Only a small portion of juvenile arrests lead to detention or result in participation in a program in a secure residential facility; most are handled in other ways, including formal and informal probation. The state maintains seven facilities and 18 probation offices (see Figure 1). The facilities have a total detention capacity of 162 spaces and a program capacity of 180. According to Division of Juvenile Justice figures, at the end of the third week in May 2002, statewide detentions stood at 164—101 per cent of capacity—and program participants were 165—92 per cent of capacity.
Over half (88) the juveniles being detained were at the McLaughlin Youth Center in Anchorage, as well as two-thirds (108) of those participating in residential programs. McLaughlin is the largest youth facility in the state. In May it was functioning at 96 percent of capacity.
