OJJDP/NIJ Bulletin Summarizes Findings from 2017 Juvenile Residential Placement Census

OJJDP and the National Institute of Justice have released "Juveniles in Residential Placement, 2017." This bulletin presents findings from OJJDP's Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement, a biennial survey that collects data on juvenile offenders in public and private juvenile residential placement facilities in every state. Findings indicate that the number of youth in residential placement continues to decline.

Between 1997 and 2017, the number of youth in residential placement decreased 59 percent from 105,055 to 43,580, its lowest level since data collection began in 1997. The data show that of youth held in residential placement in 2017, 96 percent were held for a delinquency offense, and 4 percent were held for a status offense. Approximately 40 percent were held for a person offense. The data also show that the national detention rate for Black youth was six times the rate for white youth, and their commitment rate was four times the rate for white youth.

RESOURCES: 

• Visit the OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book to access information on juvenile residential facilities, including the Juvenile Residential Facility Census Databook.
• Follow OJJDP on Twitter and Facebook.