NCJ Number
60701
Date Published
1979
Length
400 pages
Annotation
DATA RELATING TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM OF TEXAS AND TO 1978 DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING JUVENILES, JUVENILE COURT ACTIVITY, AND JUVENILE PROBATION ARE PRESENTED, PRIMARILY IN TABULAR FORM.
Abstract
DURING 1978, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES REPORTED 98,703 ARRESTS OF JUVENILES (PERSONS AGES 10 TO 16); JUVENILE PROBATION AUTHORITIES REPORTED 74,759 REFERRALS TO THEIR DEPARTMENTS: AND 11,496 JUVENILE CASES WERE DOCKETED IN THE DESIGNATED JUVENILE COURTS OF TEXAS. PRESENTLY, TEXAS DOES NOT HAVE A UNIFIED, STATEWIDE, JUVENILE PROBATION SYSTEM; RATHER, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND SUPERVISION OF THE JUVENILE PROBATION SYSTEM IS FRAGMENTED AMONG COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, JUVENILE BOARDS, AND JUVENILE COURT JUDGES. A MAJORITY OF THE STATE'S 254 COUNTIES HAVE FORMALIZED JUVENILE PROBATION SERVICES, WHICH HAVE THREE INTERRELATED ASPECTS INCLUDING INTAKE AND REFERRAL PROCESSES, PREPARATION OF SOCIAL HISTORIES FOR COURT CONSIDERATION, AND PROBATION SUPERVISION. JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENTS ALSO ADMINISTER OR COORDINATE A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES INTENDED TO REHABILITATE OR DIVERT CHILDREN FROM THE SYSTEM. IN TEXAS, A COURT IN EACH COUNTY IS DESIGNATED AS THE JUVENILE COURT WITH EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER JUVENILE MATTERS AND IS APPOINTED BY THE JUVENILE BOARD OF JUDGES. DURING 1978, THE COURTS THAT COULD BE DESIGNATED AS JUVENILE COURTS INCLUDED THE DISTRICT COURTS, CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS, COUNTY COURTS, AND COUNTY COURTS AT LAW. STATISTICAL TABULAR DATA COMPRISE THE BULK OF THE REPORT. (LWM)