Chapter 3 National Estimates of
Delinquency Case Processing
Juvenile courts may divert some
juveniles away from the formal justice
system to other agencies for service
or may decide to process juveniles
formally with the filing of a petition.
Juvenile courts may adjudicate these
formal cases and may order probation or residential placement, or they
may waive jurisdiction and transfer
certain cases from juvenile court to
criminal court. While their cases are
being processed, juveniles may be
held in secure detention.
This chapter quantifies the flow of
delinquency cases through each stage
of the juvenile court system by
offense and by demographics (age,
gender, and race) of the juveniles
involved. The chapter focuses on
cases disposed in 1999 and also
examines trends from 1990.
Detention
When are youth detained?
Juvenile courts sometimes hold
youth in secure detention facilities
during court processing. Depending
on the states detention laws, the
court may decide detention is necessary to protect the community, to
ensure a juveniles appearance at
subsequent court hearings, or to secure
the juveniles own safety. Detention
may also be ordered for the purpose
of evaluating the juvenile. This Report
describes the use of detention only
between court referral and case
disposition, although juveniles can be
detained by police prior to referral
and also after disposition while awaiting placement elsewhere.
The offense profile of detained
delinquency cases has changed
since 1990
Offense profile of detained delinquency
cases:
| Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Person |
22% |
|
28% |
|
27% |
|
|
Property |
49 |
|
39 |
|
34 |
|
|
Drugs |
9 |
|
12 |
|
13 |
|
|
Public order |
20 |
|
21 |
|
26 |
|
|
Total |
100% |
|
100% |
|
100% |
|
|
Number of cases |
302,800 |
|
295,400
|
|
336,200 |
|
Note: Detail may not total 100% because of rounding. |
-
Compared with 1990, the 1999
detention caseload contained a
greater proportion of person
offense cases and a smaller share of
property offense cases.
-
In 1999, the percentage of cases
involving detention was lower for
property offenses than for any
other offense category.
Nevertheless, property cases accounted for
the largest share of all cases
involving detention, because they
represented the largest share of
the juvenile court caseload.
In 1999, juveniles were detained between referral and disposition in
20% of all delinquency cases processed
-
For all four general offense categories, the probability of detention was lower
in 1999 than in 1990. This pattern was most pronounced for drug cases.
-
Property offense cases were least likely to involve detention.
Although the percentage of delinquency cases involving detention
decreased between 1990 and 1999, the number of such cases
increased
-
The number of delinquency cases involving detention increased 11% between
1990 and 1999. Drug cases had the greatest percent increase in the number
of detained cases (62%), followed by public order cases (44%), and person
cases (32%). In contrast, the number of detained property cases declined 22%
during this period.
-
Despite the decline in the number of detained property cases, these cases still
accounted for the largest volume of cases involving detention in 1999.
In 1999, detention was used more frequently for older juveniles
than for younger juveniles
Percentage of delinquency cases detained:
| Most serious
offense |
Age at referral
|
| 10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
|
|
Delinquency |
6% |
9% |
13% |
17% |
21% |
22% |
22% |
23% |
|
Person |
9 |
11 |
15 |
20 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
28 |
|
Property |
4 |
6 |
11 |
13 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
18 |
|
Drugs |
* |
14 |
10 |
17 |
23 |
23 |
23 |
25 |
|
Public order |
6 |
12 |
15 |
20 |
23 |
25 |
23 |
24 |
| * Too few cases to
obtain a reliable percentage. |
-
Overall, the likelihood of detention increased through age 17.
-
Across all ages, property offense cases were less likely to involve detention
than were cases in any other offense category.
The number of cases involving detention increased 4% among males
and 50% among females between 1990 and 1999
-
Although the percent increase in cases involving detention was greater for
females than for males, the number of cases involving detention remained much
greater for males than for females. In 1999, males accounted for 80% of cases
involving detention.
-
Between 1990 and 1999, the percent increase in cases detained was greater
for females than for males in every offense category. For example, the number
of person offense cases involving detention increased 102% for females and
20% for males.
Juveniles younger than 16 accounted for 53% of cases involving detention in 1999
Age profile of detained delinquency cases:
| Age at referral
|
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
10 or younger |
1% |
1% |
1% |
|
11 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
12 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
|
13 |
9 |
9 |
8 |
|
14 |
17 |
17 |
16 |
|
15 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
|
16 |
26 |
26 |
26 |
|
17 or older |
17 |
18 |
21 |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
| Note: Detail
may not total 100% because of rounding. |
-
The age profile for detention cases
changed only slightly between
1990 and 1999.
In 1999, 21% of male delinquency
cases and 16% of female cases
involved detention
Percentage of delinquency cases detained:
|
Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
| Male
|
24% |
18% |
21% |
|
Person |
29 |
23 |
25 |
|
Property |
20 |
15 |
18 |
|
Drugs |
39 |
22 |
23 |
|
Public order |
28 |
20 |
23 |
| Female
|
18% |
12% |
16% |
|
Person |
20 |
17 |
19 |
|
Property |
14 |
8 |
12 |
|
Drugs |
28 |
16 |
20 |
|
Public order |
26 |
15 |
20 |
-
Regardless of offense, males were
more likely to be detained than
females.
-
For both males and females, the
greatest decline in the use of
detention was for drug cases (16 and
8 percentage points, respectively).
-
Males and females were least
likely to be detained in cases involving property offenses.
Trends in the use of detention
varied by race and offense
Percentage of delinquency cases detained:
|
Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
White |
20% |
14% |
18% |
|
Person |
24 |
19 |
21 |
|
Property |
17 |
12 |
15 |
|
Drugs |
27 |
14 |
17 |
|
Public order |
26 |
17 |
20 |
|
Black |
29% |
22% |
25% |
|
Person |
31 |
25 |
25 |
|
Property |
24 |
17 |
20 |
|
Drugs |
52 |
34 |
38 |
|
Public order |
31 |
20 |
28 |
|
Other races |
29% |
21% |
23% |
|
Person |
38 |
29 |
32 |
|
Property |
25 |
16 |
17 |
|
Drugs |
35 |
17 |
21 |
|
Public order |
33 |
29 |
29 |
-
In 1999, youth were detained at
some point between referral and
disposition in 18% of delinquency
cases involving white juveniles,
25% of cases involving blacks, and
23% of cases involving youth of
other races.
-
The largest racial variation in
detention use in 1999 was for cases
involving drug law violations.
Detention was used in 17% of drug
cases involving white juveniles,
38% of cases involving blacks, and
21% of cases involving youth of
other races.
-
The proportion of cases involving
detention decreased for all racial
groups between 1990 and 1999,
but the decline was only 2
percentage points for white youth,
compared with 4 percentage
points for black youth and 6
percentage points for youth of other
races.
-
For all racial groups, the greatest
decline in the use of detention
between 1990 and 1999 was for drug
cases (down 9 percentage points
for white youth and 14 for black
youth and youth of other races).
The number of cases involving detention increased 17% for white
juveniles between 1990 and 1999
-
Between 1990 and 1999, the relative increase in the number of cases
involving detention was about the same for black juveniles (3%) and youth of other
races (2%).
-
Overall, the detention caseload increased by 33,400 cases between 1990 and
1999; cases involving white juveniles accounted for 89% of this increase.
For each racial group, the likelihood of detention was lower in 1999
than in 1990
-
Throughout the 1990s, cases involving black juveniles and youth of other
races were more likely to be detained than cases involving white juveniles.
Black juveniles accounted for a smaller share of delinquency cases
involving detention in 1999 than in 1990
| Data
Table |
|
Year |
White |
Black |
Other
races |
Total |
|
|
1990 |
57% |
38% |
4% |
100% |
|
1991 |
56 |
40 |
4 |
100 |
|
1992 |
58 |
38 |
4 |
100 |
|
1993 |
58 |
38 |
4 |
100 |
|
1994 |
59 |
37 |
4 |
100 |
|
1995 |
57 |
39 |
5 |
100 |
|
1996 |
56 |
39 |
5 |
100 |
|
1997 |
58 |
38 |
4 |
100 |
|
1998 |
61 |
35 |
4 |
100 |
|
1999 |
61 |
36 |
4 |
100 |
Note:
Detail may not total 100% because of rounding. |
|
-
In 1990, blacks accounted for 38% of the detention caseload; by 1999, their
proportion had decreased to 36%. Juveniles of other races remained at 4% of
the detention caseload throughout most of the 1990s.
Black youth were overrepresented
in detention caseloads in 1999
Black youth were overrepresented in
the detention caseload, compared
with their proportions in the overall
delinquency caseload. Although black
youth made up 28% of all delinquency cases processed in 1999, they
were involved in 36% of detained cases. This overrepresentation was
greatest for drug offenses: blacks
accounted for 27% of all drug cases
processed but 45% of drug cases
detained.
Percentage of cases that involved black
juveniles in 1999:
|
Most serious
offense |
All cases |
Detained cases |
|
|
Delinquency |
28% |
36% |
|
Person |
34 |
38 |
|
Property |
26 |
31 |
|
Drugs |
27 |
45 |
|
Public order |
28 |
34 |
In all offense categories, youth of
other races made up less than 5% of all
cases processed and of those involving detention.
Intake Decision
In 1999, 57% of all delinquency
cases were formally processed
Formal processing of a case involves
the filing of a petition that requests
an adjudicatory or waiver hearing.
Informally processed cases, on the other hand, are handled without a petition and without an adjudicatory or
waiver hearing.
Percentage of delinquency cases
petitioned:
|
Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Delinquency |
50% |
54% |
57% |
|
Person |
55 |
58 |
60 |
|
Property |
47 |
50 |
54 |
|
Drugs |
66 |
60 |
61 |
|
Public order |
50 |
56 |
59 |
-
Between 1990 and 1999, the use of
formal processing increased for
three of the four general offense
categories; drug offense cases
were the exception.
-
In each year between 1990 and
1999, drug offense cases were
more likely than other offense
cases to be handled formally.
Offense profile of delinquency cases, 1999:
| Most serious
offense |
Nonpetitioned |
Petitioned |
|
|
Person |
22% |
24% |
|
Property |
45 |
40 |
|
Drugs |
10 |
12 |
|
Public order |
23 |
24 |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
|
Number of cases |
711,100 |
962,000 |
| Note: Detail may not total
100% because of rounding. |
-
Compared with nonpetitioned
cases, petitioned cases in 1999
involved higher proportions of
person, drug, and public order
offenses and a lower proportion of
property offenses.
The number of petitioned delinquency cases increased 47% between
1990 and 1999
-
Between 1990 and 1999, the number of nonpetitioned cases increased 8%,
and the overall delinquency caseload increased 27%.
-
Since 1992, petitioned cases have outnumbered nonpetitioned cases. In 1999,
there were 35% more petitioned than nonpetitioned delinquency cases.
Between 1990 and 1999, the petitioned caseload increased for all
offense categories
-
The number of petitioned drug offense cases increased 151% between 1990
and 1999more than any other offense category.
-
Unlike the trends for other offense categories, the number of formally handled
property offense cases peaked in 1996 and then declined through 1999.
Age
-
In each year between 1990 and 1999, delinquency cases involving
juveniles age 16 or older were more likely to be petitioned than were cases
involving younger juveniles.
-
In 1999, 55% of delinquency cases involving youth age 15 or younger
were petitioned, compared with 61% of cases involving older youth.
-
Between 1990 and 1999, the proportion of drug offense cases petitioned
declined for both age groups.
Gender
-
Regardless of offense, juvenile courts were more likely to petition cases
involving males than females.
-
For both males and females, property offense cases were least likely to
be petitioned than cases involving other offense categories.
Race
-
Delinquency cases involving black juveniles were more likely to be
petitioned than were cases involving white youth or youth of other races.
-
In 1999, racial differences in the likelihood of petitioning were greatest
for drug offense cases: 80% of drug cases involving black juveniles were
petitioned, compared with 56% for juveniles of other races and 54% of
white juveniles.
The likelihood of formal handling
increased between 1990 and 1999
for all demographic categories
Percentage of delinquency cases
petitioned:
|
Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Age |
|
|
|
|
15 or younger |
47% |
51% |
55% |
|
Person |
52 |
55 |
58 |
|
Property |
44 |
47 |
52 |
|
Drugs |
66 |
58 |
59 |
|
Public order |
50 |
54 |
56 |
|
16 or older |
54% |
59% |
61% |
|
Person |
59 |
63 |
64 |
|
Property |
52 |
56 |
58 |
|
Drugs |
65 |
62 |
63 |
|
Public order |
51 |
60 |
61 |
| Gender
|
|
|
|
|
Male |
52% |
57% |
60% |
|
Person |
58 |
61 |
63 |
|
Property |
50 |
54 |
58 |
|
Drugs |
68 |
62 |
63 |
|
Public order |
51 |
58 |
60 |
|
Female |
38% |
43% |
49% |
|
Person |
43 |
49 |
53 |
|
Property |
33 |
38 |
42 |
|
Drugs |
52 |
48 |
52 |
|
Public order |
46 |
51 |
54 |
| Race
|
|
|
|
|
White |
45% |
51% |
54% |
|
Person |
49 |
54 |
57 |
|
Property |
44 |
48 |
53 |
|
Drugs |
53 |
52 |
54 |
|
Public order |
46 |
55 |
56 |
|
Black |
60% |
61% |
65% |
|
Person |
62 |
64 |
67 |
|
Property |
54 |
55 |
60 |
|
Drugs |
82 |
77 |
80 |
|
Public order |
61 |
61 |
65 |
|
Other races |
51% |
52% |
53% |
|
Person |
60 |
59 |
58 |
|
Property |
48 |
49 |
48 |
|
Drugs |
43 |
48 |
56 |
|
Public order |
53 |
51 |
58 |
Waiver
The mechanisms used to transfer
responsibility for a case to the
criminal court vary by state
One of the first decisions made at
intake is whether a case should be
processed in the criminal (adult) justice
system rather than in the juvenile
court. Most states have more than
one mechanism for transferring cases
to criminal court. In some states,
prosecutors may have the authority
to file certain juvenile cases directly
in criminal court. In an increasing
number of states, cases that meet
certain age and offense criteria are
excluded by statute from juvenile court
jurisdiction and are thus filed directly
in criminal court. Most states also
have statutory provisions for judicial
waiver, whereby a juvenile court
judge may waive juvenile court
jurisdiction in certain juvenile cases, thus
authorizing a transfer to criminal
court. In most instances, when a
waiver request is denied, the case is
then scheduled for an adjudicatory
hearing in juvenile court. This Report
describes only those cases that were
transferred to criminal court by judicial waiver.
Judicial waiver provisions vary from
state to state. In some states, these
provisions target youth charged with
violent offenses and offenses involving firearms. Most state statutes also
limit judicial waiver to juveniles who
are no longer amenable to treatment. The factors that determine
lack of amenability vary but typically
include the juveniles offense history
and previous dispositional outcomes.
In addition, many state statutes
instruct juvenile courts to consider other factors, such as the availability of
dispositional alternatives for treatment, the time available for sanctions,
public safety, and the best interests of
the child. Although these factors play
an important role in the likelihood of
a case being judicially waived to criminal court, they are not controlled for
in this Report because of the nature
of the data collection.
About 1% of petitioned delinquency cases are waived, but trends in
the use of waiver vary by offense
-
Between 1990 and 1992, drug offense cases were the most likely to be
waived to criminal court. Since 1993, however, person offense cases have
been the most likely to be waived.
The number of cases judicially waived to criminal court peaked in
1994 at 12,100 cases
-
The number of delinquency cases judicially waived to criminal court in 1994
was 45% greater than the number waived in 1990. This increase was followed
by a 38% decline between 1994 and 1999. As a result, the number of cases
waived in 1999 was 9% below the number waived in 1990.
Although the number of waived cases has dropped in recent years,
the number was slightly higher in 1999 than in 1990 for drug and
public order offense cases
-
The number of judicially waived person offense cases doubled between 1990
and 1994 and then declined 52% through 1999. As a result, the number of
person offense cases judicially waived in 1999 was 5% less than the number
waived in 1990.
-
With the exception of 1991, the number of waived drug offense cases was
relatively stable between 1990 and 1999, averaging about 1,300 cases per
year.
-
The number of waived property offense cases declined 34% between 1994
and 1999. By 1999, the number of waived property offense cases was 21%
less than the number waived in 1990.
-
For public order offenses, the number of cases waived in 1999 was 21%
greater than the number waived in 1990.
The offense profile of cases
judicially waived to criminal court
changed considerably between
1990 and 1999
Offense profile of waived delinquency
cases:
| Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Person |
32% |
47% |
34% |
|
Property |
45 |
34 |
40 |
|
Drugs |
15 |
13 |
16 |
|
Public order |
8 |
7 |
11 |
|
Total |
100%
|
100%
|
100%
|
|
Number of cases |
8,300 |
10,400 |
7,500 |
| Note: Detail may not total
100% because of
rounding. |
-
The proportion of all waived
delinquency cases that involved a
property offense as the most
serious charge declined from 45% in
1990 to 40% in 1999.
-
The proportion of person offenses
among judicially waived cases
grew from 32% in 1990 to a peak
of 47% in 1995 and then dropped
to 34% in 1999.
The probability of waiver to
criminal court is substantially
greater for cases involving older
juveniles than for cases involving
younger juveniles
Percentage of petitioned delinquency cases
waived to criminal court:
|
Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
| Age
|
|
|
|
|
15 or younger |
0.2% |
0.3% |
0.2% |
|
Person |
0.5 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
|
Property |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
|
Drugs |
0.5 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
|
Public order |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
16 or older |
2.6% |
2.1% |
1.5% |
|
Person |
4.1 |
4.4 |
2.3 |
|
Property |
2.4 |
1.7 |
1.6 |
|
Drugs |
4.0 |
2.0 |
1.6 |
|
Public order |
1.1 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
| Gender
|
|
|
|
|
Male |
1.4% |
1.3% |
0.9% |
|
Person |
2.2 |
2.7 |
1.3 |
|
Property |
1.2 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
|
Drugs |
2.8 |
1.5 |
1.1 |
|
Public order |
0.7 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
|
Female |
0.4% |
0.2% |
0.2% |
|
Person |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
|
Property |
0.4 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
|
Drugs |
1.3 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
|
Public order |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
| Race
|
|
|
|
|
White |
0.9% |
0.8% |
0.7% |
|
Person |
1.3 |
1.7 |
0.9 |
|
Property |
1.0 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
|
Drugs |
1.0 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
|
Public order |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
Black |
1.9% |
1.6% |
1.1% |
|
Person |
2.6 |
2.8 |
1.3 |
|
Property |
1.2 |
1.0 |
0.9 |
|
Drugs |
4.0 |
2.2 |
1.9 |
|
Public order |
1.0 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
|
Other races |
0.9% |
1.1% |
0.5% |
|
Person |
2.5 |
3.0 |
1.5 |
|
Property |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
|
Drugs |
0.2 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
|
Public order |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
Age
-
In 1999, 1.5% of all petitioned delinquency cases involving juveniles age 16
or older were waived to criminal court, compared with 0.2% of cases
involving younger juveniles.
-
For older juveniles, the probability of waiver peaked in 1991 at 3.2% and
then declined through 1999. This pattern was most marked in waivers for
older juveniles charged with drug offenses, which peaked at 6.5% in 1991
and then dropped to 1.6% by 1999.
-
Regardless of offense, less than 1% of all petitioned delinquency cases
involving juveniles age 15 or younger were waived to criminal court
between 1990 and 1999.
Gender
-
In 1999, delinquency cases involving males were 4 times more likely to be
judicially waived to criminal court than were cases involving females: 0.9%
of petitioned cases involving males were waived to criminal court, compared with 0.2% of cases involving females.
-
For both males and females, the proportion of cases waived to criminal
court was smaller in 1999 than in 1990.
-
For males, judicial waivers for petitioned cases involving drug offenses
showed a substantial decline between 1991 and 1999 (from 4.3% to 1.1%).
-
Drug cases involving females followed the same pattern, decreasing from
2.2% in 1991 to 0.5% in 1999.
Race
-
Overall, black youth were more likely to be waived than were white youth
or youth of other races each year between 1990 and 1999. This same pattern was true for property and drug offense cases.
-
Among black juveniles, the use of waiver to criminal court for cases
involving drug offenses peaked in 1991 (5.8%) and then declined through
1999.
-
For person offense cases, youth of other races were more likely to be
judicially waived than white or black youth in 1999.
Among both white juveniles and black juveniles, the number of
person offense cases judicially waived to criminal court increased
sharply between 1990 and 1994
-
Among white juveniles, the number of property offense cases waived in 1999
exceeded the number of person offense cases waived, despite the 43%
increase in waived person offense cases between 1990 and 1999.
-
Among black juveniles, the number of person offense cases waived rose 67%
between 1990 and 1994. This increase was followed by a 58% drop through
1999.
Between 1990 and 1999, the
number of waived cases
increased 9% for white youth and
declined 24% for black youth
| |
Percent change in waived cases 1990–99
|
| Most
serious offense |
White |
Black |
|
|
Delinquency |
9% |
24% |
|
Person |
43 |
29 |
|
Property |
19 |
24 |
|
Drugs |
119 |
25 |
|
Public order |
57 |
1 |
The offense profile of waived
cases differed for whites and
blacks
Offense profile of waived cases:
| Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
| White
|
|
|
|
|
Person |
24% |
42% |
31% |
|
Property |
64 |
44 |
48 |
|
Drugs |
6 |
8 |
11 |
|
Public order |
7 |
6 |
10 |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
|
Black |
|
|
|
|
Person |
38% |
51% |
35% |
|
Property |
30 |
24 |
30 |
|
Drugs |
23 |
18 |
23 |
|
Public order |
9 |
8 |
11 |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
| Note: Detail may not total
100% because of rounding. |
-
From 1990 through 1999, person
offense cases made up the largest
share of the waived caseload for
black youth.
-
In comparison, property offense
cases made up the largest share of
the waived caseload for white
youth each year from 1990 to
1999.
-
The 1999 waived caseload for
white juveniles contained a
greater proportion of person,
drug, and public order offense
cases than in 1990.
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.
In 1999, youth were adjudicated
delinquent in two-thirds of all
petitioned delinquency cases
Percentage of petitioned delinquency cases
adjudicated:
| Most
serious offense |
1990
|
1995
|
1999
|
|
|
Delinquency |
60% |
58% |
66% |
|
Person |
55 |
55 |
63 |
|
Property |
62 |
59 |
68 |
|
Drug |
59 |
58 |
67 |
|
Public order |
62 |
60 |
67 |
-
Across offenses, youth were more
likely to be adjudicated delinquent
in 1999 than in 1990.
-
Between 1990 and 1999, the
likelihood of adjudication increased
more for person and drug offense
cases than for property and public
order offense cases.
Following the increased use of formal processing, the proportion of
delinquency cases that resulted in adjudication or waiver has grown
since 1992
- Note: Detail may not total 100% because of rounding.
-
In 1990, 31% of all delinquency cases resulted in either adjudication of
delinquency or waiver to criminal court. By 1999, this proportion had increased to
39%.
Age
-
In each year from 1990 through 1999, juveniles age 15 or younger were
more likely than older juveniles to be adjudicated delinquent, regardless
of offense.
-
For both age groups, the likelihood of adjudication increased across all
offense categories between 1990 and 1999.
-
For juveniles age 15 or younger, the likelihood of adjudication increased
more for person offense cases than other offense categories and for
juveniles age 16 and older, drug offense cases showed the largest increase.
Gender
-
Petitioned cases involving male juveniles were more likely to be
adjudicated than were those involving females.
-
For both males and females, the likelihood of adjudication increased
across all offense categories between 1990 and 1999.
-
For females, drug offense cases showed the largest increase, from 56% in
1990 to 68% in 1999; for males, person offenses showed the largest
increase, from 55% to 64%.
Race
-
In 1999, petitioned cases involving black juveniles were less likely to be
adjudicated than were cases involving white juveniles or juveniles of other races.
-
For both white juveniles and black juveniles, the likelihood of
adjudication increased across all offense categories between 1990 and 1999. For
youth of other races, the use of adjudication increased for person and
drug offense cases.
-
Throughout the 1990s, petitioned person offense and drug offense cases
involving youth of other races were more likely to result in adjudication
than were cases involving white juveniles or black juveniles.
The likelihood of adjudication
varied by demographic group
Percentage of petitioned delinquency
cases adjudicated:
| Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Age |
|
|
|
|
15 or younger |
61% |
59% |
68% |
|
Person |
56 |
56 |
65 |
|
Property |
62 |
60 |
69 |
|
Drugs |
63 |
60 |
70 |
|
Public order |
65 |
62 |
69 |
|
16 or older |
59% |
57% |
65% |
|
Person |
53 |
53 |
61 |
|
Property |
61 |
58 |
66 |
|
Drugs |
56 |
58 |
66 |
|
Public order |
60 |
57 |
65 |
|
Gender |
|
|
|
|
Male |
61% |
59% |
67% |
|
Person |
55 |
55 |
64 |
|
Property |
63 |
60 |
68 |
|
Drugs |
59 |
59 |
67 |
|
Public order |
62 |
60 |
67 |
|
Female |
57% |
54% |
64% |
|
Person |
52 |
51 |
61 |
|
Property |
57 |
53 |
64 |
|
Drugs |
56 |
56 |
68 |
|
Public order |
61 |
58 |
67 |
|
Race |
|
|
|
|
White |
62% |
60% |
68% |
|
Person |
57 |
57 |
66 |
|
Property |
63 |
61 |
68 |
|
Drugs |
61 |
60 |
70 |
|
Public order |
64 |
61 |
68 |
|
Black |
57% |
54% |
63% |
|
Person |
52 |
51 |
60 |
|
Property |
59 |
54 |
65 |
|
Drugs |
57 |
56 |
63 |
|
Public order |
58 |
56 |
65 |
|
Other races |
70% |
65% |
69% |
|
Person |
64 |
63 |
69 |
|
Property |
71 |
66 |
69 |
|
Drugs |
69 |
68 |
75 |
|
Public order |
73 |
63 |
69 |
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 24% of all adjudicated
delinquency cases in 1999
Percentage of adjudicated delinquency
cases that resulted in out-of-home
placement:
| Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Delinquency |
32% |
27% |
24% |
|
Person |
35 |
29 |
26 |
|
Property |
28 |
25 |
23 |
|
Drugs |
36 |
24 |
22 |
|
Public order |
38 |
30 |
27 |
-
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 1990 and 1999 for all four
of the major offense categories,
the number of adjudicated
delinquency cases resulting in outofhome placement increased 24%.
Between 1990 and 1999, placements increased for person, drug, and
public order offense cases and decreased for property offense cases
-
The number of adjudicated drug offense cases that resulted in out-of-home
placement increased 73% between 1990 and 1999. During this period, the
number of public order offense cases that resulted in out-of-home placement
increased 56%, person offense cases increased 48%, and property offense
cases declined 6%.
The largest proportion of adjudicated cases resulting in out-of-home
placement involve property offenses
| Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Person |
21% |
24% |
25% |
|
Property |
50 |
44 |
38 |
|
Drugs |
8 |
9 |
11 |
|
Public order |
21 |
22 |
27 |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
|
Cases resulting in out-of-home placement |
124,900 |
146,900 |
155,200 |
| Note: Detail
may not total 100% because of rounding. |
-
The offense profile of cases resulting in out-of-home placement changed
somewhat between 1990 and 1999. The proportion of out-of-home placement
cases that involved person, drug, and public order offenses increased, while
the proportion involving property offenses declined.
Age
-
Adjudicated cases involving juveniles age 16 or older were more likely
than those involving juveniles age 15 or younger to result in out-of-home
placement. In 1999, placement was the most restrictive disposition in
26% of adjudicated cases involving youth ages 16 or older and in 23% of
those involving youth ages 15 and younger.
-
For both age groups, the use of out-of-home placement in adjudicated
drug offense cases decreased substantially between 1990 and 1999,
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 1999,
placement was ordered in 26% of adjudicated cases involving males and
in 19% of those involving females.
-
For both males and females, higher proportions of person and public
order cases resulted in out-of-home placement in 1999 than did property or
drug cases.
Race
-
In 1999, 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.
-
The proportion of adjudicated drug offense cases resulting in placement
declined for all three racial groups between 1990 and 1999, but the
decline was more pronounced for cases involving youth of other races
than for cases involving white juveniles or black juveniles.
The likelihood of out-of-home
placement declined between 1990
and 1999 for all demographic
groups and offenses
Percentage of adjudicated delinquency
cases that resulted in out-of-home
placement:
|
Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
| Age
|
|
|
|
|
15 or younger |
32% |
26% |
23% |
|
Person |
34 |
28 |
24 |
|
Property |
28 |
24 |
21 |
|
Drugs |
39 |
25 |
21 |
|
Public order |
40 |
31 |
26 |
|
16 or older |
32% |
27% |
26% |
|
Person |
35 |
31 |
28 |
|
Property |
29 |
26 |
25 |
|
Drugs |
34 |
23 |
22 |
|
Public order |
35 |
29 |
28 |
| Gender
|
|
|
|
|
Male |
33% |
28% |
26% |
|
Person |
36 |
31 |
28 |
|
Property |
29 |
26 |
24 |
|
Drugs |
37 |
24 |
23 |
|
Public order |
38 |
31 |
28 |
|
Female |
26% |
20% |
19% |
|
Person |
24 |
21 |
19 |
|
Property |
21 |
18 |
16 |
|
Drugs |
33 |
16 |
15 |
|
Public order |
37 |
26 |
23 |
| Race
|
|
|
|
|
White |
30% |
24% |
23% |
|
Person |
33 |
27 |
25 |
|
Property |
26 |
23 |
21 |
|
Drugs |
31 |
18 |
16 |
|
Public order |
38 |
29 |
26 |
|
Black |
35% |
31% |
28% |
|
Person |
37 |
31 |
27 |
|
Property |
32 |
30 |
26 |
|
Drugs |
41 |
31 |
33 |
|
Public order |
38 |
33 |
29 |
|
Other races |
32% |
28% |
24% |
|
Person |
34 |
32 |
28 |
|
Property |
30 |
27 |
24 |
|
Drugs |
37 |
23 |
15 |
|
Public order |
38 |
30 |
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 |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Delinquency |
56% |
54% |
62% |
|
Person |
55 |
54 |
63 |
|
Property |
58 |
56 |
64 |
|
Drugs |
54 |
54 |
63 |
|
Public order |
52 |
50 |
60 |
-
Probation was the most restrictive
disposition used in 398,200 adjudicated delinquency cases in 1999
62% of all such cases handled by
juvenile courts.
-
The likelihood of probation for
adjudicated delinquency cases
increased for all offense categories
between 1990 and 1999.
The number of adjudicated cases resulting in a disposition of
probation increased 80% between 1990 and 1999
-
Since 1990, the largest percent increase in the number of adjudicated cases
receiving probation was for drug offense cases (230%), followed by public
order offenses (152%), person offenses (127%), and property offenses (27%).
Four of every ten adjudicated delinquency cases that resulted in
probation in 1999 involved property offenses
| Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Person |
18% |
22% |
23% |
|
Property |
59 |
49 |
41 |
|
Drugs |
7 |
11 |
12 |
|
Public order |
16 |
18 |
23 |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
|
Cases resulting in formal probation |
221,700 |
298,700 |
398,200 |
| Note:
Detail may not total 100% because of rounding. |
-
The offense characteristics of adjudicated delinquency cases resulting in
probation changed somewhat between 1990 and 1999, with an increase in the
proportion of cases involving person, drug, and public order offenses and a
decrease in the proportion involving property offenses.
Age
-
Once adjudicated, younger juveniles were more likely than older juveniles
to be placed on probation. In 1999, 66% of adjudicated cases involving
youth age 15 or younger resulted in probation, compared with 58% 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 1999, probation was ordered in
67% of adjudicated delinquency cases involving females and 61% of those
involving males.
Race
-
Overall, the use of probation in adjudicated delinquency cases was about
the same for all racial groups in 1999. Probation was ordered in 63% of
adjudicated cases involving white youth and youth of other races and 61%
of cases involving black youth.
Between 1990 and 1999, the
likelihood of probation increased
for all demographic groups
Percentage of adjudicated delinquency
cases that resulted in probation:
| Most serious
offense |
1990 |
1995 |
1999 |
|
|
Age |
|
|
|
|
15 or younger |
57% |
57% |
66% |
|
Person |
56 |
56 |
65 |
|
Property |
60 |
58 |
66 |
|
Drugs |
54 |
57 |
66 |
|
Public order |
52 |
52 |
64 |
|
16 or older |
54% |
51% |
58% |
|
Person |
52 |
49 |
58 |
|
Property |
56 |
53 |
60 |
|
Drugs |
55 |
52 |
60 |
|
Public order |
52 |
47 |
55 |
|
Gender |
|
|
|
|
Male |
55% |
53% |
61% |
|
Person |
53 |
52 |
61 |
|
Property |
58 |
55 |
63 |
|
Drugs |
54 |
53 |
62 |
|
Public order |
51 |
49 |
59 |
|
Female |
60% |
59% |
67% |
|
Person |
63 |
60 |
68 |
|
Property |
62 |
60 |
69 |
|
Drugs |
59 |
59 |
68 |
|
Public order |
53 |
54 |
63 |
|
Race |
|
|
|
|
White |
57% |
55% |
63% |
|
Person |
56 |
55 |
63 |
|
Property |
58 |
57 |
64 |
|
Drugs |
59 |
58 |
66 |
|
Public order |
51 |
50 |
59 |
|
Black |
55% |
52% |
61% |
|
Person |
53 |
51 |
62 |
|
Property |
58 |
55 |
64 |
|
Drugs |
51 |
48 |
55 |
|
Public order |
53 |
50 |
61 |
|
Other races |
55% |
53% |
63% |
|
Person |
54 |
53 |
61 |
|
Property |
55 |
53 |
61 |
|
Drugs |
57 |
56 |
73 |
|
Public order |
57 |
52 |
62 |
(To be continued)
|