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EZAJCS Easy Access to Juvenile Court Statistics: 1985-2021

Percent of delinquency cases handled by juvenile courts

Year Total Female Under 16 White Black American Indian Asian/NHPI Hispanic*
2021 437,300 27% 53% 44% 35% 2% 1% 17%
2020 504,800 27% 52% 43% 35% 2% 1% 19%
2019 711,900 28% 54% 43% 35% 2% 1% 19%
2018 737,200 27% 53% 44% 34% 2% 1% 19%
2017 782,700 27% 52% 44% 35% 2% 1% 18%
2016 828,600 27% 52% 43% 35% 2% 1% 18%
2015 882,600 27% 52% 44% 35% 2% 1% 18%
2014 931,800 27% 53% 43% 36% 2% 1% 18%
2013 999,900 27% 53% 44% 35% 2% 1% 18%
2012 1,105,200 28% 53% 45% 34% 2% 1% 18%
2011 1,202,900 28% 53% 45% 34% 2% 1% 19%
2010 1,320,900 28% 52% 45% 33% 1% 1% 19%
2009 1,440,900 28% 52% 45% 34% 1% 1% 18%
2008 1,571,600 27% 53% 46% 34% 1% 1% 17%
2007 1,591,300 27% 54% 47% 34% 1% 1% 17%
2006 1,583,700 27% 56% 47% 34% 1% 1% 16%
2005 1,645,000 28% 57% 48% 33% 1% 1% 16%
2004 1,650,000 27% 58% 65% 32% 1% 1% 0
2003 1,650,800 26% 58% 66% 31% 1% 1% 0
2002 1,655,300 26% 58% 67% 30% 2% 1% 0
2001 1,668,600 26% 59% 68% 29% 2% 1% 0
2000 1,692,600 25% 58% 68% 29% 2% 1% 0
1999 1,710,300 24% 58% 68% 29% 2% 1% 0
1998 1,770,000 24% 58% 69% 29% 2% 1% 0
1997 1,855,800 23% 58% 68% 30% 2% 1% 0
1996 1,837,100 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 1,425,700 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.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March 2020, may have impacted the policies, procedures, and data collection activities regarding referrals to and processing of youth by juvenile courts for an indeterminate period of time. Additionally, stay-at-home orders and school closures likely impacted the volume and type of law-violating behavior by youth referred to juvenile court.

Suggested citation: Puzzanchera, C., Sladky, A., and Kang, W. (2023). "Easy Access to Juvenile Court Statistics: 1985-2021." Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezajcs/

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