NCJ Number
227544
Journal
Systemstats Volume: 26 Issue: 1 Dated: 2009 Pages: 1-12
Date Published
2009
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This report presents results of a trend analysis of juvenile arrests and juvenile justice system processing in North Carolina for 2005 to 2007.
Abstract
Report highlights include: (1) the total number of juvenile arrests in North Carolina experienced a minimal decline of less than 1 percent from 2005 to 2007; (2) the juvenile arrest rate was 56 arrests, per 1,000, 10-17-year olds in 2005; by 2007, the rate had dropped to 53.9 arrests per 1,000 for a 3.8 percent decline; (3) arrests for all violent crimes dropped a slight 1.1 percent; (4) juvenile arrest rates by age have not changed dramatically from 2005 to 2007; (5) total arrests and arrest rates remain highest for African-American youth with a 3-year trend average of 28,463 arrests or 51.1 arrests per 1,000 non-Hispanic African-American children under 18; (6) male teens were arrested at a much higher rate than their female counterparts with total male arrests nearly 2.5 times greater; (7) the number of delinquency petitions filed in the State's juvenile courts dropped slightly more than 6 percent from 25,232 in fiscal year 2005-2006 to 23,662 in fiscal year 2007-2008; (8) a total of 13,442 complaints were handled formally or petitioned during fiscal year 2007-2008; (9) the number of detainees declined by nearly 4 percent from 5,144 in 2005 to a total of 4,959 last year; and (10) youth development center admissions continue to remain low, compared to over a thousand per year in the late 1990s, with 428 commitments in 2005, 486 in 2006, and 437 in 2007.The analysis of juvenile crime and systems indicates a slight decline in almost every sector of the juvenile justice system between 2005 and 2007. Despite declines overall, the issue of disproportionate minority contact remains problematic in North Carolina. This report delineates short term trends in North Carolina's juvenile justice system with an emphasis on identifying significant changes that occurred between 2005 and 2007. Figures, tables, and references