Most states had fewer juvenile offenders held in residential placement facilities in 2002 than in 2000

From 2000 to 2002, the number of juvenile offenders in custody decreased in 36 states

On average, these states held 13% fewer juvenile offenders on the 2002 census date than on the 2000 census date. The decline ranged from more than 50% in some states (Connecticut and Vermont) to less than 5% in others (Alabama, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island).

Among the 12 states that had more juveniles in residential placement in 2002 than in 2000, the average growth was 11%. Half of these states had increases of 15% or more (Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Montana, New Hampshire, and North Dakota). With the exception of Florida, the absolute increases in these states were small. Florida’s juvenile offender population increased more than 4 times the other five states combined.

The number of juvenile offenders in placement in juvenile facilities
nationwide decreased 7% between 2000 and 2002
  Percent change in
juvenile offenders in custody
   Percent change in
juvenile offenders in custody
State Total Public Private State Total Public Private
U.S. Total*    –7%    –10%   –1% Missouri     1%    3%    –9%
Alabama –3 –11 8 Montana 18 2 52
Alaska 19   16 27   Nebraska –7 –11     3
Arizona –16   –15 –20    Nevada –1 15 –28  
Arkansas 15 –28 52   New Hampshire 21 11 39
California –10   –11 0 New Jersey –10   –9 –31  
Colorado  0 –17 20   New Mexico –9 –17   123  
Connecticut –51   –73 –8   New York –12   –19   –3
Delaware –8  –1 –43   North Carolina –17   –30   31
Dist. of Columbia   3  15 –14   North Dakota 21 25 17
Florida 17  –7 36 Ohio –8 –7 –17  
Georgia –18   –14 –32   Oklahoma –2 19 –27  
Hawaii –8   –7 –13   Oregon –10   –11   –5
Idaho –20   –14 –42   Pennsylvania   0  2 –1
Illinois –14   –17 16 Rhode Island –4  6 –17  
Indiana  3    7 –4 South Carolina –8 –10   –5
Iowa –19   –5 –27   South Dakota –7 –8 –3
Kansas –6 –3 –14   Tennessee –9 –20     6
Kentucky  4   8 –11   Texas   0   4 –12 
Louisiana –11   –13   –4 Utah –5   4 –12  
Maine –7 –2 –31   Vermont –61     4 –74  
Maryland –18   –11   –25   Virginia –8 –6 –26  
Massachusetts –5 –20    4 Washington –6 –9 37
Michigan –27   –24   –29   West Virginia   3 17 –19  
Minnesota –12   –10   –13   Wisconsin –12  –7 –19  
Mississippi –15   –24   – Wyoming  10 –18   34

In 23 states, reductions in public facility populations drove declines in the number of juvenile
offenders in custody

  • In nine of these states, this drop occurred despite an increase in the number of juveniles held in private facilities.

  • Six states experienced growth in their juvenile offender population between 2000 and 2002 driven by growth in their private facility population. In four of these states, this growth occurred despite reductions in the number of juveniles held in public facilities.
In 23 states, reductions in public facility populations drove declines in the number of juvenile offenders in custody
Note: State is the state where the facility is located. Offenders sent to out-of-state facilities are counted in the state where the facility is located, not the state where their offense occurred.

*U.S. total includes nine tribal facilities. These tribal facilities were located in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.

Source: Author’s analysis of Juvenile Residential Facility Census 2002 [machine-readable data file].

Juvenile arrest rate trends, 1980-2002

The decline in juvenile arrests may explain the decline in youth in custody

Juvenile arrest statistics are a measure of the flow of youth into the justice system. Nationwide, the juvenile arrest rate peaked in 1996 and has declined substantially since then (29%). The juvenile arrest rate dropped 7% between 2000 and 2002.




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Juvenile Residential Facility Census,
2002: Selected Findings		 OJJDP National Report Series Bulletin
June 2006