Juvenile Referrals and Dispositions in New Mexico: An Analysis of CYFD FY01 Data

• NCJ Number: 202253
• Author(s): Aki Roberts Ph.D.
• Date Published: January 2003
• Length: 48 pages
• Corporate Author: New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Dept
• Sale Source: New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Dept
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded September 29, 2003.

Annotation

This document presents information on juvenile referrals, petitions, and case processing during fiscal year 2001 in New Mexico.

Abstract

There were 29,560 cases referred to juvenile probation/parole officers. Approximately one third of those referrals were for property related offenses. Seventy percent of the referrals were males. More than half were for Hispanic juveniles. More than a third of the referrals originated in Bernalillo County. Females were more likely than males to have been referred for status offenses (curfew violations, truancy, and use of tobacco and alcohol). Native Americans were also more likely than other ethnic groups to have been referred for status offenses. While a larger proportion of Hispanics were referred for violent offenses, public order, interference, and “other” than in other groups, relatively fewer Hispanics were referred for property crime than in other groups. The proportion of younger juveniles referred for violent and property crimes was greater than the proportion of older juveniles, while the opposite was true for public order, interference, and “other” referrals. Bernalillo County had a very low percentage of referrals for status offenses but had the largest percentage of referrals for property offenses. Fifty-six percent of the referrals were handled informally, and 44 percent were handled formally. Cases involving more serious crimes were more likely to be filed by Children’s Court Attorney than those involving less serious crimes, except for interference cases. Most petitions were original. Very few petitions resulted from grand jury indictment of criminal information. Petitions most often involved property offenses. Most of the petitions involved males. More than half involved Hispanics. Most petitions resulted in disposition (64 percent). Very few were given reconsideration, 17 percent were either time waiver, nolle prosequi, or time expired, and 19 percent were still pending. Probation was the most frequent disposition. In general, older juveniles were given harsher disposition than younger juveniles. Most reconsiderations resulted in probation. 15 charts, 15 tables, 2 appendices