John J. Wilson, Acting Administrator    FACT SHEET #2  .
April 1993
  
Children in Custody 1991: Private Facilities
By Joseph Moone

The 1991 Children in Custody Census recorded 36,190 youth
in 2,032 private juvenile facilities in the United States. Status
offenders accounted for 15% of the youth held in these
facilities. Delinquent offenders accounted for 40% of these
youth. The remaining 45% were comprised of nonoffenders
(those admitted for emotional disturbance, dependency, neglect
or abuse) and voluntarily admitted youth (those admitted as
part of a diversion program or admitted by a social service
agency).

In 1991, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention surveyed 2,842 privately operated juvenile
detention, correction, and shelter facilities. Of this number,
2,136 responded. Of the respondents, 2,032 met the criteria
for a juvenile facility. Facilities were included if they (1)
housed more than 50% juveniles, (2)  had a juvenile offender
population greater than 1% of their total population, or (3)
indicated they normally housed juvenile offenders.

Readers are urged to interpret the numbers presented in this
fact sheet with caution. No effort has been made to adjust the
totals to account for non-responding facilities. While a
preliminary examination of non-responding facilities indicates
that most hold a small number of youth, there is no solid way
to determine the effect that such an undercount would have on
the information provided.

Facilities
The largest proportion of private facilities classified themselves
as halfway houses (74%). These facilities held 60% of all
juveniles in custody in private facilities. Shelters were the next
most common facility type, comprising 15% of private
facilities; however, they held only 8% of the youth in custody
in private facilities. Training schools comprised 4% of all
private facilities, yet held 20% of privately held youth.

Based on census information, each facility environment was
classified as "open" or "institutional." This distinction is based
on security arrangements and access to the community. Open
facilities rely on staff to control access to and from the facility
and allow youth greater access to the community. Institutional
facilities rely more on construction fixtures to control facility
access. Private facilities are overwhelmingly open. Even among 
training schools, commonly considered the most restrictive setting, 
the juveniles were usually held in open environments.

Overall, private facilities range in size from 3 to 756 beds.
Most private facilities tend to hold only a handful of
juveniles, the median capacity being 10 beds. Halfway houses
had a median size of 10 beds. Training schools and ranches
tend to have larger capacities with median capacities of 52
and 47 beds respectively.

Race
Overall, 57% of the juvenile population in private facilities
were white, 32% were black, and 9% Hispanic (either white
or black Hispanic). The racial composition within the
different facility types varies from the overall proportions.
Most of the youth in training school were black (48%), while
most in halfway houses were white (61%). In shelters, 60%
of the youth were white, while 28% were black.

The distributions of racial groups among the facility types
differ widely. For example, 65% of white youth in private
facilities were held in halfway houses, while 51% of black
youth and 59% of Hispanic youth were held such facilities.
However, 15% of white youth, 30% of black youth, and
19% of Hispanic youth were held in private training schools.

Gender
More males than females were held in private juvenile
facilities in 1991. Of the total population, 71% was male and
29% was female. In shelter facilities, there was almost an
equal number of males (52%) and females (48%). 

Almost 70% of all females and 56% of all males were held
in halfway houses. Almost 24% of all males but only 10% of
females were held in training schools.

Reason for custody
Of all facility environments, delinquent offenders were held
overwhelmingly in halfway houses or training schools (49%
and 32% respectively). The majority of juveniles in custody for
other reasons was held in halfway houses (62% of status
offenders, 72% of nonoffenders, and 65% of voluntary
admissions). Training schools held about 10% of all status
offenders, nonoffenders, and voluntary admissions.

Of delinquency offenses, a property offense was the most
frequent reason for custody in private facilities (47% of all
delinquent juveniles). Such offenses include burglary, arson,
larceny-theft or motor-vehicle theft. Person offenses comprised
the next most common delinquent offense (24%). Such
offenses include homicide, robbery, assault, or rape. Drug
offenders made up only 14% of all juveniles in private
facilities.

An examination of specific delinquent offenses revealed that
51% of drug offenders were held in training schools. Of youth
held for person offenses 47% were held in halfway houses and
30% were held in training schools.

Youth held because of dependency, neglect or abuse
(nonoffenders) were held overwhelmingly in halfway houses 
(72%). Other youth voluntarily admitted (as part of a diversion
program, or admitted by other agencies) were also held largely
in halfway houses (65%).

Age
The largest single age group in private facilities includes
juveniles age 13 to 15 (50%). This age group predominates in
all facility types except training schools where 16- to 17- year-
olds outnumber the 13- to 15-year-olds (46% to 42%).

While halfway houses hold the majority of juveniles in any age
group, these facilities hold fewer of the older youth than of the
younger. They hold 72% of youth under 10 years of age; 69%
of youth 10 to 12; 61% of youth 13 to 15; 58% of youth 16 to
17; and 56% of youth age 18 and older. Other facility types
show a similar trend with the notable exception of training
schools. In these institutions, the proportion held in such
facilities increases with age from 7% for youth under 10 years
of age to 30% for youth 18 years and older. 
 
This fact sheet was written by Joseph Moone, a Social Science Program
Specialist in OJJDP's Research and Program Development Division. The 1991
Children in Custody Census was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census
under an interagency agreement with OJJDP. For further information on the
Children in Custody Census, call Joseph Moone at (202) 307-5929.  For a printed copy of
this fact sheet, contact the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse, 800-638-8736.