NCJ Number
184158
Journal
Journal for Juvenile Justice and Detention Services Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2000 Pages: 77-91
Date Published
2000
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Based on data collected for all adults and juveniles placed on probation in Illinois during a sample period in 1995, this study compared adult and juvenile probationers across demographic, criminal history, and sentence characteristics.
Abstract
Although there have been many assertions that the juvenile and adult courts are increasingly becoming indistinguishable from one another, little quantitative information has been presented to support this position. Specifically, given that the majority of both juvenile and adult offenders are placed on probation, there have been few comparisons regarding the characteristics of probation sentences imposed in the juvenile and adult courts. This study aims to remedy this research gap. Data for the study were part of a larger effort to collect detailed, case-level information on all adult and juvenile offenders placed on probation in Illinois during May 1995. The types of information collected and reported by each individual probation officer during the study period covered various aspects of the individual cases, such as probationer characteristics, conviction offense types, and the nature of the sentence received. The analyses identified a number of important differences between juvenile and adult probationers. Despite the perception of many, the analyses provide quantitative evidence that the probation sentencing practices in juvenile courts are considerably different from criminal courts; juvenile courts are more likely to include community service orders and withhold specific treatment orders either until an evaluation is performed or leave it up to the discretion of probation officers. Juvenile sentencing decisions are also more frequently based on an individualized pre-sentence investigation. 2 tables and 27 references