JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN MASSACHUSETTS - A PROFILE OF DELINQUENCIES, 1975-1978

• NCJ Number: 61538
• Author(s): M B ROY; P R MASON; J LIPPITT
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Massachusetts Commissioner of Probation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT BY THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS DESCRIBES ITS JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ASSESSES SENTENCING PATTERNS FOR 731 MASSACHUSETTS JUVENILE DELINQUENTS ADJUDICATED BETWEEN 1975 AND 1979.

Abstract

DATA FOR THIS STUDY WAS DRAWN FROM 4,696 RECORDS SELECTED RANDOMLY FROM A LARGER STUDY OF SENTENCING PATTERNS FROM CRIMINAL OFFENSES. QUALIFYING OFFENSES FOR THIS STUDY INCLUDED CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY OR PERSONS AND UNAUTHORIZED USE OF MOTOR VEHICLES. JUVENILES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 7 AND 17 MADE UP 14.7 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL, COMMITTING 1,129 OFFENSES. ACCORDING TO STATE LAW, MASSACHUSETTS PROTECTS AND ASSISTS, RATHER THAN PUNISHES JUVENILES; JUVENILE COURT JUDGES MAY NOT 'SENTENCE' JUVENILES BUT MAY IMPOSE FINES OR PROBATION, BIND THEM OVER FOR TRIAL IN ADULT COURTS IN SOME CASES, OR COMMIT THEM TO THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES (MDYS), WHICH DETERMINES TREATMENT OR PLACEMENT. MDYS PROVIDES SPECIAL SCHOOLS AND LIVING ARRANGEMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, HAVING CLOSED ITS REFORM SCHOOLS AND OTHER JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS IN THE LATE 1960'S. OVER 75 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE'S JUVENILE OFFENSES WERE AGAINST PROPERTY AND 20 PERCENT AGAINST PERSONS; 14 TO 16-YEAR OLDS ACCOUNTED FOR 90 PERCENT OF OFFENSES. ABOUT 16 PERCENT OF THE STUDY'S SUBJECTS WERE COMMITTED TO THE MDYS, 25 PERCENT RECEIVED PROBATION, AND 44 PERCENT, SUSPENDED MDYS COMMITMENTS. FEMALES, 10.6 PERCENT OF TOTAL, RECEIVED GENERALLY LESS SERIOUS DISPOSITIONS THAN MALES, RECEIVING PROBATION TWICE AS MUCH AND COMMITMENT TO MDYS ONE-HALF AS OFTEN. HOWEVER, 16.7 PERCENT OF JUVENILE OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS WERE COMMITTED BY FEMALES. COURTS COMMITTED JUVENILES TO THE MDYS MORE OFTEN FOR PERSONAL THAN PROPERTY OFFENSES, AND THE CHANCE FOR SUCH COMMITMENT INCREASED AS A JUVENILE'S PRIOR RECORD INCREASED. FIRST OFFENDERS RECEIVED PROBATION MOST OFTEN, 36.1 PERCENT AGAINST 25.4 PERCENT OF ALL JUVENILES IN THE SAMPLE. TABLES INCLUDE THE DISTRIBUTION OF VARIOUS OFFENSES BY YEAR OF ARRAIGNMENT AND SEX, AND VARIOUS OTHER JUVENILE DISPOSITION INFORMATION. AN APPENDIX, BUT NO REFERENCES, ARE PROVIDED. (PAP)