NCJ Number
87083
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: (November 1982) Pages: 67-83
Date Published
1982
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study examines the changes in three variables associated with the processing of delinquent youth by the Juvenile Court from 1974 through 1979.
Abstract
The data on numbers of youth referred to court, on adjudicatory probation and committed to public and private institutions is examined for a three-year period prior to significant court diversion and community-based treatment (1974-1976), and compared with a three-year period during which many diversionary services and treatments occurred (1977-1979). Data is also studied from two counties similar to Bucks in youth population -- Delaware and Montgomery counties. The results show significant changes within Bucks County: a 9 percent decrease in total court referrals while Delaware experienced a 63 percent increase and Montgomery a 28 percent increase; significant reduction of probation in Bucks, a slight reduction in Montgomery and a 28 percent increase in Delaware County; and most importantly in terms of service costs, institutional commitments increased only 17 percent in Bucks, while increasing 63 percent in Montgomery and 208 percent in Delaware. Data on total reported offenses (crime rates) does not indicate major differences among the three counties; rather there seems to be variation in the types of services and processing of troubled youth which have resulted in 45 percent lower costs for the juvenile probation services in Bucks County. (Publisher abstract)