NCJ Number
59318
Date Published
1978
Length
35 pages
Annotation
DATA ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF 226 JUVENILES COMMITTED TO A RHODE ISLAND DIAGNOSTIC CENTER OVER A 1-YEAR PERIOD ARE PRESENTED IN 13 TABLES.
Abstract
THE TABLES COVER THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES: SEX, RACE, AGE AT COMMITMENT, LENGTH OF DETENTION, TYPE OF OFFENSE, CENSUS TRACT OF RESIDENCE, RECOMMENDATIONS OF DIAGNOSTIC CENTER PERSONNEL (WHERE THE JUVENILE SHOULD RESIDE AND WHAT AGENCIES AND RESOURCES SHOULD BE USED), NUMBER OF PREVIOUS FAMILY COURT APPEARANCES, INTERVENTION OF CHILD WELFARE SERVICES PRIOR TO COMMITMENT, AND OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENTS PRIOR TO COMMITMENT. CROSS-TABULATIONS INCLUDE AGE, RACE, AND SEX; RACE, SEX, AND LENGTH OF STAY; AGE, SEX, AND LENGTH OF STAY; TYPE OF OFFENSE, RACE, AND SEX; TYPE OF OFFENSE AND LENGTH OF STAY; TYPE OF OFFENSE AND AGE; RESIDENCE AND SEX; RACE, SEX, AND NUMBER OF COURT APPEARANCES; AGE, SEX, AND NUMBER OF APPEARANCES; TYPE OF OFFENSE AND NUMBER OF APPEARANCES; AND RACE, SEX, AND CHILD WELFARE INTERVENTION. THE TABLES ARE ACCOMPANIED BY NOTES, WHICH EXPLAIN THE CROSS-TABULATIONS AND POINT OUT HIGHLIGHTS. NO CONCLUSIONS ARE DRAWN FROM THE DATA. THE POPULATION REPRESENTED BY THESE DATA INCLUDED 163 MALES AND 63 FEMALES, 87.6 PERCENT OF WHOM WERE WHITE. AGES RANGED FROM 9 TO 18, THE MOST COMMON AGE BEING 14. DETENTIONS RANGED FROM 1 DAY TO 102 DAYS, WITH MOST DETENTIONS LASTING 26 TO 50 DAYS. SLIGHTLY UNDER ONE-THIRD OF ALL DETENTIONS RESULTED FROM STATUS OFFENSES, MOST COMMONLY DISOBEDIENCE, RUNNING AWAY, AND TRUANCY. STATUS OFFENSES ACCOUNTED FOR 68 PERCENT OF ALL FEMALE COMMITMENTS, COMPARED TO 16 PERCENT FOR MALES. THE MEDIAN LENGTH OF DETENTION WAS LONGER FOR STATUS OFFENSES THAN FOR NONSTATUS OFFENSES. THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF OFFENSE FOR ALL DETENTIONS WAS BREAKING AND ENTERING. OVER HALF OF THE YOUTHS ADMITTED TO THE CENTER HAD BEEN CHILD WELFARE CLIENTS. OVER 60 PERCENT HAD EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE PLACEMENT OUTSIDE THE HOME. (LKM)