Juvenile Court Statistics 2005. - Office of Juvenile Justice and ...

Chapter 2: National Estimates of Delinquency CasesAge at ReferralTrends in case rates were similar across age groups between 1985 and 2005 for each general offensecategoryPerson offense case ratesCases per 1,000 juveniles in age group25Age 16Age 172015105Ages 13–15Ages 10–1201985 1990 1995 2000 2005Property offense case ratesCases per 1,000 juveniles in age group706050403020Age 16Ages 13–15Age 1710Ages 10–1201985 1990 1995 2000 2005■With the exception of 10- to 12-year-olds, personoffense case rates increased from 1985 into the mid-1990s and then declined through 2000. For youthages 10–12, person offense case rates increasedthrough 2001.■Across age groups, property offense case rates wereconsiderably lower in 2005 than in 1985. In 2005, thecase rate for juveniles ages 10–12 was 49% below therate in 1985, and the rate for juveniles ages 13–15 was27% below the rate in 1985.■Between 2000 and 2005, person offense case ratesdecreased for youth ages 10–12, and increased forall other age groups.■Property offense case rates peaked in the early 1990sfor all age groups and then declined through 2005.Drug offense case ratesCases per 1,000 juveniles in age group252015105Age 17Age 16Ages 13–15Ages 10–12 (x5)*01985 1990 1995 2000 2005Public order offense case ratesCases per 1,000 juveniles in age group35Age 1730Age 162520Ages 13–151510Ages 10–12 (x5)*501985 1990 1995 2000 2005■■Drug offense case rates increased dramatically for allage groups between 1991 and 1998: 209% forjuveniles ages 10–12, 155% for youth ages 13–15,140% for 16-year-olds, and 142% for 17-year-olds.Drug offense case rates in 2005 were considerablyhigher than the 1985 rates for all age groups.■■Public order offense case rates nearly doubled foreach age group between 1985 and 1998.With the exception of juveniles ages 10–12, publicorder offense case rates were higher for all agegroups in 2005 than in any year since 1985.*Because of the relatively low volume of cases involving youth ages 10–12 for drug offenses and public order offenses, their case rates areinflated by a factor of 5 to display the trend over time.Juvenile Court Statistics 2005 11