NCJ Number
178195
Date Published
September 1999
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This fact sheet presents and discusses statistics on numbers and trends in residential placements of juveniles adjudicated for delinquency during 1987-96.
Abstract
Twenty-eight percent of adjudicated delinquency cases resulted in a disposition ordering out-of-home placement in 1996. This percentage included placements in residential treatment centers, juvenile corrections facilities, foster homes, and group homes. Fifty-four percent of the remaining cases resulted in an order of probation, 4 percent resulted in a release at disposition, and 13 percent had some other disposition, including restitution, fines, community service, referral to other treatment agencies, and others. The Children in Custody Census reported that on February 15, 1995, 65,300 juveniles were in out-of-home placements by court commitment for delinquency. Placement in 1996 was least likely in cases involving youth charged with drug offenses; it was used more often in cases of public order offenses, person offenses, and property offenses. The number of adjudicated cases that resulted in out-of-home placement rose from 105,600 in 1987 to 159,400 in 1996. The use of detention decreased in adjudicated cases where out-of-home placement was later ordered. The number of placements between 1987 and 1996 increased across all racial groups, but it increased less for white youths (49 percent) than for black youths (69 percent) and youths of other races (125 percent). Tables, figure, and information about sources of further information