NCJ Number
42680
Journal
Judicature Volume: 61 Issue: 1 Dated: (JUNE-JULY 1977) Pages: 15-22
Date Published
1977
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES A SYSTEMS FLOW ANALYSIS OF THE KING COUNTY JUVENILE COURT WHICH EXAMINED THE PROCESS OF DELINQUENCY CASES, JUVENILE STATUS OFFENSE CASES, DEPENDENCY CASES, AND JUVENILE TRAFFIC CASES.
Abstract
BY DEVISING A FLOW CHART OF THE SYSTEM AND ENTERING STATISTICS ON THE CHART, IT WAS POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN AN OVERALL PICTURE OF THE FLOW RATES THROUGH THE SYSTEM'S VARIOUS PARTS. A TOTAL OF 605 REFERRALS WERE STUDIED, AND STATISTICAL FINDINGS ON THIS SAMPLE WERE PROJECTED ONTO AN ANNUAL SYSTEM FLOW. THE FLOW OF CASES AT EACH STAGE IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE PROCESS - REFERRAL, INITIAL DISSEMINATION AND SCREENING, INVESTIGATION, INFORMAL ADJUSTMENTS, PETITION, AND DISPOSITION - WAS DOCUMENTED. RESULTS SHOWED THAT 60 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL REFERRALS WERE SCREENED OUT, ADJUSTED, AND DIVERTED BY THE DETENTION SCREENER WITHOUT SEEING A PROBATION OFFICER. ANOTHER 20 PERCENT WERE ADJUSTED DURING THE INVESTIGATION STAGE, SO THAT ONLY ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL REFERRALS GO THROUGH TRIAL. AFTER TRIAL, 14 PERCENT OF THE REFERRALS REMAIN IN THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM, AND MANY OF THESE REFERRALS ARE INSTANCES OF PROBATIONER RECIDIVISM....DMC