| Petitioned Status Offense Cases |
| Q: |
What is the trend in dispostions for adjudicated status offense cases? |
| A: |
The number of adjudicated status offense cases resulting in probation or placement has declined since 2005. |
Disposition of adjudicated status offense cases, 2005-2020
| Year |
Residential
placement |
Probation |
Other sanction |
| 2005 |
11,700 |
63,200 |
35,500 |
| 2006 |
10,600 |
63,400 |
33,100 |
| 2007 |
10,200 |
65,400 |
30,800 |
| 2008 |
9,000 |
62,900 |
31,400 |
| 2009 |
7,200 |
53,000 |
26,600 |
| 2010 |
6,600 |
46,600 |
24,600 |
| 2011 |
5,900 |
42,800 |
22,500 |
| 2012 |
5,500 |
37,900 |
21,300 |
| 2013 |
4,600 |
34,500 |
16,400 |
| 2014 |
4,000 |
32,300 |
14,700 |
| 2015 |
3,700 |
30,000 |
14,500 |
| 2016 |
3,200 |
26,000 |
13,800 |
| 2017 |
2,900 |
23,300 |
13,500 |
| 2018 |
2,500 |
21,900 |
11,300 |
| 2019 |
2,200 |
18,800 |
11,400 |
| 2020 |
1,400 |
9,500 |
6,200 |
Note: Cases are categorized according to their most severe disposition.
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 ]
- In dispositional hearings, juvenile court judges must determine the most appropriate sanction. Disposition options include commitment to a treatment facility or other residential placement; probation; or a variety of other dispositions, such as referral to an outside agency or treatment program, community service, fines, or restitution. Very often the court imposes some combination of these sanctions.
- The number of petitioned status offense cases resulting in probation decreased 85% between 2005 and 2020, while the number of cases resulting in placement decreased 88% during the same time period.
- Annually, 57%-63% of adjudicated status offense cases resulted in probation.
- In 2020, 35.9% of all adjudicated status offense cases received other sanctions.
Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/court/qa06802.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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