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EZAJCS Easy Access to Juvenile Court Statistics: 1985-2020

Percent of delinquency cases handled by juvenile courts

Year Total Female Under 16 White Black American Indian Asian/NHPI Hispanic*
2020 508,400 27% 53% 43% 35% 2% 1% 19%
2019 709,300 28% 54% 43% 35% 2% 1% 19%
2018 738,600 27% 53% 44% 34% 2% 1% 19%
2017 784,200 27% 52% 44% 35% 2% 1% 18%
2016 814,500 28% 52% 43% 35% 2% 1% 19%
2015 865,300 28% 52% 43% 35% 2% 1% 19%
2014 932,000 27% 53% 43% 36% 2% 1% 19%
2013 1,000,700 27% 53% 44% 35% 2% 1% 18%
2012 1,107,800 28% 53% 45% 34% 2% 1% 18%
2011 1,206,000 28% 53% 45% 34% 2% 1% 19%
2010 1,324,000 28% 52% 45% 34% 1% 1% 19%
2009 1,442,900 28% 52% 45% 34% 1% 1% 18%
2008 1,574,000 27% 53% 46% 34% 1% 1% 17%
2007 1,593,900 27% 54% 47% 34% 1% 1% 17%
2006 1,586,000 27% 56% 47% 34% 1% 1% 16%
2005 1,646,900 28% 57% 48% 33% 1% 1% 16%
2004 1,652,200 27% 58% 65% 32% 1% 1% 0
2003 1,651,200 26% 58% 66% 31% 2% 1% 0
2002 1,655,400 26% 58% 67% 30% 2% 1% 0
2001 1,668,300 26% 59% 68% 29% 2% 1% 0
2000 1,692,100 25% 58% 68% 29% 2% 1% 0
1999 1,710,100 24% 58% 68% 29% 2% 1% 0
1998 1,769,800 24% 58% 69% 29% 2% 1% 0
1997 1,855,500 23% 58% 68% 30% 2% 1% 0
1996 1,837,200 23% 59% 68% 29% 2% 1% 0
1995 1,799,600 22% 61% 67% 30% 1% 1% 0
1994 1,688,500 21% 61% 67% 30% 2% 1% 0
1993 1,552,600 20% 61% 67% 30% 2% 1% 0
1992 1,497,900 19% 62% 67% 30% 2% 1% 0
1991 1,425,600 19% 61% 67% 30% 2% 1% 0
1990 1,304,100 19% 61% 68% 29% 2% 1% 0
1989 1,231,400 19% 60% 69% 29% 2% 1% 0
1988 1,207,800 19% 58% 69% 28% 2% 1% 0
1987 1,200,200 19% 58% 71% 26% 2% 1% 0
1986 1,197,000 19% 59% 72% 25% 2% 1% 0
1985 1,161,500 19% 61% 73% 24% 2% 1% 0

With the release of the 2014 data, detailed race estimates developed by the National Juvenile Court Data Archive (Archive) project were expanded to include estimates for cases involving Hispanic youth for data years 2005-2014. As a result of this change, the race data shown in this table are not comparable across all data years. For the 1985-2004 data period, the Archive project developed race estimates for 4 race groups (White, Black/African-American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Asian/Pacific Islanders) without consideration of ethnicity; that is, during this data period, persons of Hispanic ethnicity can be of any race and are included within each of the four racial groups. Beginning with the 2005 data year, persons of Hispanic ethnicity are treated as a distinct race group and are excluded from the other race groups. For this reason, race estimates for the 1985-2004 data period are not comparable to the race estimates for the 2005-present data period. An important exception must be noted. Data provided to the project did not always allow for identification of Hispanic ethnicity for cases involving American Indian youth. Specifically, data from many jurisdictions did not include any means to determine the ethnicity of American Indian youth. Rather than assume ethnicity for these youth, they are classified solely on their racial classification; as such, the American Indian group includes an unknown proportion of Hispanic youth.

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.

Suggested citation: Sickmund, M., Sladky, A., and Kang, W. (2022). "Easy Access to Juvenile Court Statistics: 1985-2020." Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezajcs/

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