NCJ Number
57306
Date Published
1977
Length
26 pages
Annotation
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON JUVENILE REFERRALS IN MARION COUNTY, OREG., WERE ANALYZED TO PROVIDE STATISTICAL SUPPORT FOR THE OREGON LAW ENFORCEMENT COUNCIL IN THE AREA OF JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM EFFECTIVENESS.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT WAS TO EXAMINE DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF JUVENILES WITH ONE REFERRAL AND THOSE WITH SUBSEQUENT REFERRALS DURING THE PERIOD OF 1974-1975. THESE GROUPS WERE COMPARED TO DETERMINE DIFFERENCES IN AGE, SEX, RACE, AND REASON FOR REFERRAL. THE REASON FOR THE SECOND REFERRAL AND THE ELAPSED TIME BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND REFERRAL WERE ALSO EXAMINED. NINETY-EIGHT POSSIBLE REASONS FOR REFERRAL WERE GROUPED ACCORDING TO SEVEN MAJOR CATEGORIES: (1) PERSONS, INCLUDING SUCH LAW VIOLATIONS AS MURDER, ASSAULT, AND SEX CRIMES; (2) PROPERTY, INCLUDING THEFT, BURGLARY, ROBBERY, AND FRAUD; (3) DRUGS, INCLUDING USE, POSSESSION, AND SALE; (4) OTHER, INCLUDING SUCH LAW VIOLATIONS AS FIREARMS POSESSION, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, AND ESCAPE; (5) STATUS, INCLUDING RUNAWAY, CURFEW, BEYOND CONTROL, TRUANCY, ALCOHOL, PROBATION/PAROLE, ENDANGERING THE MORALS OF SELF OR OTHERS, ASSOCIATION WITH IMMORAL PERSONS, AND ENGAGING IN AN OCCUPATION DANGEROUS TO LIFE OR LIMB; (6) NEGLECT, ABUSE, AND DEPENDENCY, (NAD); AND (7) TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. THE TYPICAL JUVENILE FIRST REFERRED WAS A WHITE MALE ABOUT 15 YEARS OF AGE. THE NUMBER OF JUVENILES FIRST REFERRED FOR CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS WAS ABOUT THE SAME AS THE NUMBER FIRST REFERRED FOR STATUS OFFENSES AND NAD OFFENSES. THE FEWEST REFERRALS WERE IN THE PERSONS CATEGORY. JUVENILES FIRST REFERRED FOR STATUS OFFENSES AND NAD WERE REREFERRED AT HIGHER RATES THAN JUVENILES FIRST REFERRED FOR CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS. WHITE JUVENILES WERE REREFERRED MORE OFTEN THAN MINORITY JUVENILES. AGE WAS NOT RELATED TO SUBSEQUENT REFERRALS, BUT THE PERCENTAGE OF MALES WITH SUBSEQUENT REFERRALS WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THAT FOR FEMALES. OVER TWO-THIRDS OF SECOND REFERRALS WERE FOR THE SAME REASON AS FIRST REFERRALS. MORE SECOND REFERRALS OCCURRED DURING THE FIRST MONTH FOLLOWING THE FIRST REFERRAL THAN IN ANY OTHER MONTH. BASED ON THE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONS OF REASONS FOR FIRST REFERRALS, A TENDENCY TO BE REREFERRED FOR REASONS OF A SIMILAR NATURE WAS DEMONSTRATED. THIS TENDENCY WAS GREATEST FOR TRAFFIC OFENSES AND LEAST FOR PROPERTY OFFENSES. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON REASONS FOR FIRST REFERRAL IN RELATION TO REASONS FOR SECOND REFERRAL AND ON PROCEDURAL ASPECTS OF THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS. (DEP)