OJJDP's Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement details the characteristics of youth held for delinquency and status offenses in public and private residential facilities. Data for 2019 show that the number of youth in placement continues to decline.
Data for 2019 show that the number of youth in placement continues to decline. Between 1997 and 2019, the number of youth in residential placement decreased 65 percent to 36,479, its lowest level since data collection began in 1997, when 105,055 youth were held in out-of-home placement. The decrease in the number of youth held in public facilities (64 percent) was slightly less than the decrease in the number held in private facilities during the same period (68 percent). Ninety-six percent of youth in placement in 2019 were held for a delinquency offense; 4 percent were held for a status offense; and 37 percent were held for a person offense.