Statistical Briefing Book

For delinquency and status offense matters, this is the number of children from age 10 through the upper age of juvenile court jurisdiction. In all states, the upper age of jurisdiction is defined by statute. In most states, individuals are considered adults when they reach their 18th birthday. Therefore, for these states, the delinquency and status offense youth population at risk would be the number of children 10 through 17 years of age living within the geographical area served by the court.

Unlawful sale, distribution, manufacture, alteration, transportation, possession, or use of a deadly or dangerous weapon, or accessory, or attempt to commit any of these acts.

Includes murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

Destroying or damaging, or attempting to destroy or damage, the property of another without the owner's consent, or public property, except by burning.

The oldest age at which a juvenile court has original jurisdiction over an individual for law-violating behavior. It must be noted that within most states there are exceptions to the age criteria that place or permit youth at or below the state's upper age of jurisdiction to be under the original jurisdiction of the adult criminal court. For example, in most states if a youth of a certain age is charged with one of a defined list of what are commonly labeled "excluded offenses," the case must originate in the adult criminal court. In addition, in a number of states, the district attorney is given the discretion of filing certain cases either in the juvenile court or in the criminal court. Therefore, while the upper age of jurisdiction is commonly recognized in all states, there are numerous exceptions to age criteria.

Unlawful entry or attempted entry of the property of another with the intent to commit a misdemeanor, other than larceny, or without intent to commit a crime.

Buying, receiving, or possessing stolen property, including attempts.

A nondelinquent/noncriminal offense; an offense that is illegal for underage persons, but not for adults.

• Curfew violation - Violation of an ordinance forbidding persons below a certain age from being in public places during set hours.
   
• Incorrigible, ungovernable - Being beyond the control of parents, guardians, or custodians.
   
• Running away - Leaving the custody and home of parents or guardians without permission and failing to return within a reasonable length of time.
   
• Truancy - Violation of a compulsory school attendance law.
   
• Underage drinking - Possession, use, or consumption of alcohol by a minor.

Unlawful threatening, attempted inflicting, or inflicting of less than serious bodily injury, in the absence of a deadly weapon. The term is used in the same sense as in UCR reporting. Simple assault is often not distinctly named in statutes since it consists of all assaults not explicitly named and defined as serious.

Statutory rape and offenses against chastity, common decency, morals, and the like. Attempts are included.

Unlawful taking or attempted taking of property that is in the immediate possession of another by force or the threat of force.

Sex offenses of a commercialized nature, such as prostitution, keeping a bawdy house, procuring, or transporting women for immoral purposes. Attempts are included.

Includes burglary, larceny‑theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Identifies categories of juveniles held in residential placement facilities.

• Committed - Includes juveniles in placement in the facility as part of a court‑ordered disposition. Committed juveniles include those whose cases have been adjudicated and disposed in juvenile court and those who have been convicted and sentenced in criminal court.
   
• Detained - Includes juveniles held prior to adjudication while awaiting an adjudication hearing in juvenile court, as well as juveniles held after adjudication while awaiting disposition or awaiting placement elsewhere. Also includes juveniles awaiting transfer to adult criminal court, or awaiting a hearing or trial in adult criminal court.
   
• Diversion - Includes juveniles sent to the facility in lieu of adjudication as part of a diversion agreement.

Identifies whether a juvenile placement facility is publicly or privately owned/operated.

• Public facilities - Facilities operated by state or local government agencies in which the employees working daily in the facilities and directly with the residents are state or local government employees.
   
• Private facilities - Facilities operated by private nonprofit or for-profit corporations or organizations in which the employees working daily in the facilities and directly with the residents are employees of the private corporation or organization.

A document filed in juvenile court alleging that a juvenile is a delinquent and asking that the court assume jurisdiction over the juvenile or asking that an alleged delinquent be waived to criminal court for prosecution as an adult.

Nonsupport, neglect, desertion, or abuse of children or other family members.

All unlawful acts committed with intent to prevent or hinder the administration of justice, including law enforcement, judicial, and correctional functions. Examples include contempt, perjury, bribing witnesses, failure to report a crime, and nonviolent resisting of arrest.

Intentionally causing the death of another without legal justification or excuse, or causing the death of another while committing or attempting to commit another crime. Deaths caused by negligence, attempts to kill, suicides, accidental deaths, and justifiable homicides are excluded.

Unlawful taking, or attempted taking, of a self‑propelled road vehicle owned by another, with the intent to deprive the owner of it permanently or temporarily.

A general classification of case processing within the juvenile court system.

• Petitioned (formally handled) - Cases that appear on the official court calendar in response to the filing of a petition or other legal instrument requesting the court to adjudicate the youth delinquent or to waive the youth to criminal court for processing as an adult.
   
• Nonpetitioned (informally handled) - Cases that duly authorized court personnel screen for adjustment without the filing of a formal petition. Such personnel include judges, referees, probation officers, other officers of the court, and/or an agency statutorily designated to conduct petition screening for the juvenile court.