Substantiated Incidents of Sexual Victimization Reported by Juvenile Justice Authorities, 2013–2018

• NCJ Number: 305192
• Author(s): Emily D. Buehler
• Date Published: March 2023
• Length: 33 pages
• Agencies: BJS
• Publication Type: Publication; Statistics

Abstract

This report describes substantiated incidents of youth sexual victimization perpetrated by youth or by staff in juvenile facilities. The report presents data on the incidents of sexual victimization, such as location and time of day. It also provides characteristics of the victims and perpetrators of the victimization. The report details services provided to the victim and consequences for the perpetrator. In part, it fulfills BJS’s mandates under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108–79).

Highlights:

During 2013–18:

• About 62% of youth-on-youth sexual victimization incidents occurred in an area under video surveillance in state juvenile systems, and 51% of incidents in local and private facilities occurred in an area under video surveillance.
• There were three times as many victims of abusive sexual contact (1,054) as victims of nonconsensual sexual acts (358).
• About 63% of victims and 73% of perpetrators of incidents of youth-on-youth sexual victimization were male.
• There were 657 victims and 511 perpetrators of staff-on-youth sexual victimization in juvenile justice facilities.