NCJ Number
202251
Date Published
2002
Length
277 pages
Annotation
This document presents juvenile risk factors that may affect juvenile delinquency and juvenile crime data in the State of Washington.
Abstract
Juveniles make up 25 percent of the total State population. Youth aged 10 to 17 is the cohort most likely to be involved in juvenile delinquency. Male youth represent slightly over one-half of the juvenile population, with females representing 49 percent of zero to 17 year olds. Minority youth makeup approximately 24 percent of the State’s juvenile population. Minorities are over-represented in juvenile court offense referrals, and incarceration. Black and American Indian youth are overepresented in juvenile arrests. The Office of Financial Management estimated the poverty rate among Washington’s children was 17.5 percent in 2002. The estimated cumulative dropout rate for the class of 2001 was 18.1 percent. Asian and Pacific Islander students had the lowest annual dropout rate, while American Indian students had the highest annual dropout rate in school year 2000-2001. In 2002, 77,051 children were referred to Child Protective Services. Washington’s teen pregnancy rate for females ages 15 to 17 was 32.9 per 1,000 in 2001. In February 2003, 58 percent of youth in residence met the criteria for mental health target population (those with serious mental health disorders). Truancy petition filings, At-Risk Youth petition filings, and Children in Need of Supervision petitions increased. More than 3,500 admissions of status offenders to juvenile detention facilities in 2001 were for violations of a court order/proceeding related to a status offense (contempt of court); 49 percent were girls. There were 43,714 juvenile arrests: 1,780 for violent offenses; 17,914 for property offense;, 8,811 for drug and alcohol offenses; and 362 for sex offenses. Females accounted for about 28 percent of all 2001 juvenile arrests. Minorities accounted for about 15 percent of all 2001 juvenile arrests. Of the 46,069 cases referred to county prosecutors, 38 percent were referred to diversion, 37 percent had charges filed, and no action was taken on 22 percent. There were 32,898 admissions to local juvenile detention facilities in 2001. Seven percent of all cases referred to court were sentenced to the State Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration. 34 graphs, 95 tables