COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF STATUS OFFENDERS AND JUVENILE DETENTION IN MISSOURI, 1975

• NCJ Number: 43318
• Author(s): K HENSIEK; M SINNETHBOEHM R G
• Editor(s): R G BOEHM
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 84 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Missouri Council on Criminal Justice
• Corporate Author: Missouri Juvenile Officers Assoc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS IS THE FINAL REPORT ON A SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF STATUS OFFENDERS REFERRED IN MISSOURI FOR EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, REASON FOR REFERRAL, NUMBER DETAINED, AND ADEQUACY OF DETENTION PROVISIONS BY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT.

Abstract

THE MISSOURI JUVENILE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION COLLECTED STATISTICS FROM EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT AND ANALYZED HANDLING OF STATUS OFFENDERS TO DETERMINE ATTITUDES TOWARD COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 223, SUBSECTION 12 OF THE MISSOURI CODE, WHICH REQUIRES JUVENILE STATUS OFFENDERS TO BE DETAINED SEPARATELY FROM ADULT OFFENDERS AND JUVENILE LAW OFFENDERS. IN 1975, MISSOURI COURTS HANDLED 4409 MALE AND 3543 FEMALE STATUS OFFENDERS. THE MAJORITY WERE RUNAWAYS OR TRUANTS: 49.5 PERCENT RUNAWAY AND 15.1 PERCENT TRUANCY FOR GIRLS, AND 30.8 PERCENT RUNAWAY AND 17.8 PERCENT TRUANCY FOR BOYS. INCORRIGIBILITY ACCOUNTED FOR 19.1 PERCENT OF BOYS AND 20.8 PERCENT OF GIRLS. FEW GIRLS WERE DETAINED FOR SCHOOL BEHAVIOR, CURFEW VIOLATIONS, OR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF INTOXICATING BEVERAGES; HOWEVER, 12.7 PERCENT OF BOYS WERE CHARGED WITH CURFEW VIOLATIONS AND 16 PERCENT WITH INTOXICATING BEVERAGE VIOLATIONS. HANDLING OF STATUS OFFENDERS WAS DETERMINED BY SIZE OF COURT. LARGER JURISDICTIONS WHICH HAD WELL DEVELOPED FACILITIES AND HANDLED A LARGE NUMBER OF STATUS OFFENDERS HAD EITHER SEPARATE DETENTION FACILITIES OR ADEQUATE FOSTER HOME RESOURCES. SMALLER JURISDICTIONDS HANDLED EACH CASE INDIVIDUALLY AND CITED EXPENSE AS A MAJOR PROBLEM. A GOOD MANY SMALLER DISTRICTS MADE USE OF CHURCH HOMES OR FOSTER HOMES FOR DETENTION. EIGHT CIRCUITS HAD ADEQUATE PHYSICAL RESOURCES, 27 DID NOT; 18 CIRCUITS WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT AND THE MISSOURI JUVENILE CODE, WHILE 19 WERE NOT. NEW CONSTRUCTION WAS CITED AS A NEED BY 14 CIRCUITS, RENOVATION BY 4 CIRCUITS, ADDITIONAL SPACE BY 8 CIRCUITS, AND A REGIONAL FACILITY WAS SUGGESTED BY 20 CIRCUITS. ADDITIONAL STAFF WOULD BE NEEDED BY 14 CIRCUITS, STAFF TRAINING BY 15, AND FUNDING FOR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT BY 12 CIRCUITS. ESTIMATED COST REQUIRED NEW CONSTRUCTION WAS $2,585,000, OF RENOVATION $351,000, AND OF ADDITIONAL ANNUAL OPERATIONAL EXPENSE $555,000. QUESTIONNAIRES USED FOR THE SURVEY ARE APPENDED.