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Rapid increases in both detention population and number

of placements (commitments, violation of aftercare, transfers from other institutions) are affecting the juvenile facilities as follows:

(1) The detention population has increased 47 per cent
in the last 6 months. On July 24, 1970, the deten-
tion population was 187. By November 27, 1970, the
detention population was 352.

In

(2) The placement rate (commitments, violation of aftercare, transfers from other institutions) during the last three months has increased by 150 per cent. August, 1970, 24 youths were committed to the Children's Center; in September, 1970, this had increased to 44, and in October, 1970, the placement rate had reached 65 juveniles. This is the largest number placed at the Children's Center since the spring of 1968. The placement rate for November appears to have gone up again and represents approximately 76 placements.

Given both past trends, and the recent rapid rise in detention and placements, neither the Social Services Administration nor the Office of Crime Analysis was able to say what institutional population at the Children's Center might look like in 1972, except to say that it is certain to rise, and then will probably level off as the backlog is worked through, and as more Youth Group Houses are made available, probably at close to 1,000 total for the institutions, against a fully staffed capacity of 940.

The assumptions on which the Social Services Administration is proceeding to meet the immediate crisis are set forth below First, additional Youth Group Homes will be opened at the rate of three to five new ones per year, adding capacity in that fashion of 45 to 75 per year. Second, no great growth in

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institutional capability is expected prior to 1972, but if the detention and committed populations continue to grow rapidly, efforts will be made to seek use of military facilities at Ft. Meade, the Naval Air Station, or elsewhere for detention population. Third, it may be necessary to provide some relocatable structures at Cedar Knoll and Oak Hill for the committed population if it outgrows those facilities.

Fourth, since the population of the Receiving Home for Children has been established at 90 by order of Judge Harold H. Greene on November 6, 1970 and since the detention population on November 29, 1970, represented 352 in detention status, the overflow population, above 90 in the Receiving Home. will be housed and programmed for in the Youth Group Homes and in Maple Glen. This requires phasing out the Probation House and using it as a shelter house until the high detention population has been reduced.

Fifth, adjudicated delinquents, both boys and girls, will be housed and programmed for in Cedar Knoll. The adjudicated population leaves some room for expansion. However, the number

of available beds is deceiving because of the need to divide resources between boys and girls. This does not permit as much flexibility in use of buildings, staff, and educational facilities, as would be possible if only one sex were planned for in this

facility.

Sixth, older aggressive security risks will be housed and programmed for in Oak Hill Youth Center. As long as the detention

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population is as high as it is at present, there is no space available today, nor will there be space on February 1, 1971, for the PINS (Persons Need of Supervision) group. The Administration planned to use Maple Glen and the shelter homes for this group, but all of the space in these facilities is now being used for the overflow detention population.

Seventh, a change in the Court Reform Act to permit discretion on the part of the Administration in commingling will be sought, and if obtained, will relieve the facilities problem considerably.

In short, plans are being made to find spaces for the detention population in places other than in all the institutions at the Children's Center, and other than in the Youth Group Homes. If that can be accomplished, through temporary expedients such as use of one facility at the Children's Center, use of Youth Group Homes (172 capacity) as temporary detention homes, and use of military facilities (perhaps 100 to 150 spaces), the immediate crisis can be met. Adequate space is available at the Children's Center in Laurel, if fully staffed, for committed population now and in the next two years, if space can be found elsewhere than in the institutions for at least the 260 to 300 overflow which now exists and is expected to continue for the next six months at least of detained children from the Receiving Home.