Sex

Judicial Decision and Disposition
Delinquency cases involving males were six times more likely to be judicially waived to criminal court than were cases involving females. In 1995, 1.2% of formally processed cases involving males were waived to criminal court compared with 0.2% of cases involving females (table 35). Both males and females had a smaller proportion of cases waived to criminal court in 1995 than in 1986. For males, cases involving person and drug offenses were more likely to be waived in 1995 than in 1986 (but less likely than in 1991). For females, drug cases showed the same up and down pattern for waivers, but the likelihood of waiver for person offense cases declined during the same period.

Cases involving male juveniles were more likely than cases involving females to be adjudicated once petitioned (57% compared with 52%) (table 36). This pattern was found in all four offense categories. For males, the probability of adjudication was greatest in cases involving property offenses (59%). For females, the probability of adjudication was greatest in cases involving public order offenses (55%). The probability of adjudication decreased between 1986 and 1995 for formally handled cases involving males (from 65% to 57%) and females (from 60% to 52%). The proportion of formally processed cases resulting in adjudication decreased among all offense categories for both sexes.

Once adjudication occurred, cases involving male delinquents were more likely than those involving females to result in out-of-home placement in 1995 (table 37). Placement was the most restrictive disposition in 29% of adjudicated cases involving males and 22% of those involving females. For both males and females, higher proportions of person and public order cases resulted in residential placement than did property or drug cases. Between 1986 and 1995, the use of placement declined slightly for both males and females.

Formal probation was ordered in 52% of adjudicated delinquency cases involving males and 59% of those involving females in 1995 (table 38). The use of formal probation for adjudicated males and females changed somewhat between 1986 and 1995. The likelihood of probation decreased slightly for cases involving males (from 55% to 52%) and increased slightly for females (from 57% to 59%).