NCJ Number
58621
Date Published
1979
Length
11 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTION OF THE FORTHCOMING DATA PRODUCTS OF THE NATIONAL UNIFORM JUVENILE JUSTICE REPORTING SYSTEM (NUJJRS), A PROJECT OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE, IS PROVIDED.
Abstract
ACCURATE EMPIRICAL DATA TO BE USED IN JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY DETERMINATIONS WILL BE PROVIDED BY NUJJRS. THE OFFICIAL STATISTICAL DATA NOW AVAILABLE IS INCOMPLETE AND OFTEN CONTRADICTORY WITH REGARD TO JUVENILE JUSTICE INFORMATION; CURRENT SOURCES INCLUDE THE FBI. UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS, THE JUVENILE COURT STATISTICS, AND THE CHILDREN IN CUSTODY SERIES. THE TASK OF DEVELOPING RELIABLE UNIFORM DATA NATIONALLY WILL ENTAIL DESCRIBING THE BROAD FEATURES OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, MONITORING THE IMPACT OF CHANGES, AIDING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THEORIES OR MODELS, AND DEFINING CONCISELY THE NUMBERS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUTHS INVOLVED WITH THE SYSTEM. PRODUCTS WILL INVOLVE THE COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION AND THE FURNISHING OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT. TWO SOURCES OF INFORMATION ARE ENVISIONED: JUVENILE COURT STATISTICS, AN HISTORICAL SERIES OF OVER 50 YEARS, MADE THROUGH ANALYSIS OF CASE SUMMARY REPORTS; AND A NEW SERIES OF DATA DRAWN FROM SEVERAL STATES WHICH HAVE DEVELOPED INFORMATION SYSTEMS. THE HISTORICAL SERIES, MAINTAINED BY THE CENTER SINCE 1975, WILL BE UPDATED TO IMPROVE THE SUMMARY DATA REPORTED AND COLLECTED. RELIABLE AND USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE SYSTEM OF JUSTICE CAN BE FOUND IN 17 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ALTHOUGH THE SYSTEMS WERE DEVELOPED SEPARATELY, THEY SHARE THE COMMON FEATURE OF AUTOMATION. DATA FROM THESE SOURCES ARE ANALYZED, EDITED, AND STANDARDIZED INTO A UNIFORM DATA FILE AND MERGED INTO A NATIONAL DATA TAPE. UPON COMPLETION AT A MASTER TAPE FOR EACH YEAR, A NATIONAL REPORT WILL BE DEVELOPED. UNIFORM DATA ELEMENTS WILL BE DEVELOPED, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WILL BE PROVIDED TO STATES ATTEMPTING TO DEVELOP SIMILAR REPORTING SYSTEMS. FINALLY, STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO ENSURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NATION'S REPORTING SYSTEMS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROTECTING THE INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHT TO PRIVACY. (LWM)