Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
Yesterday, the Committee on Youth Affairs held a public oversight roundtable on overcrowding conditions at the Youth Services Center (DC’s juvenile detention center, also known as YSC). This critical oversight is a continuation of our work seeking to improve outcomes for youth across the District. From last week’s introduction of the C.A.R.E. for Youth Plan, to Wednesday’s public hearing on chronic absenteeism and truancy, to yesterday’s roundtable on overcrowding at YSC—we’re responding to the plurality of challenges young people face and are taking a multi-faceted and comprehensive approach to youth wellness.
Overcrowding at YSC threatens the safety, dignity, and rehabilitation of the young people in the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services’ (DYRS) custody, as well as the staff that work there. This means the very goals DYRS is tasked with—individualized care, adequate supervision, and access to education, behavioral health services, and recreation—are compromised when capacity at the facility is exceeded.
Sadly, YSC has been overcrowded 85% of this calendar year, and has exceeded its 98-bed capacity every day since April 24, 2025. This is a significant increase from the average daily population at the facility, which hovered around 40 in 2019. The data is showing us that we are beyond warning signs and have reached a crisis that demands immediate policy and operational responses.
In addition to funding the ROAD Act earlier this year to accelerate placements within DYRS (a major factor for backlogging at YSC), yesterday’s hearing was an opportunity for the public to weigh in on other strategies to accelerate placements, strengthen staffing and infrastructure, and ensure youth who leave DYRS’ care are on a path to success.
