WASHINGTON, D.C. — Youth incarceration has dropped nearly 75 percent since 2000, according to a new report released today by The Sentencing Project. But despite the dramatic decline, researchers say stark racial and ethnic disparities remain embedded in arrests, sentencing and youth detention.
The report states that the 21st century has seen significant declines in youth incarceration, decreasing from 120,200 to 31,800 youth held in carceral facilities — a 74 percent decrease. Youth arrests have also been decreasing proportionally, by about 75 percent, and only about 8.5 percent of youth arrested are for serious violent crimes.
The study cites a “One-Day Count” of youth held in justice facilities, which it defines as a combination of youth held in detention facilities awaiting conclusion of their cases and youth who are committed to a youth prison, treatment center or group homes. The average One-Day Count of youth inside these facilities fell from approximately 108,800 to 29,300 — a 73 percent decline overall.
Still, the study shows the youth who remain in the system are disproportionately youth of color. In 2023, the white incarceration rate in juvenile facilities was 52 per 100,000 youth under age 18. By comparison, the Black youth incarceration rate was 293 per 100,000 — 5.6 times as high. Native youth were 3.8 times as likely to be incarcerated, and Latino youth were 25 percent more likely. Asian American youth were the least likely to be held in juvenile facilities.
Youth Arrests, 1985-2024
With arrests of Black youth being more than double those of white youth, Black youth are 2.3 times more likely to be arrested than their white peers. Furthermore, once inside the system, cases tend to resolve more favorably for white youth on average — with white youth being 26 percent more likely to have their cases diverted and Black youth 60 percent more likely to be detained after referral to juvenile court.
Youth Incarceration Rates by Race and Ethnicity, 2023 – Rate per 100,000 Youth
The study shows that while overall progress has been made toward addressing youth offenders, many incorrect assumptions and disparities remain. The brief states, “False narratives around youth crime arguing for so-called ‘get-tough’ approaches have been tried in the past and failed.” It adds that “Common sense approaches that limit incarceration have coincided with increased community safety.”
The study concludes its findings by stating, “Incarcerating youth only damages adolescents’ well-being on multiple dimensions,” explaining that sending a youth to the adult system or limiting their diversion options “will not improve outcomes for youth nor communities.” The report also notes, “Youth who are given informal responses to their offending have better results, and the success of these diversionary programs provides a model for even more states to reduce the footprint of their justice systems.”
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