| Q: |
How has the delinquency caseload changed since the 1960s? |
| A: |
The 2020 juvenile court delinquency caseload was 26% above the caseload in 1960. |
Delinquency cases disposed, 1960-2020
| 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 |
1,425,600 |
| 1992 |
1,497,900 |
| 1993 |
1,552,600 |
| 1994 |
1,688,500 |
| 1995 |
1,799,600 |
| 1996 |
1,837,200 |
| 1997 |
1,855,500 |
| 1998 |
1,769,800 |
| 1999 |
1,710,100 |
| 2000 |
1,692,100 |
| 2001 |
1,668,300 |
| 2002 |
1,655,400 |
| 2003 |
1,651,200 |
| 2004 |
1,652,200 |
| 2005 |
1,646,900 |
| 2006 |
1,586,000 |
| 2007 |
1,593,900 |
| 2008 |
1,574,000 |
| 2009 |
1,442,900 |
| 2010 |
1,324,000 |
| 2011 |
1,206,000 |
| 2012 |
1,107,800 |
| 2013 |
1,000,700 |
| 2014 |
932,000 |
| 2015 |
865,300 |
| 2016 |
814,500 |
| 2017 |
784,200 |
| 2018 |
738,600 |
| 2019 |
709,300 |
| 2020 |
508,400 |
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 ]
- On any given day in 2020, juvenile courts handled 1,400 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=2020.
Released on January 10, 2023.
Data Source: National Juvenile Court Data Archive. National Center for Juvenile Justice. Pittsburgh, PA.
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