Interactive Calculator
What If We Chose Differently?
Drag the sliders. See what happens when you redirect detention spending to community alternatives backed by evidence.
Detention cost per day per young person
$132.7M
100 young people × $1,326,739/year × 1 year
National Average — $3,634.9/day per young person
$18.4M
100 young people × $183,958/year × 1 year
Average across 824 verified community models
Money Saved
$114.3M
redirected from cages to communities
Cost Ratio
7x
cheaper than detention
Or Instead
621
more young people supported for the same money
For the cost of detaining 100 young people in National Average for 1 year, you could support 721 young people through community alternatives that actually work.
See the Proof
824 verified models with evidence and cost data.
Wall of ProofFollow the Money
See where youth justice funding actually goes, state by state.
Funding flowsJoin the Network
Add your model to the evidence base.
Get startedDetention costs from ROGS 2024 and state budget papers. ALMA costs averaged from 824 verified community models. Calculator for illustrative purposes — actual costs vary by program and location.