The center houses both delinquent and status offender youths, incarcerated on a variety of charges ranging from truancy to homicide. Staff stress was related to key features of their work environment. Concern about detainee acting out behavior, the perceived frequency of detainee 'problem' behavior while in the facility, and the felt need for substance abuse services for detainees and better education/recreational programs related positively to staff stress. Implication of these findings for developing a more realistic view of the nature and impact of the detention center experience for both detainees and staff are drawn. (Publisher abstract)