The formal status offense caseload differs substantially from the delinquency caseload

What are status offenses?

Status offenses are those behaviors that are law violations only if committed by a person of juvenile status. Such behaviors include running away from home, ungovernability (being beyond the control of parents or guardians), truancy, curfew violations, and underage drinking (which also applies to young adults through age 20).

Police refer few truancy, ungovernability, or runaway cases to court

Law enforcement agencies referred 4 in 10 runaway cases formally handled in juvenile court between 1989 and 1998* and just 1 in 10 truancy and ungovernability cases. Law enforcement agencies were more likely to be the referral source for status liquor law violation cases than for other status offense cases.

Percentage of formal status offense cases referred by law enforcement agencies:

Offense	1989–98
Runaway	40%
Truancy	10
Ungovernability	11
Liquor	92

Females account for most runaway cases

Another major difference between delinquency and status offense cases is the large proportion of cases that involve females.

During the 10-year period 1989–98, the volume of petitioned truancy, runaway, and ungovernability cases peaked at age 15

• For liquor law violation cases, the proportion of cases increased substantially throughout the juvenile years.

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

Percentage of formal status offense cases involving females:

Offense	1989–98
Runaway	61%
Truancy	46
Ungovernability	45
Liquor	29

The proportion of cases adjudicated varied by status offense category

Truancy and ungovernability cases were more likely to be adjudicated than other types of status offense cases.

Percentage of formal status offense cases adjudicated, 1989–98:

Offense	Total	Male	Female
Runaway	45%	46%	45%
Truancy	60	60	60
Ungovernability	61	61	60
Liquor	59	60	55

In most adjudicated status offense cases, the court ordered probation

From 1989 through 1998, among adjudicated runaway, truancy, ungovernability, and liquor law violation cases, formal probation was the most likely disposition. A few cases were ordered to out-of-home placement, and some (primarily liquor law violation cases) resulted in other sanctions such as fines, community service, restitution, or referrals to other agencies for services. The remaining few were released with no additional sanction.

Percentage of adjudicated status offense cases receiving disposition, 1989–98:

Offense	Residential placement	Formal probation
Runaway	26%	56%
Truancy	11	78
Ungovernability	26	64
Liquor	7	57

During the 10-year period from 1989 through 1998, juvenile courts were less likely to order formal probation in runaway cases than in other types of status offense cases

• Of a typical 1,000 petitioned runaway cases, 251 were ordered to formal probation. In comparison, the figure was 471 for truancy cases, 388 for ungovernability cases, and 333 for liquor law violation cases.

• Among petitioned runaway cases, the youth was not adjudicated in 548 of a typical 1,000 cases. Of these 548 cases, 172 received informal sanctions or were referred to a social services agency for handling, and 376 were dismissed.

• Of a typical 1,000 petitioned truancy cases, 603 were adjudicated, and 585 received some sort of formal sanction.

• Use of informal sanctions was relatively uncommon in formally processed truancy cases (89 of 1,000).

• Juvenile courts were more likely to order youth to residential placement in petitioned ungovernability cases (157 of 1,000) than in other types of status offenses, but formal probation was the most likely court-ordered disposition for ungovernability cases (388 of 1,000).

• Among petitioned liquor law violation cases, the most likely outcome was formal probation (333 of 1,000), although the court often ordered formal sanctions other than residential placement or probation (195 of 1,000).