Juvenile Crime Statistics
Francisco Ayala
CJA/374
May 2, 2013
Rodney Rego

Juvenile Crime Statistics
Youths come into the Juvenile Justice System in any number of ways. Whether the youth is abandoned, abused, or neglected, or whether the youth is considered a delinquent or a status offender, authorities attempt to understand the youth’s situation. Authorities also attempt to avoid causing further harm, and determine the most appropriate placement possible. For all but most aggressive youth, the focus is typically on care, treatment, and safety issues rather than on punishment. There are four major processes in the Juvenile Justice Process system. The graphic below illustrates the processes and activities. Intake | Adjudication | Disposition | Post-Adjudication | * Detention Hearing | * Adjudication Hearing | * Disposition Hearing | * Appeal | * Transfer Procedures | * Speed and Privacy | * Predisposition Report | * Placement Review | * Waiver Hearings | * Detention Hearing | * Sentencing Alternatives | * Complaints |

Before the modern era, children who committed crimes in the Western world received no preferential treatment because of their youth. They were adjudicated and punished alongside adults, and a number of recorded cases have come down through history of children as young as six being hung or burned at the stake. Children were also imprisoned alongside adults; no segregated juvenile facilities existed. The Juvenile Justice system is very different from the adult criminal justice system. The juvenile justice system is directed toward protecting a youth’s privacy, protecting the youth from harm, and providing treatment or support services rather than punishment. The focus is greater on identifying and meeting a child’s needs, and much less on determination of guilt or innocence. The goal is