This study investigated self‐esteem and career salience of institutionalized adolescent offenders in the context of Super's (1980) lifespan career development theory. Participants were 185 male adolescents. Results indicated that participation, commitment, and values expectations in home‐family roles contribute significantly to self‐esteem in adolescent offenders. Additionally, adolescent offenders differ from adolescent non‐offenders on home‐family and work roles, with adolescent offenders scoring higher. Implications for career counseling of institutionalized adolescent offenders for transition into the community are discussed.