NCJ Number
70846
Date Published
1980
Length
22 pages
Annotation
The characteristics of California Youth Authority wards in institutions and camps and on parole as of June 30 of each year 1971 through 1980 are presented.
Abstract
Over the 10-year span of this report, fluctuations in the institutional populations were due to such factors as probation subsidy, changes in Youth Authority Board members and policy, and changes in laws. The number of male wards in institutions on June 30, 1980, reached the highest point in the decade (but not as high as in the mid-1960s). The proportion of minorities in male institutions increased from 51 percent in 1971 to 68 percent in 1980, and from 41 percent to 60 percent in female institutions. The percent of black males increased from 30 to 35 percent over this period, while Spanish-speaking wards increased from 19 to 31 percent. Commitments for violent offenses (homicide, robbery, and assault) increased from 30 to 52 percent for males and from 17 to 61 percent for females. The numbers of wards who were committed for narcotic and drug offenses have declined since the early 1970's so that they constituted only 1.7 percent of the 1980 population. Also, while 14 percent of the male and 41 percent of the female wards were committed for Welfare and Institutions Code offenses in 1971, these figures dropped to less than 1 percent and 0 percent respectively, in 1980. Male wards on first commitment status increased from 59 percent in 1971 to 82 percent in 1980, and females, from 60 to 89 percent. The data are presented in tabular form, and data highlights are reviewed.