NCJ Number
143939
Date Published
1992
Length
35 pages
Annotation
This report analyses the characteristics of the juveniles committed to the Massachusetts juvenile corrections system during 1991.
Abstract
The analysis reveals that the number of youths committed on personal offenses, weapons offenses, and drug law offenses declined from the 1990 total. White youths were committed on personal offenses at a higher rate than youth in any other racial category. Black youths were committed on weapons, drug distribution, and drug possession offenses at the highest rates. However, despite their accounting for only 14 percent of the total youth population under age 17 in Massachusetts, 58 percent of all newly committed youth in 1991 were minority youth. The metro region had the largest number of youths committed on personal offenses and weapons offenses. The western region had the highest number of youths committed on drug distribution offenses. Fifty percent of the Hispanic females committed and 83 percent of the other females committed were committed on personal offenses. Of the youths committed in 1991, only 15 percent came from families in which the parents were currently married and living together. The families of newly committed males had significantly higher average incomes than the families of newly committed females. Figures and tables