Administrative data from the California Youth Authority (CYA) on child abuse reporting, foster care, birth records, and juvenile corrections were linked to prospectively examine the risk of incarceration as an adolescent following an investigation of abuse or neglect after 6 years of age. The 10 California counties in the sample included 159,549 school-aged children reported for abuse or neglect after 1990. Findings showed about 8 per 1,000 children in the sample were later incarcerated by the CYA. Black and Hispanic children who received in-home or foster care services after the index investigation event had a lower risk of incarceration than children whose cases were closed after the investigation. Among females, the rate of incarceration was highest for those who experienced foster or group care placements. Children initially reported for neglect were more likely to be incarcerated than children reported for physical or sexual abuse. The authors conclude that the serious negative outcome of CYA involvement can only be understood when several factors are considered. They highlight the importance of understanding the differences between how varied sub-populations respond to services and recommend more attention be focused on children who receive no services after an investigated child abuse and neglect report. 39 references, 2 tables, and 3 figures