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Delinquency Cases
Q: What are the characteristics of delinquency cases handled by juvenile courts?
A: Females accounted for over one-fourth (27%) of the 508,400 delinquency cases handled by juvenile courts in 2020, youth under age 16 accounted for 53% of all cases, and white youth accounted for 43% of all cases.

Characteristics of delinquency cases handled by juvenile courts, 2020

Most serious offense Number
of cases
Percent of cases handled by juvenile courts
Female Under 16 White1 Black 1 American
Indian
Asian/
NHPI1
Hispanic
Total Delinquency 508,400 27% 53% 43% 35% 2% 1% 19%
Person Offenses 175,500 30% 58% 42% 36% 2% 1% 19%
Violent Crime Index*
45,900 17% 50% 29% 45% 2% 1% 23%
Criminal homicide
1,200 10% 30% 21% 49% 2% 1% 27%
Rape
6,500 4% 59% 56% 24% 2% 1% 18%
Robbery
16,200 11% 46% 14% 61% 1% 1% 22%
Aggravated assault
22,100 25% 52% 33% 39% 2% 1% 25%
Simple assault
105,100 37% 60% 43% 34% 2% 1% 19%
Other violent sex offenses
5,900 6% 70% 62% 20% 3% 2% 13%
Other person offenses
18,500 30% 62% 58% 28% 4% 1% 9%
Property Offenses 161,000 24% 54% 43% 37% 2% 1% 16%
Property Crime Index**
105,600 25% 52% 40% 40% 2% 1% 17%
Burglary
32,200 12% 54% 38% 41% 2% 1% 18%
Larceny-theft
57,500 34% 50% 43% 38% 2% 1% 15%
Motor vehicle theft
14,500 22% 53% 31% 46% 2% 1% 21%
Arson
1,400 16% 73% 58% 27% 1% 1% 14%
Vandalism
29,800 20% 59% 56% 24% 3% 1% 16%
Trespassing
14,900 23% 55% 47% 33% 1% 1% 17%
Stolen property offenses
5,800 14% 46% 21% 67% 2% 1% 9%
Other property offenses
4,900 25% 53% 45% 41% 2% 1% 11%
Drug law violations 56,900 26% 37% 55% 19% 3% 1% 23%
Public Order Offenses 115,000 27% 50% 41% 37% 2% 1% 20%
Obstruction of justice
55,100 26% 43% 37% 39% 2% 1% 21%
Disorderly conduct
28,100 36% 64% 44% 42% 2% 1% 12%
Weapons offenses
12,100 10% 44% 28% 43% 1% 2% 26%
Liquor Law Violations
2,500 35% 32% 62% 6% 3% 2% 28%
Nonviolent sex offense
8,300 20% 58% 57% 17% 1% 2% 24%
Other public order offenses
9,000 23% 54% 52% 21% 1% 3% 24%

* Includes criminal homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
** Includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
1Excludes persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Persons of Hispanic ethnicity can be of any race.

Note: Detail may not add to totals because of rounding. Percents are based on unrounded numbers.

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.

  • Delinquency offenses are acts committed by juveniles that would be crimes if committed by adults.
  • In 2020, females accounted for 34% of all larceny-theft cases, 35% of all liquor law violation cases, 36% of disorderly conduct cases, and 37% of all simple assault cases.
  • Youth under age 16 accounted for nearly three-fourths (73%) of all arson cases handled in 2020, 60% of simple assault cases, and 64% of disorderly conduct cases.
  • Racial and ethnic minority youth combined to account for 71% of all Violent Crime Index offense cases and 45% of all drug law violation cases.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/court/qa06206.asp?qaDate=2020. Released on January 10, 2023.

Adapted from Easy Access to Juvenile Court Statistics. Available on-line at: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezajcs/.

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