High-quality data collection and rigorous statistical analyses are central to OJJDP’s mission to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. We carry out this work through partnerships with other federal agencies, in collaboration with research institutions across the country, and through funding to states, localities, and organizations.

The Office is committed to providing timely and informative juvenile justice data to practitioners and the public. Following are recent developments in our work.

Statistical Briefing Book Updated With Law Enforcement and Court Data

OJJDP’s Statistical Briefing Book (SBB), an online resource featuring current statistics about juvenile crime, victimization, and youth involved in the juvenile justice system, includes a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section, easy-to-access data analysis tools, and links to relevant publications. Recent updates include the following:

• The Easy Access to Juvenile Court Statistics and Easy Access to State and County Juvenile Court Case Counts data analysis tools have been updated to include data through 2014. This update introduces national estimates of delinquency cases involving Hispanic youth.
• FAQs about Juveniles in Court and Juveniles on Probation have been updated to include data through 2014.
• FAQs describing the annual number of juvenile arrests and juvenile arrest rates found in the Law Enforcement and Juvenile Crime section and the mechanisms for trying juveniles as adults in criminal court have been updated to include information through 2015.
• FAQs on state variation in the age boundaries of juvenile court have been updated to include data through 2016.

National Center for Juvenile Justice Releases Juvenile Court Statistics 2014

The OJJDP-supported National Center for Juvenile Justice has released Juvenile Court Statistics 2014. The report describes delinquency cases and petitioned status offense cases that courts with juvenile jurisdiction processed in 2014 and presents trends since 2005. Data include case counts and rates, detailed by juvenile demographics and offenses charged. The report also includes national estimates of cases involving Hispanic youth.

The report draws on data from the OJJDP-sponsored National Juvenile Court Data Archive, which collects, verifies, preserves, and processes the automated records of cases that U.S. courts with juvenile jurisdiction handle. The Archive also generates national estimates regarding the handling of delinquency and petitioned status offense cases.

OJJDP-Funded National Juvenile Court Data Archive Hosts Annual Workshop

On May 25–26, 2017, the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) hosted a workshop in Tempe, AZ, for contributors to the OJJDP-funded National Juvenile Court Data Archive (NJCDA). The annual workshop enhances juvenile justice data collection, analysis, and use through networking and information sharing. Forty-seven participants from 26 states and the District of Columbia joined NJCDA and OJJDP staff for 2 days of presentations and discussions.

Kim Godfrey, Executive Director of the Performance-based Standards Learning Institute, presented on the Juvenile Justice Reentry Measurement Standards under development through an OJJDP grant. Participant presentations covered building assessment tools in Washington State and subsequent offending research in South Carolina. Presenters also discussed efforts to reduce disproportionate minority contact in Arizona and Maricopa County’s expedited referral process as well as Iowa’s experience with NCJJ developing an online data analysis tool. NJCDA staff provided updates on NCJJ research and online resources including the Statistical Briefing Book and Juvenile Justice GPS (Geography, Policy, Practice, and Statistics) websites.

NJCDA is OJJDP’s longest running data collection and dissemination effort. The Archive provides juvenile justice professionals, policymakers, and researchers with the most detailed information available on the activities of the nation's juvenile courts.

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