U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

May 2002 #08

Most adjudicated burglary cases resulted in

probation in 1998

When a case is referred to juvenile court, a decision is made to

handle the case either formally or informally. When a case is

handled informally, without the filing of a petition for an adjudicatory or waiver hearing, the youth may voluntarily agree to

comply with certain specified sanctions without a formal court

order. In 1998, 23% of the burglary cases referred to juvenile

courts were handled informally. Almost half (46%) of these cases

were dismissed. In 27% of the informally handled cases, youth

agreed to comply with probation conditions; in another 27%,

youth agreed to other sanctions, such as restitution, community

service, or fines, without a term of probation.

In 1998, 77% of the juvenile burglary cases referred to juvenile

court were handled formally (with the filing of a petition). About

1% of all formally processed burglary cases were judicially

waived to criminal court in 1998. Another 71% of formally processed burglary cases resulted in the youth being adjudicated

Burglary Cases in Juvenile Court,

1989–1998

by Carl McCurley

The number of burglary cases handled by juvenile

courts declined 7% between 1989 and 1998

Between 1989 and 1992, the burglary caseload increased 19%

to a peak of 159,900 cases.1 The burglary caseload then declined

21% to 125,800 cases in 1998. As a result, juvenile courts processed 7% fewer burglary cases in 1998 than in 1989.

Trends in the number of burglary cases differ for males and females. Among males, the number of burglary cases handled by

juvenile courts peaked in 1992, then declined. By 1998, the number of burglary cases involving males was 9% less than the 1989

level. Among females, the number of burglary cases increased

17% between 1989 and 1998. As a result, the proportion of burglary cases involving females increased from 8% in 1989 to

10% in 1998.

Characteristics of burglary cases disposed by juvenile

courts, by gender

Males Females

1989 1998 1989 1998

Cases disposed 123,500 112,700 11,100 13,000

Manner of handling

Formal 72% 78% 56% 68%

Informal 28 22 44 32

Outcome of formal handling

Waived 2% 2% 1% 1%

Adjudicated 67 72 60 66

Not adjudicated 32 27 39 34

Disposition of adjudicated cases

Out-of-home placement 34% 29% 27% 20%

Formal probation 57 58 63 65

Note: Detail may not add to 100% because of rounding.

Characteristics of burglary cases disposed by juvenile

courts, 1989–1998

1989 1994 1998

Cases disposed 134,600 146,300 125,800

Manner of handling

Formal 70% 72% 77%

Informal 30 28 23

Outcome of formal handling

Waived 2% 2% 1%

Adjudicated 66 65 71

Not adjudicated 32 34 27

Disposition of adjudicated cases

Out-of-home placement 34% 31% 29%

Formal probation 57 56 59

Note: Detail may not add to 100% because of rounding.

1 A case represents one youth processed on a new referral, regardless of the number of

offenses contained in that referral. An individual youth can be involved in more than one

case during the year.
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delinquent. Probation was the most serious disposition ordered

in 59% of adjudicated cases. In 29% of adjudicated cases, youth

were placed in a residential facility; in another 8%, youth were

ordered to comply with specified sanctions such as restitution,

community service, or fines.

Court processing of juvenile burglary cases varied

for males and females

In 1998, 78% of juvenile burglary cases involving males were

formally processed, compared with 68% of cases involving females. Once petitioned, males were more likely to be adjudicated

delinquent than females (72% versus 66%). Once adjudicated,

males were more likely to be placed out of the home in a residential facility (29% versus 20%), whereas females were more likely

to receive probation as the most restrictive disposition (65%

versus 58%).

For further information

This Fact Sheet is based on the forthcoming Report Juvenile

Court Statistics 1998, which will be available on the Office of

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP’s) Web

site (ojjdp.ncjrs.org). To learn more about juvenile court cases,

visit OJJDP’s Statistical Briefing Book (ojjdp.ncjrs.org/ojstatbb/

index.html) and click on “Juveniles in court.” OJJDP also supports Easy Access to Juvenile Court Statistics, a Web-based

application that analyzes the data files used for the Juvenile

Court Statistics Report. This application is available from the

Statistical Briefing Book.

Carl McCurley, Ph.D., is a Research Associate with the National Juvenile

Court Data Archive, which is supported by an OJJDP grant.

FS–200208

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component

of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice

Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice,

and the Office for Victims of Crime.

Placed 1 <1%

Probation 62 27%

Other 62 27%

Dismissed 106 46%

A typical 1,000 

burglary cases

Petitioned

768 77%

Nonpetitioned

232 23%

Transferred 11 1%

Adjudicated 548 71%

Placed 156 29%

Probation 323 59%

Other 46 8%

Dismissed 22 4%

Nonadjudicated 209 27%

Placed 5 3%

Probation 40 19%

Other 33 16%

Dismissed 132 63%

Juvenile court processing of a typical 1,000 burglary cases, 1998

Note: Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.

Data source: Analysis of the National Center for Juvenile Justice’s National Juvenile Court Data Archive: 1998 juvenile court case records 

[machine-readable data file].