Gender

• Males were involved in 73% (1,208,200) of the delinquency cases handled by juvenile courts in 2004.

• Overall, the female delinquency caseload grew at an average rate of 4% per year between 1985 and 2004, while the average rate increase was 1% per year for males.

• Between 1996 and 2004, the number of delinquency cases involving males decreased 14% while the female delinquency caseload grew 8%.

• Between 2000 and 2004, the male delinquency caseload declined at an average rate of 1% while the female caseload grew at an average rate of 2%.

• Between 2000 and 2004, the relative increase in the female caseload outpaced that of the male caseload for person offenses (13% vs. 4%) and for public order offenses (17% vs. 6%).

• The male property caseload decreased 12% between 2000 and 2004, while the number of property offense cases involving females decreased 3%.

• While the number of drug offense cases involving males between 2000 and 2004 decreased 4%, the female drug offense caseload increased 18%.

Between 1985 and 2004, the number of delinquency cases involving females increased 104% (from 222,100 to 452,500 cases); for males the increase was 30% (from 927,600 to 1,208,200 cases)

The proportion of the delinquency caseload involving females increased from 19% in 1985 to 27% in 2004

• Between 1985 and 2004, the female proportion of the person offense caseload has steadily increased from 20% to 30%.

Offense profiles of delinquency cases for males and females:

• Both male and female delinquency caseloads in 2004 had greater proportions of person, drug, and public order offense cases than in 1985 and smaller proportions of property offense cases.

• For both males and females, the property offense proportions of the delinquency caseloads were substantially less in 2004 than in 1985.

• In 2004, the male caseload contained a greater proportion of drug offenses and smaller proportions of person and public order offenses than the female caseload.

• The male and female caseloads contained equal proportions of property offenses in 2004.

• For both males and females, the delinquency case rate increased from 1985 through the mid-1990s. For males, the rate increased 37% to its peak in 1996 then fell 21% by 2004. The female rate grew 75% between 1985 and 1997 but dropped only 3% through 2004.

• In 1985, the delinquency case rate for males was almost 4 times greater than the rate for females; by 2004, the male rate was about 2.5 times the female rate—74.7 compared with 29.4.

• Male and female drug offense case rates have converged since the early 1990s. In 1991, the male drug offense case rate was 7 times greater than the rate for females (4.3 compared with 0.6); by 2004, the male rate was less than 4 times greater than the rate for females (9.6 compared with 2.5).

• While property offense case rates declined for both males and females between 2000 and 2004, the decline was greater for males (14% vs 6%).

• In 2004, female person offense case rates were at their highest level (7.7) since 1985. Male rates for person offenses fell 13% between 1995 and 2004, while female rates increased 10%.

• Male drug offense case rates decreased 6% between 2000 and 2004, while female rates increased 15%.

• Between 2000 and 2004, public order offense case rates increased more for females than for males (13% compared with 3%).

Although delinquency case rates are much higher for males than females, female rates increased more or decreased less than the male rates between 1985 and 2004

• For males, delinquency case rates increased continuously with age in 2004. Female delinquency case rates increased through age 16 and then leveled off.

• In 2004, the difference between agespecific male and female delinquency case rates was greatest for the younger juveniles. The male delinquency rate for 10-year-olds was more than 4 times the female rate; for 11-year-olds the male case rate was more than 3 times the female rate.

• In all four delinquency offense categories in 2004, male case rates increased continuously through age 17.

• For females in 2004, only the drug offense case rate increased through age 17. Female case rates for person, property, and public order offenses increased continuously through age 16 and then slightly declined.

• In 2004, the drug offense case rate for 17-year-old males was almost 26 times the rate for 12-year-old males; among females, the drug offense case rate for 17-year-olds was more than 13 times the rate for 12-yearolds.

Across all age groups and offense categories, case rates for males exceed rates for females; however, since 1998, female rates for drug and public order offense cases increased while male rates leveled off

Person offense case rates

*Because of the relatively low volume of cases involving female youth ages 10–12 for person offenses, their case rates are inflated by a factor of 2 to display the trend over time.

• Between 2000 and 2004, male person offense case rates increased 1% for ages 13–15, 2% for age 16, and 4% for age 17; for males ages 10–12, person offense case rates decreased 8%.

• Female person offense case rates increased for all age groups between 2000 and 2004: 1% for youth ages 10–12, 7% for ages 13–15, 10% for age 16, and 13% for age 17.

Property offense case rates

• Male property offense case rates increased across all age groups between 1985 and the early 1990s and then decreased through 2004 to their lowest level since 1985.

• Between 1991 and 2004, male property case rates decreased 56% for youth ages 10–12, 51% for ages 13–15, 45% for age 16, and 40% for age 17.

• Between 1995 and 2004, age-specific property offense case rates for females decreased across all age groups.

• In contrast to the male rates, age specific property offense rates for females were higher in 2004 than in 1985 for all age groups except for youth ages 10–12, which decreased 23%.

Drug offense case rates

*Because of the relatively low volume of cases involving female youth ages 10–12 for person offenses, their case rates are inflated by a factor of 2 to display the trend over time.

• For males, drug offense case rates increased sharply between 1991 and 1996: 211% for males ages 10–12, 151% for ages 13–15, 129% for age 16, and 123% for age 17.

• Between 1996 and 2004, male drug offense case rates decreased for all age groups with the exception of youth ages 10–12, which increased 3%.

• Female drug offense case rates increased continuously for all age groups between 1991 and 2004: 279% for females ages 10–12, 306% for ages 13–15, 283% for age 16, and 282% for age 17.

*Because of 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 by a factor of 5 to display the trends over time.

• Between 1985 and 1999, public order offense case rates for male youth ages 10–12 increased 96%, 89% for males ages 13–15, 84% for those age 16, and 79% for 17-year-olds.

• Age-specific public order offense case rates for males have remained relatively stable between 1999 and 2004.

• For females, public order offense case rates for all ages increased continuously between 1991 and 2004: 147% for ages 10–12, 124% for ages 13–15, 161% for 16-year-olds, and 173% for 17-year-olds.

Race

Percent change in number of cases by race, 1985–2004:

• Between 1985 and 2004, trends in the volume of cases differed somewhat across racial groups; however, the number of person, drug, and public order offense cases increased substantially for all racial groups.

Offense profile of delinquency cases by race:

• In 2004, the offense profile differed substantially from that of 1985 for all racial groups. Although a property offense was the most common charge involved in delinquency cases disposed for both years, the proportions of the caseloads that involved person or public order offenses were much larger in 2004 than in 1985 for all racial groups.

Between 1997 and 2004, the delinquency caseload decreased for all racial groups: 13% for whites, 4% for blacks, 9% for American Indians, and 3% for Asians/NHPI

In 2004, two-thirds of all delinquency cases involved white youth: 59% of person offense cases, 68% of property offense cases, 75% of drug offense cases, and 66% of public order offense cases

• In 2004, white youth made up 78% of the U.S. population under juvenile court jurisdiction, black youth 16%, American Indian youth 1%, and Asian youth 4%.

Racial profile of delinquency cases

• Although white youth represented the largest share of the delinquency caseload, their relative contribution declined between 1985 and 2004, from 73% to 66%.

• The proportion of delinquency cases involving black youth increased from 25% in 1985 to 31% in 2004

• For each year from 1985 through 2004, American Indian youth made up less than 3% of the delinquency caseload; Asian/NHPI youth made up 1%.

Racial profile of delinquency cases by offense:

• In 2004, the total delinquency case rate for black juveniles (99.7) was more than double the rate for white juveniles (44.6) and nearly twice the rate for American Indian youth (56.6); the delinquency case rate for Asian/NHPI youth was 17.5.

• The delinquency case rate for white juveniles peaked in 1997 (53.9) then fell 17% by 2004; for black juveniles, the rate in 2004 was down 18% from its 1995 peak (121.7). The delinquency case rate for American Indian youth peaked in 1992 (84.7) then declined 33% by 2004; for Asian/NHPI youth the peak occurred in 1995 (20.9) and fell 16% by 2004.

• Between 1985 and 2004, the person offense case rate increased 89% for white youth, 65% for black youth, 55% for American Indian youth, and 88% for Asian/NHPI youth.

• In 2004, the person offense case rate for black juveniles (30.1) was almost 3 times the rate for white juveniles (9.6), more than twice the rate for American Indian youth (12.6), and nearly 8 times that of Asian/NHPI youth (3.8).

• Property offense case rates in 2004 were lower than in 1985 for each racial group.

• The drug offense case rate for black juveniles increased dramatically from 1985 to 1989, leveled off, then increased to reach a peak in 1996 (12.7) that was 253% above the rate in 1985 (3.6). Between 1996 and 2004, the drug offense case rate for black juveniles declined 35%, while the rate increased 13% for white juveniles, 30% for American Indian youth, and 19% for Asian/NHPI youth.

• Between 1985 and 2004, public order offense case rates increased 178% for black juveniles (10.3 vs. 28.5), 79% for white juveniles (6.9 vs. 12.4), 37% for American Indian youth (10.0 to 13.6), and 119% for Asian/NHPI youth (2.0 to 4.4).

Between 1997 and 2004, delinquency case rates declined for youth of all racial groups: 20% for American Indians, 17% for whites, 16% for blacks, and 2% for Asians/NHPI

Case rates for juveniles generally increased with age for person, drug, and public order offenses, regardless of race

• In 2004, the delinquency case rate for 13-year-olds was more than 9 times the rate for 10-year-olds for each racial group.

• Age-specific person offense rates for black juveniles in 2004 averaged more than 3 times the rates for white juveniles and nearly 3 times the rate for American Indian youth.

• In 2004, the person offense case rate for 16-year-olds was about twice the rate for 13-year-olds for white, black and Asian/NHPI juveniles.

• For all racial groups, age-specific case rates for property offenses in 2004 were higher than the rates for other offense categories.

• In 2004, property offense case rates were higher for black juveniles than those for youth of all other race categories for each age group.

• In 2004, racial disparity in agespecific drug offense case rates increased after age 13. By age 17, the black drug offense case rate was nearly 2 times the white rate, more than twice the rate of American Indian youth, and more than 7 times the rate of Asian/NHPI youth.

• Within each age group, the 2004 public order offense case rate for black juveniles was 2 to 3 times the rate for white and American Indian youth.

Case rates for person offenses in 2004 were higher than those in 1985 for all age groups within each racial category

Person offense case rates

• Among white youth, person offense case rates increased dramatically for each age group between 1988 and 1998, and then decreased somewhat. Between 1998 and 2004, the person offense case rates for white youth decreased 8% to 12% for each age group.

• Among black youth, person offense case rates increased steadily for all age groups between 1989 and 1995: 49% for 10–12-year-olds, 46% for 13–14-year-olds, 44% for 16 year olds, and 58% for youth age 17.

• Between 1995 and 2000, person offense case rates for black youth decreased somewhat for all age groups and then increased through 2004.

• Person offense case rates for American Indian youth peaked in the early to mid 1990s for all age groups and then decreased through 2000. Between 2000 and 2004, American Indian person offense case rates increased for all age groups.

Between 1996 and 2004, property offense case rates declined for all age groups regardless of racial category

Property offense case rates

• For white, black, and American Indian youth, property offense case rates were lower in 2004 than in 1985 for all age groups.

• Among Asian/NHPI youth in 2004, property offense case rates were at or lower than the 1985 rates for younger youth: the rate for youth ages 10–12 was 42% lower than the 1985 rate, and for youth ages 13–15 the rate was roughly equal to that of 1985.

• Property offense rates peaked in the mid 1990s for Asian/NHPI youth ages 16 and 17, and then declined somewhat. In 2004, property offense rates were 15% higher than in 1985 for Asian/NHPI youth age 16 and 18% higher for those age 17.

Case rates for drug offenses increased dramatically for all age groups within each racial category during the 1990s

Drug offense case rates

*Because of 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 by a factor of 5 to display the trends over time.

• For white youth, drug offense case rates increased dramatically for all age groups between 1991 and 2000; 324% for 10–12-year-olds, 314% for 13–15-year-olds, 276% for 16-year-olds, and 255% for youth age 17. Between 2000 and 2004, drug offense case rates among white youth increased 10% for 10–12-year-olds and decreased 1% for youth ages 13–15, 5% for juveniles age 16, and 6% for youth age 17.

• Drug offense case rates for black youth generally increased for all age groups through the mid 1990s then declined. Between 2000 and 2004, drug offense case rates for black youth ages 10–12 increased 16%, while rates for other age groups decreased: 12% for youth ages 13–15, 15% for juveniles age 16, and 7% for youth age 17.

• Drug offense case rates for American Indian youth increased dramatically for all age groups between 1991 and 2002 and, with the exception of 10–12-yearolds, continued to increase through 2004. For American Indian youth ages 10–12, the drug offense case rate decreased 23% between 2002 and 2004, while the rates increased 8% for juveniles ages 13–15 and 5% for both 16- and 17-year-olds.

• Age-specific drug offense case rates for Asian/NHPI youth followed a pattern similar to that of American Indian juveniles.

Regardless of racial category, case rates for public order offenses in 2004 were higher than those in 1985 for all age groups

Public order offense case rates

*Because of 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 by a factor of 5 to display the trends over time.

• Between 1991 and 1998, age-specific public order offense case rates for white youth increased substantially for all age groups and then stabilized through 2004. Among white youth, the 2004 public order offense rate was 79% higher than the 1985 rate for youth ages 10–12, 81% higher for youth ages 13–15, 80% higher for 16-year-olds, and 89% higher for youth age 17.

• Between 1985 and 2004, the black public order offense rates increased 213% for youth ages 10–12, 189% for youth ages 13–15, 174% for 16-year-olds, and 173% for youth age 17.

• With the exception of 10–12 year olds, age specific public order offense case rates for American Indian youth peaked in the mid 1990s, declined through the late 1990s, and then remained fairly stable. For American Indian youth ages 10–12, the public order offense case rates changed very little between 1990 and 2004.

• Age-specific public order offense case rates for Asian/NHPI youth began to increase in the mid 1990s. Between 1993 and 2004, the public order offense case rates increased 203% for Asian/NHPI youth ages 10–12, 114% for youth ages 13–15, 128% for 16-yearolds, and 62% for youth age 17.

For males, case rates for black youth were higher than rates for all other racial groups, regardless of offense; not so for females

Person offense case rates

• Among males, person offense case rates peaked in the mid-1990s for all racial groups.

• For all years between 1985 and 2004, person offense case rates for black males were 2 to 3 times higher than the corresponding rates for American Indian males, 3 to 4 times higher than those for white males, and 7 to 9 times higher than those for Asian/NHPI males.

• Among females, person offense case rates for black juveniles were considerably higher than those for the other racial groups. In 2004, the person offense case rate for black females (18.9) was 10 times the rate for Asian/NHPI females (1.8), 3 times the rate for white females (5.6), and twice the rate for American Indian females (8.6).

Property offense case rates

• Among males, property offense case rates peaked in the early 1990s and then declined to a level lower in 2004 than in 1985 for all racial groups.

• Among females, property offense case rates were lower in 2004 than in 1985 for American Indian youth, but increased for females in all other racial groups.

Drug offense case rates

• Among males, drug offense case rates for black youth peaked in 1996 then declined 37% through 2004.

• Among females, drug offense case rates between 1998 and 2004 decreased 20% for blacks, while increasing for all other racial groups for the same time period: 33% for whites, 27% for American Indians, and 9% for Asians/NHPI.

Public order offense case rates

• In 2004, the public order offense case rate for black males was twice the rate for both white and American Indian males and 6 times the rate for Asians/NHPI.

• Between 1985 and 2004, the public order offense case rate for black females increased 267% (from 4.8 to 17.5).

• Public order case rates for American Indian females decreased 19% between the peak year 1994 and 2004. During the same time period public order case rates increased for each of the other racial groups.

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.

• Between 1985 and 2004, law enforcement agencies were the primary source of delinquency referrals for each year.

• In 2004, 81% of all delinquency cases were referred by law enforcement; however, there were variations across offense categories.

• Law enforcement agencies referred 90% of property cases, 89% of drug law violation cases, 87% of person offense cases, and 62% of public order offense cases in 2004.

• For each year between 1985 and 2004, public order offense cases had the smallest proportion of cases referred to court by law enforcement. This may be attributed in part to the fact that this offense category contains probation violations and contempt- of-court cases, which are most often referred by court personnel.

• Compared with 1985, law enforcement referred smaller proportions of drug and public order offense cases in 2004 and larger proportions of person and property offense cases.

Law enforcement agencies are the primary source of delinquency referrals to juvenile court

Data Table
	Total	Person	Property	Drugs	Public order
1985	83%	80%	88%	91%	65%
1986	83	78	87	91	67
1987	83	80	88	92	64
1988	83	80	88	92	64
1989	83	81	88	92	63
1990	85	84	89	93	70
1991	83	79	87	88	71
1992	85	83	88	93	73
1993	86	86	89	93	73
1994	86	85	90	94	71
1995	85	85	89	93	70
1996	84	85	89	93	68
1997	83	84	89	92	63
1998	80	83	88	92	59
1999	80	84	89	90	59
2000	81	86	90	89	59
2001	81	87	91	89	59
2002	81	87	90	90	60
2003	81	87	90	89	60
2004	81	87	90	89	62