Delinquency Case Rate Trends

Case rates for drug offenses increased more than 75% between 1985 and 2010 - from 3.0 to 5.2 cases per 1,000 youth under juvenile court jurisdiction.

Delinquency Case Rates for Drug Offenses, 1985-2010

Delinquency Cases Rates for Drug Offenses

Note: Rates are cases per 1,000 youth ages 10-upper age of juvenile court jurisdiction.

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Most of the increase in drug offense case rates occurred between 1991 and 1996, during which time the rate increased more than 150%.
Between 1999 and 2010, the drug offense case rate remained relatively stable, averaging 5.8 cases per 1,000 youth under juvenile court jurisdiction.
Drug offense case rates are lower than the case rates for other offenses. In 2010, for example, juvenile courts processed 5.2 drug offense cases for every 1,000 youth under juvenile court jurisdiction, compared with 15.9 property offense cases, 11.3 public order offense cases, and 11.0 person offense cases.

Internet Citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available:
http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/court/JCSCR_Display.asp?ID=qa06233. April 17, 2013.

Adapted from Juvenile Court Statistics 2009. Forthcoming. Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice.