NCJ Number
138937
Date Published
1991
Length
33 pages
Annotation
The fiscal year 1991 annual report on intake statistics for Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services indicates that total intake cases referred to the department increased by 5 percent between 1990 and 1991, from 38,704 to 40,646, whereas the statewide population of youth between 11 and 17 years increased by 2.9 percent.
Abstract
Of the 40,646 cases, 42 percent referred to the Department in fiscal year 1991 were closed or disapproved at intake, 16.8 percent were handled informally at intake, and 40.9 percent received formal court action. A comparison of intake decisions by geographic area showed that Baltimore City ranked the highest (65 percent) in the proportion of cases formalized and lowest (20 percent) in the proportion of closed or disapproved cases. Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, Montgomery, and Washington counties had the lowest (28 percent) proportion of cases referred for formal court action and the highest (54 percent) proportion of cases closed or disapproved. About 46 percent of all intake cases involved white youth, 52 percent black youth, and 3 percent other races. About 64 percent of youth referred for formal court action were black and 34 percent were white. In contrast, 51 percent of informal cases were white and 46 percent were black. Males accounted for 81 percent of total cases referred to intake and about 88 percent of formal cases. About 77 percent of youth were between 14 and 17 years of age, and the number of youth referred increased with age. Police accounted for 85 percent of the 40,646 referrals. Property offenses constituted the largest proportion of cases (49 percent), followed by person-to- person offenses (19 percent), uncategorized offenses (15 percent), and alcohol or drug-related offenses (11 percent). The 1991 juvenile referral rate for Maryland was 88.8 cases per 1,000 population 11 through 17 years of age, while the delinquency referral rate was 78.6 per 1,000 population. With respect to court disposition of formal cases, about 29 percent involved probation or protective supervision, 20 percent were dismissed or closed, 10 percent were committed supervision, 9 percent were continued or stetted, 16 percent had the petition withdrawn or denied, about 5 percent had jurisdiction waived, and the remaining 5 percent involved other dispositions. Court dispositions rendered during fiscal year 1991 totaled 15,721. 16 tables and 9 figures