Analysis of Child Commitment and Placement Trends in Minnesota, 1970-1981

• NCJ Number: 100050
• Author(s): D A Haugen
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 541 pages
• Grant Number(s): 82-IJ-CX-0040
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Publication Format: Dissertation/Thesis
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: University of Minnesota - doctoral thesis

Annotation

This study analyzed trends in commitments to juvenile correctional institutions and placements in noninstitutional correctional and child welfare/noncorrectional facilities in Minnesota for 1970-81. Factors influencing the trends are examined.

Abstract

Aggregate data on commitments, placements, associated costs, arrests, bedspace capacities, average daily populations, and Minnesota population were obtained from national, State, and local sources and analyzed on intrastate, intracounty, and intercounty levels. Data analysis indicates that since the mid-1970's, the rate of commitment to Minnesota's juvenile correctional institutions has increased annually, and placement rates in other settings has increased also. Commitment rates are inversely related to both placement and arrest rates in several jurisdictions. Compared to juvenile population and regardless of committing offense or criminal history, minorities and males were overrepresented in public juvenile correctional institutions. Minorities and females had higher placement rates. Commitment patterns did not correlate highly with placement, arrest, bedspace patterns, or fluctuations in juvenile population size. Analyses of the relationships between placement patterns and youth population size or bedspace produced equivocal results. Recommendations pertain to policy, practice, and research. Study data are appended. 125 references.