| Q: |
How has the delinquency caseload changed since the 1960s? |
| A: |
The 2021 juvenile court delinquency caseload was 8% above the caseload in 1960. |
Delinquency cases disposed, 1960-2021
| Year |
Delinquency cases |
| 1960 |
405,000 |
| 1961 |
400,000 |
| 1962 |
441,000 |
| 1963 |
478,000 |
| 1964 |
545,000 |
| 1965 |
554,000 |
| 1966 |
592,000 |
| 1967 |
645,000 |
| 1968 |
716,000 |
| 1969 |
786,000 |
| 1970 |
836,000 |
| 1971 |
894,000 |
| 1972 |
884,000 |
| 1973 |
909,000 |
| 1974 |
996,000 |
| 1975 |
1,051,000 |
| 1976 |
1,078,000 |
| 1977 |
1,074,000 |
| 1978 |
1,024,000 |
| 1979 |
1,050,000 |
| 1980 |
1,092,000 |
| 1981 |
1,099,000 |
| 1982 |
1,071,000 |
| 1983 |
1,030,000 |
| 1984 |
1,033,000 |
| 1985 |
1,161,500 |
| 1986 |
1,197,000 |
| 1987 |
1,200,200 |
| 1988 |
1,207,800 |
| 1989 |
1,231,400 |
| 1990 |
1,304,100 |
| 1991 |
1,425,700 |
| 1992 |
1,497,900 |
| 1993 |
1,552,600 |
| 1994 |
1,688,500 |
| 1995 |
1,799,600 |
| 1996 |
1,837,100 |
| 1997 |
1,855,800 |
| 1998 |
1,770,000 |
| 1999 |
1,710,300 |
| 2000 |
1,692,600 |
| 2001 |
1,668,600 |
| 2002 |
1,655,300 |
| 2003 |
1,650,800 |
| 2004 |
1,650,000 |
| 2005 |
1,645,000 |
| 2006 |
1,583,700 |
| 2007 |
1,591,300 |
| 2008 |
1,571,600 |
| 2009 |
1,440,900 |
| 2010 |
1,320,900 |
| 2011 |
1,202,900 |
| 2012 |
1,105,200 |
| 2013 |
999,900 |
| 2014 |
931,800 |
| 2015 |
882,600 |
| 2016 |
828,600 |
| 2017 |
782,700 |
| 2018 |
737,200 |
| 2019 |
711,900 |
| 2020 |
504,800 |
| 2021 |
437,300 |
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March 2020, may have impacted the policies, procedures, and data collection activities regarding referrals to and processing of youth by juvenile courts for an indeterminate period of time. Additionally, stay-at-home orders and school closures likely impacted the volume and type of law-violating behavior by youth referred to juvenile court.
[ Graph version ]
[ CSV file ]
- On any given day in 2021, juvenile courts handled 1,200 delinquency cases. In comparison, in 1960, approximately 1,100 delinquency cases were processed daily.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/court/qa06204.asp?qaDate=2021.
Released on December 22, 2023.
Data Source: National Juvenile Court Data Archive. National Center for Juvenile Justice. Pittsburgh, PA.
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