NCJ Number
87618
Date Published
1982
Length
61 pages
Annotation
This report analyzes national and State trends in juvenile arrests, court processing, and corrections over the last decade in view of recent deinstitutionalization mandates.
Abstract
Between 1971-79, rates of admissions to detention centers declined only 5.1 percent and training school admission rates not at all, despite success in removing status offenders and nonoffenders from secure institutions. States may be continuing to detain youths for purposes other than public safety and treatment. Moreover, arrest rates for Part 1 Index crimes leveled off in this period, a fact the public should be made aware of. Juvenile detention admissions were concentrated in a few States -- California, Ohio, Florida, Texas, and Washington accounted for more than half in 1979. These disparities suggest a need to increase regulation of discretionary decisionmaking, as well as implementation of national standards and other reforms. The block grant system should be retooled to target resources toward States with the greatest need rather than those with the largest youth populations, which, with a few exceptions, are not the ones with the highest admission rates. Deinstitutionalization policies must take into account the interrelatedness of juvenile care systems; focusing solely on juvenile justice can give a distorted view of deinstitutionalization's impact. A brief review of national juvenile justice data sources makes clear the urgent need for more reliable data and increased public education. Footnotes and study data are included.