Case Flow Data

Case Flow by Detailed Offense

Juvenile court processing for a typical 1,000 delinquency cases, 2005

Offense

Year

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Total delinquency
1,697,900 Estimated Cases

Number of cases	1,000

Intake decision [Opens a new window]
Non-petitioned	441
Petitioned	559
Intake disposition [Opens a new window]
Non-petitioned cases
Probation	97
Other sanction	167
Dismissed	177
Judicial decision [Opens a new window]
Petitioned cases
Waived to criminal court	4
Adjudicated delinquent	367
Not adjudicated delinquent	188
Judicial disposition [Opens a new window]
Adjudicated cases
Placement	83
Probation	220
Other sanction	65
Non-adjudicated cases
Probation	11
Other sanction	36
Dismissed	140

[ Graph version ]

Cases referred to juvenile court are first screened by an intake department (either within or outside the court). The intake department may decide to dismiss the case for lack of legal sufficiency or to resolve the matter formally (petitioned) or informally (nonpetitioned).
- In 2005, 56% (559 of 1,000) of all delinquency cases disposed by juvenile courts were handled formally while 44% (441 of 1,000) were handled informally.
- Among nonpetitioned cases, 40% (177 of 441) were dismissed at intake, often for lack of legal sufficiency. In the remaining cases (60%, or 263 of 441), youth voluntarily agreed to informal sanctions, including referral to a social service agency, informal probation, or the payment of fines or some form of voluntary restitution.
If the intake department decides that a case should be handled formally within the juvenile court, a petition is filed and the case is placed on the court calendar (or docket) for an adjudicatory hearing. On the other hand, the intake department may decide that a case should be removed from juvenile court and handled instead in criminal (adult) court. In these cases, a petition is usually filed in juvenile court requesting a waiver/transfer hearing, during which the juvenile court judge is asked to waive jurisdiction over the case.
- In 2005, 66% (367 of 559 cases) of all formally processed delinquency cases resulted in the youth being adjudicated delinquent. In 34% (188 of 559) of these cases, the youth was not adjudicated and 1% (4 of 559) were judicially waived to criminal court.
At the disposition hearing, the juvenile court judge determines the most appropriate sanction, generally after reviewing a predisposition report prepared by the probation department. The range of options available to a court typically includes commitment to an institution; placement in a group or foster home or other residential facility; probation (either regular or intensive supervision); referral to an outside agency, day treatment, or mental health program; or imposition of a fine, community service, or restitution.
- Youth in 22% (83 of 367) of adjudicated delinquency cases were placed in a residential facility. In another 60% (220 of 367) of these adjudicated cases, youth were placed on formal probation.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/court/JCSCF_Display.asp?ID=qa06601&year=2005&group=1&estimate=1. September 12, 2008.

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