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Juveniles in Court
Case Flow by Detailed Offense

Juvenile court processing for a typical 1,000 delinquency cases, 2010

  Total delinquency [Opens a new window]
1,368,200 Estimated Cases 		   
 
    | Intake decision
[Opens a new window] 		| Intake disposition
[Opens a new window]		 | Judicial decision
[Opens a new window]		 | Judicial disposition
[Opens a new window]		 |
                   Waived 4        
                           Placed 82  
                           Probation 190  
     Petitioned 536            Adjudicated 313    Other sanction 40  
                               
  1,000                            
  Cases                Nonadjudicated  219        
                         Probation 55  
                           Other sanction 32  
     Nonpetitioned  464                    Dismissed 132  
           Probation 114                  
           Other sanction 155                  
           Dismissed 196                  
                               
                               
  Detail may not add to total because of rounding.

[ Text only ]

  • Cases referred to juvenile court are first screened by an intake department (either within or outside the court). The intake department may decide to dismiss the case for lack of legal sufficiency or to resolve the matter formally (petitioned) or informally (nonpetitioned).
    • In 2010, 54% (536 of 1,000) of all delinquency cases disposed by juvenile courts were handled formally while 46% (464 of 1,000) were handled informally.
    • Among nonpetitioned cases, 42% (196 of 464) were dismissed at intake, often for lack of legal sufficiency. In the remaining cases (58%, or 268 of 464), youth voluntarily agreed to informal sanctions, including referral to a social service agency, informal probation, or the payment of fines or some form of voluntary restitution.
  • If the intake department decides that a case should be handled formally within the juvenile court, a petition is filed and the case is placed on the court calendar (or docket) for an adjudicatory hearing. On the other hand, the intake department may decide that a case should be removed from juvenile court and handled instead in criminal (adult) court. In these cases, a petition is usually filed in juvenile court requesting a waiver/transfer hearing, during which the juvenile court judge is asked to waive jurisdiction over the case.
    • In 2010, 58% (313 of 536 cases) of all formally processed delinquency cases resulted in the youth being adjudicated delinquent. In 41% (219 of 536) of these cases, the youth was not adjudicated and 1% (4 of 536) were judicially waived to criminal court.
  • At the disposition hearing, the juvenile court judge determines the most appropriate sanction, generally after reviewing a predisposition report prepared by the probation department. The range of options available to a court typically includes commitment to an institution; placement in a group or foster home or other residential facility; probation (either regular or intensive supervision); referral to an outside agency, day treatment, or mental health program; or imposition of a fine, community service, or restitution.
    • Youth in 26% (82 of 313) of adjudicated delinquency cases were placed in a residential facility. In another 61% (190 of 313) of these adjudicated cases, youth were placed on formal probation.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/court/JCSCF_Display.asp?ID=qa06601&year=2010&group=1&estimate=1. April 17, 2013.

Data Source: National Juvenile Court Data Archive. National Center for Juvenile Justice. Pittsburgh, PA.

 

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