Juvenile Justice System and Risk Factor Data - Illinois Criminal ...

Adjudications
In Illinois, the rate of adjudications of delinquency decreased 31 percent from 795 adjudications
for every 100,000 youth age 10 to 16 in 1997 to 550 in 2007. Figure 16 depicts the rate of youth
adjudicated delinquent by region. This decrease in the adjudication rate may be attributed to the
fact that Cook County adjudication data were not reported to AOIC in 2006 or 2007.
Additionally, adjudication data for Cook County in 1997 were only available for January through
June, which accounts for the dip depicted in Figure 16.
Figure 16
Rate of youth adjudicated delinquent per 100,000 youth ages 10 to 16,
by region, 1997-2007
Rate per 100,000 youth ages 10 to 16
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Calendar year
Cook Northern Central Southern Illinois
Source: Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
A 3 percent decrease occurred in the number of adjudications between 2002 and 2007, from
7,129 to 6,902. In 2003, the state rate of adjudications was at its lowest during the time period
examined at 516 adjudications for every 100,000 youth age 10 to 16. In 2007, the rate was 550;
however, Cook County did not report adjudication information in this year. Statewide
adjudication rates, excluding Cook County, increased steadily from 1997 to 2007. Between 1997
and 2007, the rate increased 14 percent from 816 adjudications per 100,000 youth ages 10 to 16
outside of Cook County in 1997 to 928 in 2007. Similarly, from 2002 to 2007, there was a 28
percent increase in the rate of adjudications from 724 adjudications in 2002 to 928 in 2007.
The Southern, Central, and Northern region’s rates varied during the period examined. Between
1997 and 2007, the Northern region experienced a 19 percent increase in their rates, from 711 to
849. During that same time period, the Southern region’s rates increased 5 percent, from 859 to
899. The Central region increased 16 percent, from 965 to 1,121.
Map 3 shows the percent change in the rate of youth adjudicated delinquent by county from 2002
to 2007.
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