NCJ Number
155926
Date Published
1995
Length
23 pages
Annotation
In Florida's juvenile intake program, delinquency case managers receive all cases from law enforcement, make assessments, and recommend judicial or nonjudicial handling to the State attorney, and statistical data are provided on the delinquency intake system.
Abstract
At intake, delinquency case managers prepare predisposition reports and recommend sanctions or services; carry out preliminary screening for alcohol, drug abuse, or mental health problems; conduct suicide risk assessments; and perform detention screenings. Florida's delinquency intake system received 156,286 cases on 93,141 youths in fiscal year (FY) 1993-1994, a 10.6 percent increase over the number of cases in the previous fiscal year. The number of delinquency cases received and the number of youths referred for delinquency during FY 1993-1994 were 29 percent and 23.5 percent higher, respectively, than during FY 1989-1990. In FY 1989-1990, 48.9 percent of youth referred for delinquency were white males, 28.5 percent were black males, 14.1 percent were white females, and 8.5 percent were black females. In FY 1993-1994, 45 percent were white males, 29.1 percent were black males, 15.1 percent were white females, and 10.8 percent were black females. The most serious offenses committed by youths involved misdemeanors, with shoplifting the most common misdemeanor reason for referral. In FY 1989-1990, 42.7 percent of delinquency cases received were for felony charges; this figure declined to 40.4 percent in FY 1993-1994. Slightly over 58 percent of cases disposed were handled judicially, with 37.8 percent handled nonjudicially and the remaining 4.1 percent sent to adult court. The effectiveness of Florida's delinquency intake system is discussed. 14 tables and 13 charts