Admissions in 1996 and youth in custody at the end of 1995 accounted for 6,249 youths served by the OCFS sometime during 1996. This amounted to 45 of every 10,000 youths between ages 12 and 17 years. A total of 2,430 admissions occurred in 1996, an 11-percent decrease from the previous year and the first year-to-year decrease since 1991. The number of juvenile offender admissions declined 16 percent in 1996 after rising to its second highest level in 10 years in 1995. Youth placed in voluntary agencies amounted to 35 percent of the 1996 admissions. Persons in need of supervision entering custody decreased 41 percent from 1995 to 1996. Ninety-two percent of the custody entries had household assessments; 54 percent came from households with only one adult present and 17 percent came from households with no parent present. Rates of specific service needs for screened youths included 74 percent for drug abuse, 29 percent for mental health, 26 percent for special education, 13 percent for health, 9 percent for a sex offense, 5 percent for limited English, and 3 percent for mental retardation. Figures, tables, glossary, and index