| Q: |
Do delinquency case rates vary by age and offense? |
| A: |
Delinquency case rates generally increase with the age of the youth; however, within offense categories, there are variations in the pattern of age-specific case rates. |
Cases per 1,000 youth in age group, 2020
| Age at referral |
Person |
Property |
Drugs |
Public order |
| 10 |
0.41 |
0.29 |
0.02 |
0.14 |
| 11 |
1.12 |
0.66 |
0.07 |
0.40 |
| 12 |
2.57 |
1.63 |
0.28 |
1.10 |
| 13 |
4.79 |
3.54 |
0.74 |
2.38 |
| 14 |
6.77 |
5.94 |
1.47 |
3.97 |
| 15 |
8.53 |
8.39 |
2.48 |
5.58 |
| 16 |
9.35 |
9.54 |
3.96 |
6.82 |
| 17 |
9.00 |
9.36 |
5.25 |
6.85 |
It is important to note that 2020 was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have impacted policies, procedures, and data collection activities regarding referrals to and processing of youth by juvenile courts. Additionally, stay-at-home orders and school closures likely impacted the volume and type of law-violating behavior by youth referred to juvenile court in 2020.
[ Graph version ]
[ CSV file ]
- Case rates for drug offenses increased continuously through age 17, while case rates for person, property, and public order offense cases peaked at age 16 in 2020.
- The increase in case rates between age 13 and age 17 was sharpest for drug offenses. In 2020, the drug offense case rate for 17-year-olds was seven times the rate for 13-year-olds.
- For public order offenses, the case rate for 17-year-olds was nearly three times the rate for 13-year-olds; for person offenses, the rate for 17-year-olds was nearly twice the rate for 13-year-olds.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/court/qa06202.asp?qaDate=2020.
Released on January 10, 2023.
Data Source: National Juvenile Court Data Archive. National Center for Juvenile Justice. Pittsburgh, PA.
USA.gov | Privacy | Policies & Disclaimers | FOIA | Site Map | Ask a Question | OJJDP Home
A component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice
|
Printer-friendly