• 1 in 5 of all violent crimes with juvenile victims occurs between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on school days.

    1 in 5 of all violent crimes with juvenile victims occurs between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on school days.

  • Students are more apt to be victims of serious violent crime away from school than at or on the way to school.

    Students are more apt to be victims of serious violent crime away from school than at or on the way to school.

  • A juvenile is a youth at or below the upper age of original jurisdiction in a State.

    A juvenile is a youth at or below the upper age of original jurisdiction in a State.

  • As of 2009, 45 States and the District of Columbia had statutes allowing transfer to criminal court via judicial waiver.

    As of 2009, 45 States and the District of Columbia had statutes allowing transfer to criminal court via judicial waiver.

  • All States have provisions for trying certain juveniles as adults in criminal court.

    All States have provisions for trying certain juveniles as adults in criminal court.

  • As of 2009, 14 States and the District of Columbia had concurrent jurisdiction provisions that gave prosecutors discretion to file certain cases in juvenile or criminal court.

    As of 2009, 14 States and the District of Columbia had concurrent jurisdiction provisions that gave prosecutors discretion to file certain cases in juvenile or criminal court.

  • In 2008, courts with juvenile jurisdiction disposed nearly 1.7 million delinquency cases.

    In 2008, courts with juvenile jurisdiction disposed nearly 1.7 million delinquency cases.

  • Delinquency offenses are acts committed by juveniles that would be crimes if committed by adults.

    Delinquency offenses are acts committed by juveniles that would be crimes if committed by adults.

  • The 2008 juvenile court delinquency caseload was more than 4 times the caseload in 1960.

    The 2008 juvenile court delinquency caseload was more than 4 times the caseload in 1960.

  • In 2008, nearly 90% of young adults had completed high school, a slight increase since 1975 when it was 84%.

    In 2008, nearly 90% of young adults had completed high school, a slight increase since 1975 when it was 84%.

  • In 2009, the juvenile male arrest rate for Violent Crime Index Offenses was 4.3 times the rate for females.

    In 2009, the juvenile male arrest rate for Violent Crime Index Offenses was 4.3 times the rate for females.

  • In 2009, 21% of all persons under age 18 lived at or below the poverty level.

    In 2009, 21% of all persons under age 18 lived at or below the poverty level.

  • In 2009, an estimated 1,770 children died as a result of child abuse or neglect. Infants and toddlers (ages 0-3) accounted for 81% of these victims.

    In 2009, an estimated 1,770 children died as a result of child abuse or neglect. Infants and toddlers (ages 0-3) accounted for 81% of these victims.

  • Persons ages 7-17 are about as likely to be victims of suicide as they are to be victims of homicide.

    Persons ages 7-17 are about as likely to be victims of suicide as they are to be victims of homicide.

  • One-fourth (25%) of all persons arrested for robbery in 2009 were under age 18.

    One-fourth (25%) of all persons arrested for robbery in 2009 were under age 18.

  • Nationally, fewer than 71,000 juvenile offenders were held in residential placement facilities on February 24, 2010.

    Nationally, fewer than 71,000 juvenile offenders were held in residential placement facilities on February 24, 2010.

  • The proportion of children living in single-parent homes more than doubled between 1970 and 2010 from 12% to 27%.

    The proportion of children living in single-parent homes more than doubled between 1970 and 2010 from 12% to 27%.

  • Nationally, females accounted for 13% of juvenile offenders in residential placement in 2010.

    Nationally, females accounted for 13% of juvenile offenders in residential placement in 2010.

Questions About State Information

Juveniles in Court

Profiles of State Juvenile Justice

  • Where can I find profiles of state juvenile justice systems, including information on the current structure and substance of a state’s delinquency services and laws?

    Visit the State Juvenile Justice Profiles Web site

  • Where can I find each State’s age boundaries for original juvenile court jurisdiction in delinquency matters?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshot concerning the upper and lower ages of juvenile court delinquency jurisdiction in each state.

  • What is the delinquent youth's right to counsel in delinquency proceedings in each state and can it be waived?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshot concerning the Juvenile Delinquent's Right to Counsel and Waiver of that Right.

  • How do the states define the purpose of juvenile justice?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshot concerning how the states structure the purpose of the juvenile justice system.

  • Where can I find out the mechanisms for trying youth as adults in criminal court and blended sentencing laws?

    Download the most recent NCJJ publication on this topic published by the MacArthur Foundation in the Models for Change National Demonstration project.

    Go to the publication description on the Models for Change National website.

     

    Also, find out about additional differences on transfer to adult court issues.

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshot: Can Juveniles Transferred for Criminal Prosecution be Held for Pre-Trial Detention in Adult Jails?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshot: Once a Juvenile is Transferred to Criminal Court Must They be Tried as Adults for all Future Offenses?

     

  • What states allow for open juvenile delinquency or dependency hearings?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshot one-page FAQ's on the subject of open hearings.

     

    Download the Open Delinquency Hearings Snapshot

     

    Download the Open Dependency Hearings Snapshot

  • Where can I find information on status offenders?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshots concerning status offenders:

    Download the Valid Court Order Exception to Secure Detention for Status Offenders Snapshot.

     

    Download the Habitual Runaway Statutes: Definitions and Procedures Snapshot.

  • Where can I find information on Megan's Law?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshots concerning Megan's Law:

    Download the Megan's Law: Termination of Registration Requirement (2009 Update).

     

    Download the Megan's Law: Juvenile Sex Offender Lower Age Limits (2009 Update).

     

    Download the Megan's Law: Juvenile Sex Offender Registration (2009 Update).

  • Where can I find information on delinquency records?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshots concerning juvenile records requirements in the states:

    Download - Can Sealed Juvenile Court Records Ever be Unsealed or Inspected?

     

    Download - Are There Some Juvenile Court Records that Cannot be Sealed?

     

    Download - Can Juvenile Delinquents be Fingerprinted?

  • Are There Different Types of Juvenile Emancipation?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshot concerning different types of juvenile emancipation?

  • Are parents obligated for the support of their institutionalized delinquent children?

    Download the most recent NCJJ Legal Snapshot concerning the support of institutionalized delinquent children.

Juveniles as Victims

  • Where can I find information on comparing adult and juvenile victims?

    Visit the Juveniles as Victims section of the Statistical Briefing Book, and look for the Comparing Adults & Juvenile Victims heading.

  • Where can I find state-level homicide victim and offender data including information on the age, sex, and race of victims and offenders, the victim-offender relationship, and the type of weapon used?

    Visit Easy Access to the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Reports and the Juveniles as Victims section of the Statistical Briefing Book, and look for the Homicide heading under Violent Crime Victimization.

  • Where can I find information on juvenile suicide and factors including sex, race, and geographic location?

    Visit the Juveniles as Victims section of the Statistical Briefing Book, and look for the Suicide heading under Violent Crime Victimization.

  • Where can I find data on victims of domestic violence collected by the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)?

    Visit the Easy Access to NIBRS: Victims of Domestic Violence

  • Where can I find information on child maltreatment including common types, forms, trends, rates, ages, and characteristics?

    Visit the Juveniles as Victims section of the Statistical Briefing Book, and look for the Child Maltreatment heading.

  • Where can I find information on violent crime victimization and sexual assault?

    Visit the Juveniles as Victims section of the Statistical Briefing Book, and look for the Sexual Assault heading.

  • How does the time of day vary with; juveniles, violent crime victimization, and victims of family violence?

    Visit the Juveniles as Victims section of the Statistical Briefing Book, and look for the Time of Day heading.

  • Where can I find information on school crime victimization?

    Visit the Juveniles as Victims section of the Statistical Briefing Book, and look for the School Crime Victimization heading.

  • Where can I find information on trends in violent crime victimization including serious violent crime victimization, characteristics, and trends in offense?

    Visit the Juveniles as Victims section of the Statistical Briefing Book, and look for the Trends in Violent Crime Victimization heading.

State Juvenile Justice Contacts