NCJ Number
66421
Date Published
1980
Length
88 pages
Annotation
THIS 1978 REPORT FROM THE KANSAS JUVENILE JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM PRESENTS DATA ON JUVENILE COURT REFERRALS, TYPES OF CASES, AND DISPOSITIONS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR.
Abstract
THE 23,406 JUVENILE COURT REFERRALS REPRESENTED A 3.7 PERCENT INCREASE OVER 1977, ALTHOUGH 3 FEWER COURTS REPORTED THAN IN 1977. THE SIX LARGEST COUNTIES HAVE CONSISTENTLY REPORTED ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE REFERRALS DURING THE PAST 3 YEARS. OF THE 11,362 REFERRALS FOR DELINQUENT AND MISCREANT ACTS, 43 PERCENT WERE FOR LARCENY AND BURGLARY. OF THE 6,239 STATUS OFFENSE REFERRALS, 42 PERCENT WERE FOR RUNNING AWAY. NONCRIMINAL REFERRALS (STATUS, TRAFFIC, DEPRIVED, AND SPECIAL) MADE UP ABOUT HALF OF THE TOTAL REFERRALS. JUST OVER HALF OF THE JUVENILE CASES WERE HANDLED WITH PETITIONS. NO SIGNIFICANT SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN REFERRALS WERE APPARENT. OF THE TOTAL REFERRALS, 60 PERCENT WERE FOR YOUTHS AGED 15 TO 17; 69 PERCENT, FOR MALES; AND 79 PERCENT, FOR WHITES. ALMOST THREE-QUARTERS OF THE REFERRALS CAME FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. PRIOR TO DISPOSITION, THREE-QUARTERS OF THE REFERRALS REQUIRED NO OVERNIGHT DETENTION. HALF OF THE REFERRALS WERE DISPOSED OF IN 30 DAYS OR LESS; 43 PERCENT OF THE CASES SETTLED BY THE COURTS WERE DISMISSED. FIGURES, TABLES, AND APPENDIXES PRESENTING ADDITIONAL STATISTICS, A GLOSSARY, AND A DATA COLLECTION FORM, ARE INCLUDED.