What is the profile of cases placed on probation?

Most delinquency cases (40%) placed on formal probation in 2000 involved youth adjudicated for property offenses; 23% involved person offenses; 24% involved public order offenses; and 13% involved drug law violations.

The offense characteristics of cases resulting in formal probation changed somewhat between 1985 and 2000, with an increase in the proportion of cases involving person, drug, and public order offenses and a decrease in the proportion involving property offenses.

Adapted from Puzzanchera, C., Stahl, A., Finnegan, T., Tierney, N., and Snyder H. Juvenile Court Statistics 2000. (Forthcoming). Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2004.

In how many delinquency cases were youth ordered to formal probation following adjudication in 2000?

There were an estimated 393,300 delinquency cases in 2000 in which youth were ordered to formal probation — 63% of all such cases handled by juvenile courts.

Adapted from Puzzanchera, C., Stahl, A., Finnegan, T., Tierney, N., and Snyder H. Juvenile Court Statistics 2000. (Forthcoming). Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2004.

Additional "Probation-Related" Resources:

Torbet, P., et al. (editor) Desktop Guide to Good Juvenile Probation Practice (2002 Update to 1991 Publication of same name). National Center for Juvenile Justice, Pittsburgh, PA [producer] . Washington, D.C.: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Thomas, D.W. Fundamental Skills Training Curriculum for Juvenile Probation Officers. Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, 1993.

Thomas, D.W. The State of Juvenile Probation 1992: Results of a Nationwide Survey. Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, (1993)

Hurst, H., Jr. and Torbet, P. Organization and Administration of Juvenile Services: Probation, Aftercare, and State Delinquent Institutions. Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, (1993)