Bureau of Justice Statistics Releases Report on Youth in Adult Jails and Prisons

The Bureau of Justice Statistics has released “Juveniles Incarcerated in U.S. Adult Jails and Prisons, 2002–2021,” part of its new Just the Stats web series.

This report details trends for youth age 17 or younger held in adult correctional facilities from 2002 to 2021. It includes data on youth in federal prisons, state prisons, and local jails.

Key findings include:

• The percentage of the total prison population who were youth declined from 0.9% in 2002 to 0.3% in 2021.
• The number of youth incarcerated in all U.S. adult prisons or jails declined from 2008 to 2021.
• In 2021, local jails held 1,960 youth, while state and federal adult prisons held 290.
• In 2021, 87 percent of youth in adult correctional facilities were held in local jails and 13 percent were held in prisons, compared to 66 percent in local jails and 34 percent in prisons in 2002.

View Report

RESOURCES:

• Visit the OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book to access information on juvenile residential facilities.
• Read the OJJDP-supported report, "Youth and the Juvenile Justice System: 2022 National Report."
• Follow OJJDP on Twitter and Facebook.

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