findings from the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP's) 2016 Juvenile Residential Facility Census, a biennial survey that collects data on every state's public and private juvenile residential facilities.
Nationally, 45,567 juvenile offenders were held in 1,772 residential placement facilities on October 26, 2016. Facilities that held juvenile offenders varied in their operation, type, size, confinement features, screening practices, and services provided. Just over half of all facilities were publicly operated in 2016; they held 71 percent of offenders. Nearly 6 in 10 facilities (56 percent) were small (20 or fewer residents); however, 57 percent of all offenders were held in medium-size facilities (holding 21-100 residents). A small proportion (3 percent) of facilities operated over capacity in 2016; these facilities held 4 percent of all offenders. Approximately 9 in 10 facilities screened all youth for suicide risk and educational needs. Six youth died in placement in 2016; one was ruled a suicide.