NCJ Number
122770
Date Published
1988
Length
165 pages
Annotation
This report presents an overview of Missouri's juvenile justice system, analyzes juvenile court referrals for 1986, discusses program compliance issues associated with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, and devises a plan of action for juvenile delinquency prevention.
Abstract
Missouri's juvenile justice system is a network of many organizations that include State, local, public, private, direct, and indirect service providers. The system encompasses juvenile courts, law enforcement, family and youth services, elementary and secondary education, mental health, private care providers, and youth service organizations. An analysis of juvenile courts indicates that less than one of every five referrals had a petition filed in 1986. Variances in detention and disposition were most noticeable when comparing offender race, while offender sex appeared to have little impact on disposition. Program compliance issues related to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act focus on the deinstitutionalization of status offenders and the removal of juveniles from adult jails. Missouri's plan of action covers alternative programs for status offenders, juvenile justice service programs, detention improvements, training and technical assistance, delinquency prevention, research and development, and violent offender model programs. The findings of a 1988 juvenile justice opinion survey are tabulated, along with juvenile demographic information (population data, school dropout rates, unemployment rates, and teenage pregnancy). Data collection forms and supplemental statistics are appended. 13 tables, 34 figures.