NCJ Number
54686
Date Published
1978
Length
61 pages
Annotation
A PROJECT WAS INITIATED IN 1977 TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF JUVENILES TRANSFERRED TO ADULT COURTS IN PENNSYLVANIA FROM 1974 TO 1977, TO OBTAIN SOCIAL HISTORY INFORMATION ON TRANSFERRED JUVENILES, AND TO QUERY JUDGES.
Abstract
THE NUMBER OF JUVENILES TRANSFERRED TO ADULT COURTS TOTALED 119 IN 1974, 203 IN 1975, 377 IN 1976, AND 279 IN 1977. THE COMPILATION OF SOCIAL HISTORY INFORMATION ON EACH JUVENILE TRANSFERRED TO ADULT COURTS RESULTED IN A PROFILE OF THE TYPICAL INDIVIDUAL. IN MOST CASES, THE JUVENILE IS A MALE APPROXIMATELY 17.3 YEARS OF AGE. THE PHILADELPHIA JUVENILE IS GENERALLY BLACK, WHILE JUVENILES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE ARE GENERALLY WHITE. VERY FEW FEMALES HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO ADULT COURTS. THE AVERAGE JUVENILE TRANSFERRED HAS A NINTH GRADE EDUCATION AND HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED WITH MENTAL HEALTH OR COUNTY CHILD WELFARE SERVICES. IN 1974, THE TRANSFERRED JUVENILE HAD AN AVERAGE OF 4.4 PRIOR JUVENILE COURT PETITIONS. THIS FIGURE INCREASED TO 7.5 PRIOR PETITIONED OFFENSES IN 1977. IN MOST CASES, THE OFFENDER IS TRANSFERRED ON MULTIPLE CHARGES, OFTEN INCLUDING BURGLARY, ROBBERY, SIMPLE OR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, AUTOMOBILE THEFT, OR RAPE. IN 1974, 40 PERCENT OF ALL INDIVIDUALS TRANSFERRED WERE SENTENCED TO A COUNTY JAIL OR TO A STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION. THE COMMITMENT FIGURE INCREASED TO 47 PERCENT OF THOSE TRANSFERRED IN 1977. IN BOTH YEARS, HOWEVER, A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF ADULT COURT DISPOSITIONS COULD NOT BE TRACED. A COMPOSITE OF JUDGE COMMENTS DEVELOPED FROM RESPONSES ELICITED DURING STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WITH 73 JUVENILE COURT JUDGES PROVIDED INFORMATION ON THE TRANSFER PROCESS, JUDGE PERCEPTIONS OF SERVICE NEEDS FOR SERIOUS DELINQUENT OFFENDERS, AND JUDGE COMMENTS ABOUT STRATEGIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NECESSARY SERVICES. JUDGES STATED THAT JUVENILES WERE TRANSFERRED TO ADULT COURTS BECAUSE THEIR PREVIOUS FREQUENT CONTACTS WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM FAILED TO INHIBIT THEIR DELINQUENT ACTIVITIES. THEY STRESSED THE NEED FOR THOROUGH EVALUATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S SOCIAL HISTORY AND STATED THAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND FACILITIES ARE NEEDED TO SERVE JUVENILES. THE MOST PREVALENT NEEDS ARE REGIONAL SECURE FACILITIES FOR SERIOUS OFFENDERS TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS. RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE HANDLING OF JUVENILES ARE OFFERED, BASED ON THE PHILOSOPHY THAT TRANSFER PROCEDURES SHOULD SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE DELIVERY OF TRADITIONAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM SERVICES WITHOUT INAPPROPRIATELY REFERRING YOUTH TO THE ADULT COURT SYSTEM. SUPPORTING DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE JUVENILE CASE FILE QUESTIONNAIRE USED IN THE PROJECT, THE JUDGE INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE, STANDARDS FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE STANDARDS PROJECT ON TRANSFER BETWEEN COURTS, AND A MAP OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE REGIONS IN PENNSYLVANIA.