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JUVENILE DISPOSITIONS- SOCIAL AND LEGAL FACTORS RELATED TO THE PROCESSING OF DENVER DELINQUENCY CASES

NCJ Number
17418
Author(s)
L E COHEN
Date Published
Unknown
Length
75 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT ATTEMPTS TO DISCOVER THE VARIABLES, OR COMBINATIONS OF VARIABLES, THAT MOST SUBSTANTIALLY ACCOUNT FOR THE VARIATION IN THE SEVERITY OF THE DISPOSITIONS ACCORDED TO JUVENILES.
Abstract
THIS REPORT IS THE THIRD IN A SERIES THAT ADDRESSES ISSUES CONCERNING THE PROCESSING OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS. IT USES DATA COLLECTED ON JUVENILE COURT DISPOSITIONS IN DENVER DURING 1972. THESE DATA ARE PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON JUVENILE COURT DISPOSITIONS PRESENTLY AVAILABLE. THE QUALITY OF THE DENVER INFORMATION MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO ASSESS THE IMPORTANCE OF VARIABLES OF TWO GENERAL TYPES--LEGAL AND STATUS--IN THE DISPOSITION OF JUVENILES. A VARIETY OF APPROPRIATE STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES AND CONTROLS IS APPLIED. IN THIS REPORT, AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO DISCOVER THE VARIABLES, OR COMBINATIONS OF VARIABLES, THAT MOST SUBSTANTIALLY ACCOUNT FOR THE VARIATION IN THE SEVERITY OF THE DISPOSITIONS ACCORDED TO JUVENILES. GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE LEGAL VARIABLES RATHER THAN THE STATUS OF PERSONAL ATTRIBUTE VARIABLES ARE FOUND TO EXPLAIN MOST OF THE VARIATION IN SEVERITY OF CASE DISPOSITIONS. THIS REPORT IS PART OF A UTILIZATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE STATISTICS PROJECT DESIGNED TO ILLUSTRATE TO STATE AND LOCAL PLANNERS AND OTHER USERS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE STATISTICS HOW AVAILABLE DATA CAN BE UTILIZED FOR SOLVING PRACTICAL PROBLEMS.