NCJ Number
68016
Date Published
1977
Length
76 pages
Annotation
PATTERNS OF JUVENILE CRIME IN BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M., ARE DESCRIBED IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THE MAIN PROBLEM AREAS RELATING TO JUVENILE CRIME AND TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION SYSTEM.
Abstract
THE REPORT WAS PREPARED BY THE BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, USING DATA FROM ARREST REPORTS FOR ALL JUVENILES ARRESTED BY THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN 1976. DATA RECORDED INCLUDED THE OFFENDER'S AGE, SEX, TIME THE OFFENSE WAS COMMITTED, CRIME, PAST CHARGES, FAMILY STATUS, DISPOSITION, HOME ADDRESS, AND VIOLATION LOCATION. THE EIGHT VIOLATION CATEGORIES WERE VIOLENT AND SEX VIOLATIONS, PREVENTABLE VIOLATIONS, LIQUOR VIOLATIONS, CURFEW AND RUNAWAY CASES, AND ALL OTHER VIOLATIONS. FIVE OF THE COUNTY'S 145 GEOGRAPHIC ZONES ACCOUNTED FOR 48 PERCENT OF ALL VIOLATIONS. ONE-FOURTH OF THE TOTAL JUVENILES ARRESTED WERE 16-YEARS OLD, 22.5 PERCENT WERE 15-YEARS OLD, AND 19.3 PERCENT WERE 17-YEARS OLD. ONE-THIRD OF THOSE ARRESTED FOR VIOLENT AND SEX OFFENSES WERE AGE 16. MALES CONSTITUTED 76.9 PERCENT OF ALL THOSE ARRESTED. MALES CONSTITUTED OVER 80 PERCENT OF ALL JUVENILE ARRESTS IN ALL VIOLATION CATEGORIES, EXCEPT CURFEW OR RUNAWAY VIOLATIONS, FOR WHICH 69.6 PERCENT OF THOSE ARRESTED WERE FEMALES. ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF THE ARRESTEES CAME FROM FAMILIES IN WHICH BOTH PARENTS LIVED IN THE HOME. OVER FOUR-FIFTHS OF THOSE ARRESTED HAD NO PRIOR ARREST RECORD. ALMOST 40 PERCENT OF THE ARRESTS OCCURRED IN FEBRUARY, MARCH, AND APRIL, WHILE ONLY 12 PERCENT OCCURRED IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER. THE TIME OF ARREST VARIED ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF OFFENSE. OVER THREE-FOURTHS OF THOSE ARRESTED WERE COUNSELED AND RELEASED TO THE PARENTS. ALMOST ONE-FOURTH WERE SENT TO THE JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICE. ONLY 0.3 PERCENT WERE SENT TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE ALL FAITHS HOME. MAPS, TABLES, AND GRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. FOR PART ONE OF THIS REPORT, SEE NCJ 68015. (CFW)