Unfortunately yes, many juvenile detention centers are overcrowded. The number of facilities experiencing overcrowding has risen dramatically in recent years. The rise in overcrowding is generally due to higher numbers of juvenile offenders and longer sentences being handed out. This is becoming a problem throughout the United States and is not necessarily confined to Alabama alone. Overcrowding in juvenile facilities, coupled with understaffed facilities, often causes physical harm and mental health issues in many of these juveniles. The abuse that sometimes occurs within these facilities can lead to additional problems and ineffective rehabilitation efforts.