NCJ Number
126160
Date Published
1991
Length
11 pages
Annotation
In 1987, American juvenile courts disposed approximately 1,145,000 delinquency cases, about the same number as in 1986.
Abstract
About half the cases were handled informally, and half of those were dismissed for lack of evidence of legal sufficiency. In most formally handled cases, the youths were adjudicated delinquent; 57 percent of adjudicated delinquents were placed on probation, and 30 percent placed outside of their home. Nearly 60 percent of juvenile cases involved a property offense, while 6 percent of youthful offenders were charged with a violent crime. Larceny-theft was the largest offense category, constituting 27 percent of the delinquency caseload in 1987. In 20 percent of cases, the juvenile was detained by the court between referral and disposition. Youth age 15 or younger were responsible for 60 percent of property offenses, 58 percent of person offense cases, and 34 percent of drug law offenses. Most juvenile cases, which can be referred to court by law enforcement, social service agencies, schools, parents, probation officers, or victims, involved white males. Intake officers decide whether to handle juvenile delinquency cases informally or formally; judicial decisions involve waiver, adjudication, and disposition. Juvenile courts handled 81,000 status offense cases in 1987. While youth age 15 or younger committed more than half of all petitioned status offense cases, about 40 percent of these cases involved girls. Youth in 12 percent of status offense cases were detained between referral and disposition; 63 percent were adjudicated status offenders, and 60 percent of offenders were placed on probation. 1 table and 11 figures