Chapter 3
National Estimates of Delinquency Case Processing (Continued)

Adjudication

A youth may be adjudicated delinquent after admitting to the charges in a case or after the court finds sufficient evidence to judge the youth delinquent.

The proportion of petitioned delinquency cases in which the juvenile was adjudicated delinquent was about the same in 1998 as in 1989

Percentage of petitioned delinquency cases adjudicated:
 
Most Serious Offense 1989 1994 1998
Delinquency    62%    59%    63%
  Person 57 55 61
  Property 63 59 65
  Drugs 65 58 63
  Public Order 65 61 63

  • Adjudications as a percentage of petitioned delinquency cases declined between 1989 (62%) and 1995 (58%). This decline was followed by an increase through 1998 (63%).

Both the overall proportion of petitioned delinquency cases and the proportion of cases resulting in adjudication or waiver have grown since 1993

Figure showing percent of delinquency cases petitioned (not adjudicated), petitioned (adjudicated or transferred), and not petitioned, 1989-98

  • In 1989, 32% of all delinquency cases resulted in either adjudication of delinquency or waiver to criminal court. By 1998, this proportion had increased to 37%.

Note: Detail may not total 100% because of rounding.

Age

  • In each year from 1989 through 1998, juveniles age 15 or younger were more likely than older juveniles to be adjudicated delinquent, regardless of offense.

  • Between 1989 and 1998, the overall proportion of petitioned cases that resulted in adjudication increased for youth age 15 or younger but remained the same for older youth.

  • For both age groups, the likelihood of adjudication increased for person offense cases and remained the same for drug and public order offense cases during this period.

Gender

  • Petitioned cases involving male juveniles were more likely to be adjudicated than were those involving females.

  • In 1998, the probability of adjudication for males was greatest in cases involving property offenses (66%); for females, the probability was greatest in cases involving public order offenses (63%).

  • For both males and females, petitioned person and property cases were more likely to be adjudicated in 1998 than in 1989.

Race

  • In 1998, petitioned cases involving black juveniles were less likely to be adjudicated than were cases involving white juveniles or juveniles of other races.

  • Between 1989 and 1998, the likelihood of adjudication for petitioned delinquency cases increased for white youth but remained the same for black youth and declined for youth of other races.

  • In drug cases, the likelihood of adjudication decreased for cases involving black youth (from 65% to 60%) but increased for youth of other races (from 68% to 71%).

The likelihood of adjudication varied by demographic group

Percentage of petitioned delinquency cases adjudicated:
 
Most Serious Offense 1989 1994 1998
Age  
15 or Younger    63%    60%    65%
  Person 57 56 62
  Property 64 60 66
  Drugs 67 60 66
  Public Order 67 63 65
 
16 or Older    62%    57%    62%
  Person 56 53 59
  Property 63 58 63
  Drugs 63 57 62
  Public Order 62 59 61
 
Gender      
Male    63%    59%    64%
  Person 58 55 62
  Property 64 61 66
  Drugs 65 59 64
  Public Order 65 62 63
 
Female    58%    54%    61%
  Person 52 52 58
  Property 58 53 61
  Drugs 61 55 61
  Public Order 63 59 63
 
Race  
White    63%    61%    65%
  Person 58 58 63
  Property 64 62 66
  Drugs 64 61 65
  Public Order 66 64 64
 
Black    60%    53%    60%
  Person 55 50 58
  Property 61 54 61
  Drugs 65 55 60
  Public Order 62 57 61
 
Other Races    69%    65%    66%
  Person 66 65 65
  Property 69 65 66
  Drugs 68 72 71
  Public Order 70 65 66

Dispositions: Out-of-Home Placement

In dispositional hearings, juvenile court judges determine the most appropriate sanction for delinquent youth, generally after reviewing reports from the probation department. The range of disposition options may include commitment to an institution or other residential facility, probation supervision, or a variety of other sanctions, such as community service, restitution or fines, or referral to an outside agency or treatment program.

This Report characterizes case disposition by the most severe or restrictive sanction. Although most youth in out-of-home placements are also technically on probation, in this Report cases resulting in placement are not included in the probation group.

The court ordered out-of-home placement in 26% of all adjudicated delinquency cases in 1998

Percentage of adjudicated delinquency cases that resulted in out-of-home placement:
 
Most Serious Offense 1989 1994 1998
Delinquency    31%    28%    26%
  Person 33 31 27
  Property 27 26 24
  Drug 36 28 23
  Public Order 38 31 28

  • The relatively high rate of placement in public order offense cases may be related to the fact that this offense category includes escapes from institutions, weapons offenses, and probation and parole violations.

  • Although the percentage of adjudicated delinquency cases resulting in out-of-home placement declined between 1989 and 1998 for all four of the major offense categories, the number of adjudicated delinquency cases resulting in out-of-home placement increased 37%.

Between 1989 and 1998, placements increased more for person and public order offense cases than for property offense cases

Figure showing number of adjudicated delinquency cases resulting in out-of-home placement, by case type, 1989-98.

  • The number of adjudicated person offense cases that resulted in out-of-home placement increased 73% between 1989 and 1998. During this period, the number of drug offense cases that resulted in out-of-home placement increased 59%, public order offense cases increased 52%, and property offense cases increased 12%.

The largest proportion of adjudicated cases resulting in out-of-home placement involve property offenses

Most Serious Offense 1989 1994 1998
Person   19%   24%   24%
Property 50 46 41
Drug   9   9 11
Public Order 22 22 24
 
Total     100%     100%     100%
 
Cases Resulting in Out-of-Home Placement 119,700 145,700 163,800

  • The offense profile of cases resulting in out-of-home placement changed somewhat between 1989 and 1998. The proportion of out-of-home placement cases that involved person, drug, and public order offenses increased, while the proportion involving property offenses declined.

Note: Detail may not total 100% because of rounding.

Age

  • In 1998, about one quarter of adjudicated cases resulted in placement outside the home for both juveniles age 15 or younger and those age 16 or older.

  • For both age groups, the use of out-of-home placement in adjudicated drug offense cases decreased substantially between 1989 and 1998, declining more than 10 percentage points.

Gender

  • Adjudicated cases involving male delinquents were more likely than those involving females to result in out-of-home placement. In 1998, placement was the most restrictive disposition in 27% of adjudicated cases involving males and 20% of those involving females.

  • For both males and females, higher proportions of person and public order cases resulted in out-of-home placement in 1998 than did property or drug cases.

Race

  • In 1998, adjudicated cases involving black youth were more likely to result in out-of-home placement than were cases involving white youth or youth of other races. These data, however, do not control for offense seriousness, offending history, or prior dispositions.

  • Between 1989 and 1998, the likelihood of placement in adjudicated drug offense and public order offense cases declined for all racial groups, especially for white youth and youth of other races.

The likelihood of out-of-home placement declined between 1989 and 1998 for all demographic groups and offenses

Percentage of adjudicated delinquency cases that resulted in out-of-home placement:
 
Most Serious Offense 1989 1994 1998
Age  
15 or Younger    31%    28%    25%
  Person 33 30 26
  Property 27 25 23
  Drugs 38 30 24
  Public Order 40 32 28
 
16 or Older    31%    29%    27%
  Person 34 32 29
  Property 28 27 26
  Drugs 34 28 23
  Public Order 36 30 29
 
Gender  
Male    32%    29%    27%
  Person 35 33 29
  Property 28 27 26
  Drugs 36 29 24
  Public Order 39 32 30
 
Female    26%    22%    20%
  Person 24 22 20
  Property 21 20 17
  Drugs 31 24 17
  Public Order 36 27 24
 
Race  
White    30%    25%    24%
  Person 33 28 27
  Property 26 24 23
  Drugs 31 23 17
  Public Order 38 29 27
 
Black    33%    33%    30%
  Person 34 35 28
  Property 30 31 28
  Drugs 40 35 34
  Public Order 38 34 32
 
Other Races    33%    32%    25%
  Person 35 36 30
  Property 30 30 25
  Drugs 30 26 18
  Public Order 39 33 24

Dispositions: Probation

Probation remains the most likely sanction imposed by juvenile courts

Percentage of adjudicated delinquency cases that resulted in probation:
 
Most Serious Offense 1989 1994 1998
Delinquency    55%    53%    58%
  Person 54 53 58
  Property 57 55 59
  Drugs 54 51 59
  Public Order 50 50 54

  • Probation was the most restrictive disposition used in 366,100 adjudicated delinquency cases in 1998—58% of all such cases handled by juvenile courts

  • The likelihood of probation for adjudicated delinquency cases increased for all offense categories between 1989 and 1998.

The number of adjudicated cases resulting in a disposition of probation increased 73% between 1989 and 1998

Figure showing number of adjudicated delinquency cases resulting in probation, by case type, 1989-98.

  • Since 1989, the largest percent increase in the number of adjudicated cases receiving probation was for drug offenses (169%), followed by person offenses (128%), public order offenses (122%), and property offenses (31%).

Nearly half of adjudicated delinquency cases that resulted in probation in 1998 involved property offenses

Most Serious Offense 1989 1994 1998
Person    17%    22%    23%
Property 59 51 45
Drugs   8   9 12
Public Order 16 19 21
 
Total 100% 100% 100%
 
Cases Resulting in Formal Probation 211,400 275,500 366,100

  • The offense characteristics of adjudicated delinquency cases resulting in probation changed somewhat between 1989 and 1998, with an increase in the proportion of cases involving person, drug, and public order offenses and a decrease in the proportion involving property offenses.

Note: Detail may not total 100% because of rounding.

Age

  • Once adjudicated, younger juveniles were more likely than older juveniles to be placed on probation. In 1998, 61% of adjudicated cases involving youth age 15 or younger resulted in probation, compared with 54% for youth age 16 or older.

  • For both age groups, cases involving property offenses and drug offenses were more likely to result in probation following adjudication than were cases involving person offenses or public order offenses.

Gender

  • For all offenses, females were more likely to be placed on probation following adjudication than were males. In 1998, probation was ordered in 63% of adjudicated delinquency cases involving females and 57% of those involving males.

Race

  • Overall, the use of probation in adjudicated delinquency cases was about the same for all racial groups in 1998. Probation was ordered in 58% of adjudicated cases involving white youth and 57% of cases involving black youth and youth of other races.

Between 1989 and 1998, the likelihood of probation increased for all demographic groups

Percentage of adjudicated delinquency cases that resulted in probation:
 
Most Serious Offense 1989 1994 1998
Age  
15 or Younger    57%    55%    61%
  Person 56 55 60
  Property 59 57 62
  Drugs 54 53 62
  Public Order 51 52 58
 
16 or Older    53%    50%    54%
  Person 50 49 53
  Property 55 52 56
  Drugs 53 50 57
  Public Order 49 47 50
 
Gender  
Male    55%    52%    57%
  Person 52 51 56
  Property 57 55 58
  Drugs 53 51 58
  Public Order 49 49 53
 
Female    59%    58%    63%
  Person 60 59 65
  Property 61 59 64
  Drugs 60 57 64
  Public Order 52 54 58
 
Race  
White    56%    55%    58%
  Person 55 55 58
  Property 57 56 59
  Drugs 58 56 63
  Public Order 49 50 53
 
Black    55%    51%    57%
  Person 52 49 58
  Property 57 53 60
  Drugs 50 46 51
  Public Order 52 51 55
 
Other Races    53%    48%    57%
  Person 53 48 56
  Property 52 48 56
  Drugs 66 49 60
  Public Order 52 46 57

Case Processing Overview, 1998

  • In more than half (58%) of all adjudicated delinquency cases in 1998, formal probation was the most severe sanction ordered by the court.

  • More than one-quarter (26%) of adjudicated cases resulted in placement outside the home in a residential facility.

  • In 11% of adjudicated delinquency cases, the court ordered the juvenile to pay restitution or a fine, to participate in some form of community service, or to enter a treatment or counseling program—dispositions with minimal continuing supervision by probation staff.

  • In a relatively small number of cases (5%), the juvenile was adjudicated but was released with no further sanction or consequence.

  • In 36% of all petitioned delinquency cases in 1998, the youth was not subsequently adjudicated delinquent. The court dismissed most of these cases (67%), but 15% resulted in some form of informal probation, 2% in voluntary out-of-home placements, and 16% in other voluntary dispositions.

  • The court dismissed nearly half of the informally handled (nonpetitioned) delinquency cases in 1998. A small proportion of the remaining nonpetitioned cases involved voluntary out-of-home placements; most, however, resulted in voluntary probation or other dispositions.

Flowchart showing overview of disposition of an estimated 1,757,400 juvenile delinquency cases in 1998

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

  • For every 1,000 delinquency cases processed in 1998, 569 (57%) were petitioned for formal processing and 431 (43%) were handled informally.

  • In many petitioned delinquency cases that did not result in juvenile court adjudication, the youth agreed to informal services or sanctions, including out-of-home placement, informal probation, and other dispositions such as restitution.

  • In a small number of cases (19 of 1,000), the juvenile was adjudicated but the court closed the case with a stayed or suspended sentence, warned and released the youth, or perhaps required the youth to write an essay. In such cases, the juvenile is not under any continuing court supervision.

  • Although juvenile courts handled more than 4 in 10 delinquency cases without the filing of a formal petition, more than half of these cases received some form of court sanction, including probation or other dispositions such as restitution, community service, or referral to another agency.

Flowchart showing disposition of a typical 1,000 juvenile delinquency cases, 1998

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

Case Processing by Offense Category, 1998

Person Offense Cases

  • In 1998, more than 6 in 10 petitioned person offense cases resulted in the youth being adjudicated delinquent.

  • Most adjudicated person cases resulted in some formal sanction, such as probation (58%) or out-of-home placement (27%). Only a small proportion (6%) of these cases were released.

Flowchart showing case processing of juvenile person offenses, 1998.

Property Offense Cases

  • Of the four general offense categories, property offense cases were least likely to be petitioned for formal processing. However, once petitioned, property offense cases were more likely to result in the youth being adjudicated than were cases involving person, drug, or public order offenses.

  • Juvenile courts handled 47% of all property offense cases without the filing of a petition. More than 60% of these cases received some form of court sanction, including probation, restitution, community service, or referral to another agency.

Flowchart showing case processing of juvenile property offenses, 1998.

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

Drug Offense Cases

  • In 1998, 63% of all petitioned drug offense cases resulted in the youth being adjudicated delinquent.

  • Juvenile courts ordered formal sanctions or waived jurisdiction in 60% of all petitioned drug offense cases.
Flowchart showing case processing of juvenile drug offenses, 1998.

Public Order Offense Cases

  • In 1998, 39% of all public order offense cases were not petitioned; more than half of these cases were dismissed, while the remaining cases resulted in some form of court sanction, including probation, restitution, community service, or referral to another agency.

Flowchart showing case processing of juvenile public order offenses, 1998.

Case Processing by Age, 1998

  • Youth age 15 or younger were adjudicated delinquent in 65% of all petitioned cases in 1998. In comparison, youth age 16 or older were adjudicated delinquent in 62% of petitioned cases.

  • The proportion of petitioned cases waived to criminal court was less than 1% for youth age 15 or younger, compared with 2% for older youth.

  • Nearly half of all cases involving youth age 15 or younger were handled without the filing of a petition. Of these cases, 43% were dismissed without sanction.

  • In 37% of all petitioned cases involving youth age 16 or older, the youth was not subsequently adjudicated delinquent. The court dismissed two-thirds of these cases, but 13% resulted in informal probation, 3% in voluntary out-of-home placement, and 17% in other voluntary dispositions

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing by offender age, 1998.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing by offender age, 1998.

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

Case Processing by Gender, 1998

  • In 1998, 6 of every 10 cases involving males were petitioned. Of these cases, 1% were waived to criminal court and 64% resulted in the youth being adjudicated delinquent.

  • More than half of all cases involving females (52%) were handled informally. One-third of these cases resulted in voluntary probation, and 41% were dismissed without sanction.

  • Adjudicated cases involving males were more likely to result in out-of-home placement than those involving females (27% versus 20%).

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing by gender, 1998.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing by gender, 1998.

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

Case Processing by Race, 1998

  • Cases involving black youth were more likely to be petitioned than were cases involving white youth or youth of other races. Once petitioned, however, cases involving black youth were less likely to be adjudicated delinquent than were cases involving white youth or youth of other races.

  • For all racial groups, a small proportion of cases resulted in waiver to criminal court.

  • Once adjudicated, cases involving black youth were more likely to result in out-of-home placement than were cases involving white youth or youth of other races.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing of white youth, 1998.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing of black youth, 1998.

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

  • Nearly half of cases involving youth of other races were not petitioned. Most of these cases were dismissed.

  • Juvenile courts ordered formal sanctions or waived jurisdiction in 21,400 cases (64% of all petitioned cases) involving youth of other races.
Flowchart showing delinquency case processing of youth of other races, 1998.

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

Case Processing by FBI Offense Category, 1998

Violent Crime Index Cases

  • In 1998, juvenile courts waived 22 of every 1,000 Violent Crime Index offense cases to criminal court.

  • Juvenile courts ordered formal sanctions or waived jurisdiction in nearly half of all Violent Crime Index offense cases.

  • Cases involving juveniles adjudicated for Violent Crime Index offenses were more likely to result in out-of-home placement than were Property Crime Index offense cases.

  • Cases in which juveniles are not adjudicated delinquent may result in informal sanctions. Thus, juvenile courts imposed some sort of sanction—formal or informal—in two-thirds of the petitioned Violent Crime Index offense cases in 1998.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing by FBI's Violent Crime Index category, 1998.

Property Crime Index Cases

  • Juveniles received informal sanctions in 36% of Property Crime Index offense cases in 1998.

  • Juvenile courts waived 5 of every 1,000 Property Crime Index offense cases to criminal court.

  • Cases involving juveniles adjudicated for Property Crime Index offenses were more likely to result in probation than were Violent Crime Index offense cases.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing by FBI's Property Crime Index, 1998.

Notes: The Violent Crime Index includes criminal homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The Property Crime Index includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

Case Processing by Selected Individual Offense, 1998

Aggravated Assault Cases

  • In 1998, juvenile courts waived 11 of every 1,000 aggravated assault cases to criminal court.

  • More than 60% of aggravated assault cases resulted in some sort of sanction or in waiver to criminal court.

  • Juveniles received informal sanctions (sanctions resulting from cases not petitioned or not adjudicated) in one-fifth of aggravated assault cases.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing of aggravated assault,1998.

Simple Assault Cases

  • Compared with aggravated assault cases, simple assault cases were less likely to result in court-ordered sanctions or waiver to criminal court.

  • Of every 1,000 simple assault cases handled in 1998, more than 300 resulted in informal sanctions.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing of simple assault,1998.

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

Robbery Cases

  • In 1998, juvenile courts waived 31 of every 1,000 robbery cases to criminal court.

  • Juvenile courts ordered formal sanctions or waived jurisdiction in more than half of robbery cases.

  • Juvenile courts imposed some sort of sanction in nearly two-thirds of robbery cases.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing of robbery,1998.

Burglary Cases

  • Juvenile courts waived 11 of every 1,000 burglary cases to criminal court in 1998.

  • Juvenile courts ordered formal sanctions or waived jurisdiction in more than half of all burglary cases.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing of burglary,1998.

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

Motor Vehicle Theft Cases

  • In 1998, out-of-home placement was ordered in more than 200 of every 1,000 cases involving charges of motor vehicle theft.

  • Less than 1% of petitioned motor vehicle theft cases were waived to criminal court.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing of motor vehicle theft,1998.

Vandalism Cases

  • Juvenile courts handled about 500 of every 1,000 vandalism cases informally (i.e., without a petition) in 1998. Youth received informal sanctions in 267 of these informal cases.

  • Juvenile courts formally ordered sanctions such as community service and restitution in 49 of every 1,000 vandalism cases, compared with 34 of every 1,000 motor vehicle theft cases.

Flowchart showing delinquency case processing of vandalism,1998.

Note: Cases are categorized by their most severe or restrictive sanction. Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.


Previous Contents Next
Juvenile Court Statistics 1998 June 2003