The Utah State Board of Education defines Youth-in-Custody as: “Individuals under
the age of 21 who are in the custody of or receiving services from the Utah Department
of Human Services or an equivalent Native American tribe, or who are being held in
juvenile detention facilities.” STEMCAP works in facilities that span the whole spectrum
of Youth-In-Custody, working in facilities that range from juvenile detention centers
to residential treatment centers.
Youth-In-Custody are required by law to receive an education. We work with teachers
at the centers to carry out our programming primarily during students’ science class periods. In the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the Utah Juvenile Justice and Youth Service served 6,134
individual juveniles.
For more information about the Utah Juvenile Justice and Youth Service and Utah YIC,
click for (a) the most recent Annual report available to the public (2016) or (b) the Online Data Dashboard updated annually.
In the United States, on average there are 48,000 youth held in facilities away from
their homes because of juvenile or criminal involvement. This chart demonstrates the
breakdown of holding facilities across the country.
Where We Work
STEMCAP works in five Youth-in-Custody (YIC) facilities in and around Salt Lake Valley. Our programming takes place in students’ classrooms, greenhouses, and the grounds of our partner facilities. STEMCAP is a University of Utah program that ispart of the Office of Engagement in Undergraduate Studies. We collaborate with many different
departments on campus and with other Community Partners throughout the Salt Lake Valley.
