NCJ Number
164313
Date Published
1992
Length
91 pages
Annotation
Serious juvenile offenders in Virginia were studied in terms of their offense and service histories, differences between those transferred to the criminal justice system and those retained in the juvenile justice system and committed to Learning Centers, jurisdictional variations, and factors that influence decisionmaking on transfers.
Abstract
The analysis revealed that arrests for transferable crimes increased 7 percent between 1988 and 1990, while Circuit Court convictions of juveniles increased 31 percent in the same period. Jurisdictions vary significantly in arrests, commitments, and transfers for transferable offenses. Juveniles committed to Learning Centers and those convicted in Circuit Court are predominantly minority males who are at least 2 years behind their appropriate grade level. Sixty-three percent of juveniles convicted in Circuit Court are sentenced to prison; however, 22 percent receive no incarceration. Prior property offenses, closely followed by the age of the juvenile, are the greatest predictors of the decision to transfer. These and other findings led to recommendations to continue study of serious juvenile offenders for an additional year and change the State laws related to transfers of juveniles to criminal court. Additional recommendations, figures, tables, and appended background information and additional tables