Formal case handling was more likely in 1998 than in 1989, and more cases were adjudicated

In a formally processed case, petitioners ask the court to order sanctions

Formal case handling involves the filing of a petition requesting that the court hold an adjudicatory or waiver hearing. Informal case handling is considered when the decisionmaker (police, probation, intake, prosecutor, or other screening officer) believes that accountability and rehabilitation can be achieved without formal court intervention. Compared with informally handled cases, formally processed delinquency cases tend to involve more serious offenses, older juveniles, and juveniles with longer court histories.

If the court decides to handle the matter informally, the offender agrees to comply with one or more sanctions such as community service, victim restitution, or voluntary probation supervision. Informal cases are generally held open pending the successful completion of the disposition. If the court’s conditions are met, the charges are dismissed. If, however, the offender does not fulfill the conditions, the case is likely to be petitioned for formal processing.

In 1998, juvenile courts petitioned nearly 6 of 10 delinquency cases and adjudicated youth delinquent in more than 6 of 10 of those petitioned cases
	Most serious offense	Petitioned cases, 1998		Percentage of petitioned cases adjudicated
		Number	Percent
	Delinquency	1,000,300	57%	63%
	Person offenses	236,500	59	61
	Criminal homicide	1,700	86	40
	Forcible rape	4,600	77	66
	Robbery	26,000	88	62
	Aggravated assault	47,200	73	64
	Simple assault	131,800	50	60
	Other violent sex offenses	7,900	75	61
	Other person offenses	17,400	62	55
	Property offenses	422,600	53	65
	Burglary	96,600	77	71
	Larceny-theft	153,400	41	64
	Motor vehicle theft	33,500	76	71
	Arson	5,100	61	65
	Vandalism	60,100	51	61
	Trespassing	27,600	43	58
	Stolen property offenses	22,900	67	59
	Other property offenses	23,500	73	58
	Drug law violations	121,100	63	63
	Public order offenses	220,100	61	63
	Weapons offenses	26,000	64	65
	Obstruction of justice	111,500	73	70
	Disorderly conduct	37,100	40	54
	Liquor law violations	8,700	45	55
	Nonviolent sex offenses	6,400	59	66
	Other public order offenses	30,300	63	50
	Violent Crime Index*	79,500	77	63
	Property Crime Index**	288,500	53	67
Generally, the more serious the case, the more likely it was to be formally handled. *The FBI's Violent Crime Index includes criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. **The FBI's Property Crime Index includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Note: Detail may not add to totals because of rounding. Source: Author's adaptation of Puzzanchera et al.'s Juvenile Court Statistics 1998.

The use of formal handling has increased

In 1989, juvenile courts formally processed 50% of delinquency cases. By 1998, that proportion had increased to 57%. Compared with the likelihood of formal processing in 1989, cases in three of the four general offense categories were more likely to be handled formally in 1998. Only the percentage of drug offense cases remained virtually the same.

In 1998, drug offense cases were the most likely to be petitioned for formal handling, and property offense cases were the least likely.

Percentage of delinquency cases petitioned:

Offense	1989	1998
Delinquency	50%	57%
Person	56	59
Property	48	53
Drugs	62	63
Public order	50	61

The percentage of cases petitioned increased for all demographic groups

The likelihood of formal case processing increased between 1989 and 1998 for both genders and for all ages and races.

Percentage of delinquency cases petitioned:

Characteristic	1989	1998
Gender
Male	53%	60%
Female	40	48
Race
White	46	54
Black	61	65
Other races	50	52
Age
15 or younger	48	54
16 or older	54	61
Note: All racial groups include Hispanics.

Males were more likely to have their cases petitioned than were females. This was true for each of the general offenses. Black youth had a higher proportion of cases petitioned than white youth or youth of other races. This also was found in each of the general offenses. Juveniles age 16 or older were more likely to have their cases petitioned than were younger juveniles (overall and across offenses).

Adjudication was more likely for some types of cases than for others

Youth were adjudicated delinquent in a smaller proportion of person offense cases than in cases involving other types of offenses. This lower rate of adjudication in person offense cases may reflect, in part, reluctance to divert these cases from the formal juvenile justice system until a judge has had a chance to review them. In addition, person offense cases are more likely than other cases to be judicially waived to criminal court.

Delinquency adjudications grew 65% between 1989 and 1998

• The number of adjudicated delinquency cases increased 146% for drug cases, 111% for person cases, 105% for public order cases, and 26% for property cases.

Source: Author's adaptation of Puzzanchera et al.'s Juvenile Court Statistics 1998.

In the majority of formally processed cases involving males in 1998, the youth was adjudicated delinquent. The likelihood of adjudication was somewhat lower for females. This pattern held even when controlling for offense category.

Percentage of petitioned cases in which the juvenile was adjudicated delinquent, 1998:

Offense	Male	Female
Delinquency	64%	61%
Person	62	58
Property	66	61
Drugs	64	61
Public order	63	63

The proportion of cases adjudicated in 1998 also varied by the race of the youth. Black youth were less likely to be adjudicated than were white youth or youth of other races.

Percentage of petitioned cases in which the juvenile was adjudicated delinquent, 1998:

Offense	White	Black	Other races
Delinquency	65%	60%	66%
Person	63	58	65
Property	66	61	66
Drugs	65	60	71
Public order	64	61	66
Note: All racial groups include Hispanics.

Cases involving younger youth were more likely to result in adjudication than were cases involving older youth.

Percentage of petitioned cases in which the juvenile was adjudicated delinquent, 1998: