NCJ Number
84482
Date Published
1981
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The National Crime Survey (NCS), and the National Center for Juvenile Justice Juvenile Court Data Archie FBI Uniform Crime Reports all contribute insights into the juvenile crime problem and juvenile court handling of it. Particularly helpful are National Center data, drawn from 10 States, profiling juvenile offenders brought before the juvenile courts.
Abstract
NCS data show that from 1973-77 both the number and rate of personal victimizations committed by juveniles decreased, while victimization committed by adults increased. Personal victimizations committed by juveniles were less serious in terms of weapon use, injury rate, and financial loss than similar crimes by adults. UCR data find that adult arrests for serious crime increased more than juvenile arrests in the 1970's. Juvenile courts are more likely than adult courts to convict offenders; some 55 percent of serious juvenile cases result in some form of supervision or incarceration, including informal supervision of cases handled without petition. Of cases resulting in a criminal conviction or delinquency adjudication, however, the criminal court is more likely to sentence an adult felon to incarceration while the juvenile court is more likely to impose probation. Almost every State provides some avenue to criminal court for serious offenders over 15 years old. The more serious their present offenses are and the more prior delinquency referrals juveniles have, the more likely it is they will be waived to criminal court, or, if adjudicated delinquent, institutionalized. Data tables and six references are supplied.