Chapter 2
National Estimates of Delinquency Cases (continued)

Gender

  • The overall female delinquency caseload grew at an average rate of 4% per year between 1985 and 2000, compared with 2% per year for males.

  • The relative increase in female cases outpaced the growth for males in three of the four general offense categories between 1985 and 2000: person (185% vs. 88%), property (28% vs.–11%), and public order (144% vs. 96%).

  • Only drug offense cases showed a larger increase for males than females between 1985 and 2000 (166% and 152%, respectively).

Between 1985 and 2000, the number of delinquency cases involving males increased 34%, while the number of cases involving females increased 83%

Figure showing the number of juvenile delinquency cases, by gender, for the years between 1985 and 2000.

Figure showing the number of person, property, drug, and public order offense cases that involved juvenile males for the years between 1985 and 2000.

Figure showing the number of person, property, drug, and public order offense cases that involved juvenile females for the years between 1985 and 2000.

Most delinquency cases involve males, but the proportion of cases involving females was greater in 2000 than in 1985

    Figure showing the proportion of delinquency cases that involved females for 1985 through 2000.

    Four figures showing the percent of cases involving juvenile females in person, property, drug, and public order offenses, respectively, for 1985 through 2000.

  • One-quarter (25%) of all delinquency cases handled in 2000 involved a female juvenile, compared with 19% in 1985.

  • The sharpest increase was seen among person offenses. Females accounted for 27% of person offense cases in 2000, compared wth 20% in 1985.

Offense profiles of delinquency cases for males and females:

Most serious offense Male Female
2000
Person     22%    26%
Property 41 41
Drugs 13 8
Public order 24 25
Total   100%  100%
1985
Person    16%    16%
Property 61 59
Drugs   7   6
Public order 16 19
Total   100%   100%

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

  • In 2000, the male caseload contained a greater proportion of drug offenses and a smaller proportion of person offenses than the female caseload.

  • Compared with the offense profiles in 1985, both male and female delinquency caseloads in 2000 had greater proportions of person, drug, and public order offense cases and smaller proportions of property offense cases.

  • Trends in the overall delinquency case rate followed similar patterns for males and females. For both groups, the case rate increased from 1985 into the mid-1990s. For males, the rate increased 38% to reach a peak in 1995, then fell 17% by 2000. The female rate grew 72% between 1985 and 1997, then dropped 9% through 2000.

  • The disparity between male and female delinquency case rates declined between 1985 and 2000. In 1985, the delinquency case rate for males was 4 times greater than the rate for females; by 2000, the male rate was less than 3 times the female rate—78.1 compared with 26.9.

  • The largest disparity in offense-specific case rates was for drug offenses. In 2000, the drug offense case rate for males was nearly 5 times higher than the rate for females.

Percent change in case rates by gender, 1985–2000:

Most serious offense Male Female
Delinquency       14% 58%
Person    61 145     
Property –24 10   
Drugs 127 117    
Public order   67 109   

  • Between 1985 and 2000, the percent change in case rates was greater for females than for males in each general offense category except drugs.

Although case rates are much lower for females than for males, female case rates have increased more sharply since 1985

Figure showing juvenile delinquency case rates generally for males and females (ages 10-upper age) for 1985 through 2000.

Figure showing male juvenile (ages 10-upper age) delinquency case rates for person, property, drug, and public order offenses from 1985 through 2000.

Figure showing female juvenile (ages 10-upper age) delinquency case rates for person, property, drug, and public order offenses from 1985 through 2000.

In 2000, the delinquency case rate for males increased through age 17, while the female case rate peaked at age 16

Bar graph showing the general delinquency case rates for male offenders and female offenders in 2000 by age (10 through 17).

Bar graphs showing the delinquency case rates for male offenders and female offenders in 2000 by age (10 through 17) for person, property, drug, and public order offenses, respectively.

  • Although delinquency case rates generally increased with age, the increase was more pronounced for females than for males. On average, the female case rate increased 75% from one age group to the next, compared with a 57% increase in the male case rate.

  • The difference between male and female delinquency case rates was greatest for the youngest and oldest age groups. For 13- and 14-year-old youth, the male rate was 2.5 times the female rate, while for 10-year- olds, the male rate was 5 times the female rate and for 17-year-olds the male rate was 3.4 times the female rate.

  • Male case rates increased continuously through age 17 in all four delinquency offense categories. For females, only the case rate for drug offenses increased through age 17.

  • The most striking age-related increase in rates was for drug offense cases. Drug case rates were highest for 17-year-olds of both sexes. The drug case rate for 17-year-old males was 29 times the rate for 12-year-old males. Among females, the rate for 17-year-olds was 16 times the rate for 12-year-olds.

Across age, offense, and year, case rates for males were much higher than the rates for females

Person offense case rates

Two figures showing person offense case rates for male juveniles and female juveniles, respectively, by age group, for 1985 through 2000.

  • For males, person offense case rates increased for all age groups between 1985 and 2000. The rate for youth ages 10–12 doubled during this period, while the rate for youth ages 13–15 increased 73%, and the rates for youth age 16 and youth age 17 each grew about 50%.

  • Age-specific trends for females followed a similar pattern, but the increases were much greater for females than for males. For example, person offense case rates for females increased more than 150% for each age group between 1985 and 2000.

Property offense case rates

Two figures showing property offense case rates for male juveniles and female juveniles, respectively, by age group, for 1985 through 2000.

  • For all age groups, property offense case rates for males increased between 1985 and 1991 and then declined through 2000. As a result, age-specific property offense case rates in 2000 were at their lowest levels since 1985.

  • For females, property offense case rates for youth ages 10–12 and youth ages 13–15 reached a peak in 1995 and rates for the oldest youth peaked in 1997. Following their respective peaks, rates for all age groups dropped steadily through 2000.

  • With the exception of youth ages 10–12, age-specific property offense case rates for females were higher in 2000 than in 1985.

Note: Due to the relatively low volume of cases involving female youth ages 10–12 for person offenses, their case rates are inflated to display the trend over time. The inflation multiplier is noted in parentheses next to the label.

Drug offense case rates

Two figures showing drug offense case rates for male juveniles and female juveniles, respectively, by age group, for 1985 through 2000.

  • With the exception of youth ages 10–12, female drug offense case rates increased more than 240% for each age group between 1991 and 2000.

  • Age-specific drug offense case rates for males followed a similar pattern, but the increases were much less for males than for females. For males, drug offense case rates increased more than 150% for each age group between 1991 and 2000.

Public order offense case rates

Two figures showing public order offense case rates for male juveniles and female juveniles, respectively, by age group, for 1985 through 2000.

  • Across age groups, male public order case rates increased more than 65% between 1985 and 2000.

  • After a period of stability between 1985 and 1991, female public order case rates increased steadily for all age groups between 1991 and 2000. During this period, female public order offense case rates increased more than 90% for each age group.

Note: Due to the relatively low volume of cases involving male and female youth ages 10–12 for drug offenses and public order offenses, their case rates are inflated to display the trends over time. The inflation multiplier is noted in parentheses next to the label.

Race

Percent change in number of cases by race, 1985–2000:

Most serious offense White4 Black Other races
Delinquency      36%    61%      93%
  Person 120 85 165
  Property  –9 10  50
  Drugs 149 231  145
  Public order   88 165  179

  • Trends in the volume of cases differed somewhat across racial groups. For black juveniles and white juveniles, drug offense cases showed the largest percent increase between 1985 and 2000 (231% and 149%, respectively); for youth of other races, public order cases showed the largest percent increase (179%).

Offense profile of delinquency cases by race:

Most serious offense White Black Other races
2000
Person    21%     29%    20%
Property 42 38 49
Drugs 13   9   8
Public order 25 23 22
Total  100%  100%   100%
1985
Person   13%   25% 15%
Property 62 56  63  
Drugs   7 5 7
Public order 18 14   16  
Total   100% 100% 100%

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

  • For all racial groups, a property offense was the most common charge involved in delinquency cases disposed in both 1985 and 2000.

The number of cases involving white youth increased 36% between 1985 and 2000, while cases involving black youth increased 61% and those involving youth of other races increased 93%

Figure showing number of juvenile delinquency cases generally by race (white youth, black youth, and youth of other races) for 1985 through 2000.

Three figures showing the number of juvenile person, property, drug, and public order offense cases by race (white youth, black youth, and youth of other races, respectively) for 1985 through 2000.

More than two-thirds of all delinquency cases handled in 2000 involved white youth

Bar graph showing the proportion of delinquency cases, from 1985 through 2000, that involved white youth, black youth, and youth of other races.

Person offense cases
Four graphs showing the proportion of person, property, drug, and public order offense cases, respectively, from 1985 through 2000, by white youth, black youth, and youth of other races. 		Property offense cases
Four graphs showing the proportion of person, property, drug, and public order offense cases, respectively, from 1985 through 2000, by white youth, black youth, and youth of other races.
Drug offense cases
Four graphs showing the proportion of person, property, drug, and public order offense cases, respectively, from 1985 through 2000, by white youth, black youth, and youth of other races.		 Public order offense cases
Four graphs showing the proportion of person, property, drug, and public order offense cases, respectively, from 1985 through 2000, by white youth, black youth, and youth of other races.

  • Although white youth represent the largest share of the delinquency caseload, their relative contribution declined between 1985 and 2000, from 72% to 68%.

  • In contrast, the proportion of delinquency cases involving black youth increased during this time period, from 23% to 26%.

  • In all offense categories, youth of other races made up less than 5% of all cases processed; this was true for each year between 1985 and 2000.

  • The total delinquency case rate for black juveniles in 2000 (95.6) was more than twice the rate for white juveniles (46.3) and nearly 3 times the rate for youth of other races (32.5).

  • The delinquency case rate for youth of other races reached a peak in 1996 and then declined 26% by 2000. For black juveniles, the case rate peaked in 1995 and then fell 23% by 2000, while the rate for white juveniles in 2000 was down 12% from its 1997 peak.

  • Between 1985 and 2000, the person case rate increased more for white youth (96%) than for black youth (49%) or youth of other races (46%).

  • In 2000, the person offense case rate for black juveniles was nearly 3 times the rate for white juveniles and more than 4 times the rate for youth of other races.

  • For all racial groups, property offense case rates have declined since the early 1990s. Between 1991 and 2000, the rate for black juveniles fell 35%, and the rates for both white juveniles and youth of other races declined 32%. As a result, the rates in 2000 were lower than in 1985 for each racial group.

  • The drug offense case rate for black juveniles increased sharply from 1985 to 1988, leveled off, then increased again to reach a peak in 1996—291% above the rate in 1985. The rate fell between 1996 and 2000, returning to its level of the early 1990s.

  • The increase in the public order case rates between 1985 and 2000 was greater for black juveniles (113%) than for white juveniles (67%) or juveniles of other races (54%).

For each racial group, delinquency case rates increased from 1985 to the mid-1990s and then declined through 2000

Figure showing delinquency case rates from 1985 through 2000 for white youth, black youth, and youth of other races (ages 10-upper age).

Four figures showing juvenile (ages 10-upper age) case rates for person, property, drug, and public order offenses, respectively, by white youth, black youth, and youth of other races, from 1985 through 2000.

Age-specific case rates for juveniles increased with age for all racial groups in 2000

Figure showing juvenile age-specific case rates across racial groups (white youth, black youth, and youth of other races) for the year 2000.

Four figures showing case rates by age and racial group (white youth, black youth, and youth of other races) for person, property, drug, and public order offenses, respectively, in the year 2000.

  • Within each age group, the delinquency case rate for black juveniles was more than twice the rate for white juveniles and more than 3 times the rate for youth of other races.

  • Across racial groups, delinquency case rates increased sharply from age 10 to age 13. The case rate for 13-year-olds was about 8 times the rate for 10-year-olds for each racial group.

  • On average, age-specific person offense rates for black juveniles were more than 3 times the rates for white juveniles and nearly 5 times the rates for youth of other races.

  • Within each racial group, the person offense case rate for 16-year-olds was nearly twice the rate for 13-year-olds.

  • Across racial groups, age-specific case rates for property offenses were higher than the rates for other offense categories.

  • On average, property offense case rates for black juveniles at each age were more than twice the rates for white juveniles or youth of other races.

  • Age-specific drug offense case rates were similar for white juveniles and black juveniles through age 13. After age 13, the racial disparity in drug offense case rates increased so that by age 17 the black drug offense case rate was almost double the white rate and about 6 times the rate of other races.

  • Within each age group, the case rate for public order offenses involving black youth was more than twice the rate for white youth and more than 3 times the rate for youth of other races.

While age-related increases in delinquency case rates occurred for each racial group within all offense categories, there were variations across the 12 offense-race combinations

Person offense case rates

Three figures showing person offense case rates by age and racial group (white youth, black youth, youth of other races) from 1985 through 2000.

  • Across age groups, person offense case rates increased more for white youth between 1985 and 2000 than for black youth or youth of other races.

Property offense case rates

Three figures showing property offense case rates by age and racial group (white youth, black youth, youth of other races) from 1985 through 2000.

  • Age-specific property offense case rates declined for all races during the 1990s, with most of the decline occurring between 1996 and 2000.

Drug offense case rates

Three figures showing drug offense case rates by age and racial group (white youth, black youth, youth of other races) from 1985 through 2000.

  • Drug offense case rates for all races increased for all age groups from 1991 into the late 1990s. Rates for white youth continued to increased through 2000, while rates for youth of other races leveled off and rates for black youth decreased.

Public order offense case rates

Three figures showing public order offense case rates by age and racial group (white youth, black youth, youth of other races) from 1985 through 2000.

  • Across age groups, public order case rates for black youth more than doubled between 1985 and 2000. By way of comparison, the rate for white youth increased more than 65% for each age group during the same period.

Note: Due to the relatively low volume of cases involving youth of all races ages 10–12 for drug offenses and public order offenses, their case rates are inflated to display the trends over time. The inflation multiplier is noted in parentheses next to the label.

Source of Referral

  • Delinquency cases can be referred to court intake by a number of sources, including law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, schools, parents, probation officers, and victims.

  • Law enforcement agencies are traditionally the source of most delinquency referrals. In 2000, for example, 84% of delinquency cases were referred by law enforcement.

  • There is some variation across the four major offense categories in the proportion of cases referred by law enforcement.

  • In 2000, law enforcement agencies referred 89% of drug law violation cases, 92% of property cases, and 89% of person offense cases.

  • Law enforcement agencies referred a smaller proportion of public order offense cases (63%), perhaps because this offense category contains probation violations and contempt-of-court cases, which are referred most often by court personnel.

Most delinquency cases are referred to court by law enforcement agencies

Figure shows percent of delinquency cases referred by law enforcement for person, property, drug, and public order offenses from 1985 through 2000.

Data Table  
  Total Person Property Drugs Public order
1985     83%    80%    89%    91%    64%
1986 84 81 90 91 67
1987 84 82 90 92 64
1988 84 82 90 92 63
1989 84 82 90 92 62
1990 86 86 91 92 69
1991 84 81 89 88 69
1992 86 85 90 93 71
1993 87 87 91 94 70
1994 86 87 91 94 69
1995 87 88 91 94 69
1996 86 87 91 93 68
1997 85 87 91 93 65
1998 84 87 91 92 62
1999 84 87 91 90 63
2000 84 89 92 89 63

4 Throughout this Report, juveniles of Hispanic ethnicity can be of any race; however, most are included in the white racial category.


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Juvenile Court Statistics 2000 December 2004