Most state adult correctional systems house youthful offenders. Of the 54 jurisdictions responding, 87 percent housed incarcerated juveniles. In terms of the legal status of incarcerated juveniles, 96 percent of the reported youthful offender population fell into two major categories: 23 percent were held as adjudicated juvenile offenders or pretrial detainees, and 75 percent were sentenced as adults.
Two objectives of the survey were to identify the characteristics of youth currently held in adult correctional facilities and to compare the characteristics of the youthful offender population with those of adult offenders held in the same facilities. These data provided information on the types of youth who were incarcerated in adult facilities and their similarities to the adult population housed in these facilities.
The total adult correctional system capacity identified by survey respondents was 826,289 beds. Of the respondents, 46 percent maintained housing designated for youthful offenders. The capacity of these units for youthful offenders totaled 6,708 beds or less than 1 percent of the overall system capacity identified by the respondents.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia indicated that they maintained separate housing specifically for youthful offenders (table 4). The presence of separate housing for youthful offenders does not necessarily mean that all youthful offenders were housed in these separate facilities. States with large youthful offender populations, by necessity, often housed youthful offenders with the adult population when their housing capacity for youth was exceeded. Although a significant number of states maintained separate housing for youthful offenders, their definition of a “youthful” offender was frequently more expansive than the definition used here. In Florida, for example, youthful offenders from the ages of 14
to 24 were provided with dedicated housing and programs.
The number of youthful offenders in each system surveyed is presented in table 5, along with data on the reported number of adult offenders in these systems. The total adult residential population identified by the survey was 1,069,244 offenders in 1998. The youthful offender population totaled4,775 or 0.5 percent of the total population. For these same respondents, the average system population for calendar year 1997 was 937,460 offenders, with an average youthful offender population of 4,078, again roughly 0.5 percent of the total population. The total average female youthful offender population for all reporting systems was 158 offenders, which is approximately 3.3 percent of the entire youthful offender population in adult facilities. This proportion of female offenders is somewhat lower than that reported for adult female offenders. Survey respondents indicated that adult female offenders constituted approximately 6 percent of the total adult offender population. Approximately 22 percent of the systems surveyed were planning to expand their youthful offender capacity (table 6).
The profile of youthful offenders in adult facilities shows the predominance of youth convicted of crimes against persons. Fifty-seven percent of all youthful offenders were being held for an offense against a person, compared with 44 percent of the adult inmate population. Property offenders made up 21 percent of the youthful offender population and
20 percent of the adult population. Juveniles in adult facilities were less likely to be held for drug-related offenses than their adult counterparts (10 percent and 20 percent, respectively). The remaining major distinction between the offense profiles of the adult and youthful offender populations was the presence of a significant number of parole/probation violators in the adult population. Respondents reported that 8 percent of the adult offender population were parole/probation violators, compared with only 2 percent of the youthful offender population.
These data suggest that the perception that youthful offenders are being transferred to adult correctional systems for more serious offenses is largely accurate. Violent offenders made up a substantially higher proportion of the youthful offender population in adult facilities than were present in the adult offender population. Although some research indicates that the majority of juvenile transfer cases involve nonviolent, less serious offenses, these data suggest that the justice system draws appropriate distinctions in determining the types of youthful offenders who are sent to adult correctional facilities.
In terms of race/ethnicity, 55 percent of the youthful offender population was black, compared with 48 percent of the adult offender population. The proportion of the youthful and adult population with a Hispanic background was 14 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Approximately 26 percent of the youthful offenders were white, compared with 35 percent of the adult population. These data suggest that the concerns expressed regarding the over representation of minority youth among juvenile offenders in adult facilities have some basis, at least with regard to black males.
The age distribution of the youthful offender population was heavily skewed toward 17-year-olds. Approximately 78 percent of the reported youthful offender population was 17, with another 18 percent in the 16-year-old category. In a number of states such as Illinois, Michigan, and New York, 17-year-olds are considered adults. Accordingly, the presence of 17-year-old offenders in these states’ populations does not necessarily reflect a policy of juvenile transfer, but simply a function of the normal prosecution of adult offenders. Few offenders were below the age of 16 in adult correctional facilities. The youngest reported age of a youthful offender in an adult facility was 13 years.
In the course of a year, the number of youth experiencing some form of incarceration in an adult facility is much higher than the number shown by a 1-day count. Respondents reported 13,876 youthful offender admissions to adult correctional facilities in 1997. Not all jurisdictions reportedrelease data; those that did reported 7,886 releases in 1997. The average length of stay for youthful offenders was 106 days for female offenders and 231 days for male offenders. These data are for youth who completed their time served, so they understate the actual length of stay for the youthful offender population by excluding more serious offenders with long-term sentences.
The program offerings of the adult systems were fairly consistent, focusing on education and basic counseling services. As shown in table 10, most respondents offered formal elementary and secondary education programs, special education, general equivalency diploma (GED) preparation, individual counseling, and psychological/psychiatric treatment. In addition, 85 percent offered vocational programs, 50 percent offered college courses, 81 percent offered AIDS prevention counseling, and 84 percent offered health/nutrition programs. Only 56 percent offered substance abuse treatment, 26 percent offered sex offender treatment, and 40 percent offered youth violent offender treatment.
Health services offered to youthful offenders were also fairly consistent. All respondents offered initial health screenings conducted by licensed personnel. Doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and mental health personnel were available in most systems on a daily basis.
The profile of youthful offenders in adult facilities shows the predominance of youth convicted of crimes against persons. Fifty-seven percent of all youthful offenders were being held for an offense against a person, compared with 44 percent of the adult inmate population. Property offenders made up 21 percent of the youthful offender population and
20 percent of the adult population. Juveniles in adult facilities were less likely to be held for drug-related offenses than their adult counterparts (10 percent and 20 percent, respectively). The remaining major distinction between the offense profiles of the adult and youthful offender populations was the presence of a significant number of parole/probation violators in the adult population. Respondents reported that 8 percent of the adult offender population were parole/probation violators, compared with only 2 percent of the youthful offender population.
These data suggest that the perception that youthful offenders are being transferred to adult correctional systems for more serious offenses is largely accurate. Violent offenders made up a substantially higher proportion of the youthful offender population in adult facilities than were present in the adult offender population. Although some research indicates that the majority of juvenile transfer cases involve nonviolent, less serious offenses, these data suggest that the justice system draws appropriate distinctions in determining the types of youthful offenders who are sent to adult correctional facilities.
In terms of race/ethnicity, 55 percent of the youthful offender population was black, compared with 48 percent of the adult offender population. The proportion of the youthful and adult population with a Hispanic background was 14 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Approximately 26 percent of the youthful offenders were white, compared with 35 percent of the adult population. These data suggest that the concerns expressed regarding the over representation of minority youth among juvenile offenders in adult facilities have some basis, at least with regard to black males.
The age distribution of the youthful offender population was heavily skewed toward 17-year-olds. Approximately 78 percent of the reported youthful offender population was 17, with another 18 percent in the 16-year-old category. In a number of states such as Illinois, Michigan, and New York, 17-year-olds are considered adults. Accordingly, the presence of 17-year-old offenders in these states’ populations does not necessarily reflect a policy of juvenile transfer, but simply a function of the normal prosecution of adult offenders. Few offenders were below the age of 16 in adult correctional facilities. The youngest reported age of a youthful offender in an adult facility was 13 years.
In the course of a year, the number of youth experiencing some form of incarceration in an adult facility is much higher than the number shown by a 1-day count. Respondents reported 13,876 youthful offender admissions to adult correctional facilities in 1997. Not all jurisdictions reportedrelease data; those that did reported 7,886 releases in 1997. The average length of stay for youthful offenders was 106 days for female offenders and 231 days for male offenders. These data are for youth who completed their time served, so they understate the actual length of stay for the youthful offender population by excluding more serious offenders with long-term sentences.
The program offerings of the adult systems were fairly consistent, focusing on education and basic counseling services. As shown in table 10, most respondents offered formal elementary and secondary education programs, special education, general equivalency diploma (GED) preparation, individual counseling, and psychological/psychiatric treatment. In addition, 85 percent offered vocational programs, 50 percent offered college courses, 81 percent offered AIDS prevention counseling, and 84 percent offered health/nutrition programs. Only 56 percent offered substance abuse treatment, 26 percent offered sex offender treatment, and 40 percent offered youth violent offender treatment.
Health services offered to youthful offenders were also fairly consistent. All respondents offered initial health screenings conducted by licensed personnel. Doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and mental health personnel were available in most systems on a daily basis.
