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New York City juvenile detention audit finds overcrowding and staffing gaps

New York City juvenile detention audit finds overcrowding and staffing gaps

Rule Changes New York, NY local

State comptroller report says two city lockups exceed capacity as overtime and detention length rise

Today: State audit finds overcrowding and staffing gaps

Overview

Updated 55 minutes ago

New York City's two juvenile detention centers are holding more young people than they are designed for, and keeping them longer. A 69-page state audit released Nov. 13 found staff overtime quadrupled and the average detention stay nearly doubled, while probation officers fell by one-third since 2020.

The report lands as the Mamdani administration tries to reduce reliance on secure detention and add staff. It also exposes a bind from the state's Raise the Age law: moving 16- and 17-year-olds out of adult jails increased the population in a juvenile system that did not expand capacity at the same pace.

Why it matters

Crowded, understaffed juvenile lockups mean young New Yorkers stay longer in detention, undercutting Raise the Age's rehabilitation goal.

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Key Indicators

69
Audit length
State review covers 2019 through fiscal year 2026.
2
Juvenile detention centers
Horizon and Crossroads are the city's two secure juvenile facilities.
33%
Probation officer decline
Drop between 2020 and 2026 as juvenile caseloads rose.
4x
Staff overtime
Overtime at the two centers quadrupled, according to the audit.
~2x
Average detention length
Average stay nearly doubled over the audit period.
385
Average daily population in July
Crossroads and Horizon held 385 young people, per Public Advocate testimony.
244
Design capacity
The two facilities are not supposed to house more than 244 people.

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People Involved

Thomas DiNapoli
Thomas DiNapoli
New York State Comptroller
Released audit Nov. 13, 2026
 Jumaane Williams
Jumaane Williams
New York City Public Advocate
Pressed city on detention conditions at Council hearing

Organizations Involved

NY
New York City Administration for Children's Services
City agency
Operates Horizon and Crossroads; says it is expanding alternatives and staffing

The city agency that runs New York City's juvenile detention centers.
NY
New York State Comptroller's Office
State oversight agency
Issued audit of NYC juvenile detention

The state's fiscal watchdog, which released the 69-page review.
NY
New York City Department of Probation
City agency
Officer ranks fell by one-third; planning intensive monitoring program

The city agency that supervises probation and runs alternatives to detention.

Timeline

2017 November 2026

6 events Latest: Today
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. State audit finds overcrowding and staffing gaps

    Today Audit

    The review finds quadrupled overtime, longer stays and fewer probation officers.

  2. State stops waivers for classroom housing

    Oversight

    A state oversight agency stops allowing ACS to use common areas as housing.

  3. Mamdani administration announces detention changes

    Policy

    The plan aims to address problems at Horizon and Crossroads.

  4. Juvenile detention population exceeds capacity

    Data

    Average daily population at Crossroads and Horizon reaches 385, against 244 capacity.

  5. DOI faults ACS behavioral management tool

    Investigation

    The city Department of Investigation says the tool failed to deter violence and contraband.

  6. New York passes Raise the Age law

    Law

    The law shifts 16- and 17-year-olds from the adult system to the juvenile system.

Scenarios

1

New York City reduces juvenile detention overcrowding after staffing push

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and ACS

If ACS hires the planned youth development specialists and emergency response staff, and if judges use new alternatives to detention, the average daily population could fall back toward the 244-bed design capacity. The trigger is a sustained drop in the number of young people held at Horizon and Crossroads.

2

State regulators force NYC to stop housing youth in classrooms

Possible Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and state oversight agency

The state oversight agency has already stopped issuing waivers for using common areas as housing. If it issues a formal order or denies all future waivers, ACS would have to move young people out of classrooms and hallways, forcing either transfers or emergency capacity changes.

3

New intensive monitoring program cuts secure detention population

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Mamdani administration and ACS

The city plans an intensive community monitoring program through the Department of Probation for 150 young people leaving detention or at risk of placement. If it enrolls that many and judges use it, the secure detention population could fall below 300, easing pressure on Horizon and Crossroads.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2017

New York's Raise the Age law (2017)

New York lawmakers passed Raise the Age to move 16- and 17-year-olds out of the adult criminal justice system. In New York City, that meant transferring them from adult housing on Rikers Island to the two secure juvenile detention centers run by ACS.

Then

The juvenile detention population rose as older teens entered a system with limited beds and staff.

Now

The shift increased pressure on Horizon and Crossroads, which have struggled to staff and operate the centers.

Why this matters now

The current audit describes a system still adjusting to the population shift that Raise the Age created.

October 2024

NYC Department of Investigation audit of ACS behavioral tool (2024)

The city Department of Investigation concluded that ACS's point-based system to reward and punish behavior in juvenile detention had failed to adequately deter violence and contraband smuggling.

Then

The finding added to a series of oversight reports and court filings about conditions at the centers.

Now

It reinforced concerns that the city's management tools were not keeping pace with the population and staffing problems.

Why this matters now

The new state audit adds capacity and staffing findings to the same oversight record.

Sources

(2)
The City Reporter Office of the New York City Public Advocate