[Fortune-media] JUVENILE JUSTICE PROJECT GENERAL FACT SHEET

[Eric Appleton]

Hello everyone,

I thought someone might be able to use these numbers in one of your
projects.

Eric
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http://www.corrassoc.org/juvenile_fact.html

JUVENILE JUSTICE PROJECT GENERAL FACT SHEET

Treating Juveniles as Adults


Juveniles incarcerated with adult prisoners are twice as likely to be beaten
by prison staff and fifty percent more likely to be attacked with weapons by
other inmates than their peers in juvenile facilities.

Juveniles tried as adults are more likely to be rearrested, and their new
offenses are more likely to be felonies as compared with children who are
tried as juveniles.

One is a juvenile in New York only until their 16th birthday, at which time
they are automatically treated as adults. New York is 1 of only 4 states in
the country whose laws require the courts to treat 16 year-olds as adults.

Crime and Prevention


A Rand study found that a $1 million investment in graduation incentives for
disadvantaged students could prevent 258 serious crimes. One million dollars
spent on parent training could prevent 160 serious crimes. The same $1
million spent enforcing California's three strikes sanctions can prevent 61
serious crimes.

Office of Children and Family Services Population Profile
(state agency responsible for incarceration or placement of juveniles)


68% of the children sent to OCFS come from households in which either one or
both parents were absent.

66% of the youths admitted to OCFS in 1997 were African-American, 27%
percent were Latino and 14% were white.

The total number of children in the OCFS population at the end of 1997 was
3,509. 67% of that population came from New York City.

OCFS has an 81% recidivism rate for all males that leave OCFS residential
facilities, and a 45% recidivism rate for females. Of these males and
females combined, 75% were arrested for a felony or misdemeanor, and 62% had
at least one arrest leading to conviction.

In contrast, many alternative-to-incarceration programs have recidivism
rates between 17-36%.

In New York State, juvenile arrests account for 6% of the total arrests
made. In addition, violent juvenile arrests account for less than one
percent of all arrests in New York State.

Of the 960 people arrested for homicide in New York State in 1995, 1.9% of
them were under the age of 16. The figure for New York City is even lower.


Service Needs


In 1997, 57.5% of the OCFS population was in need of treatment for substance
abuse.

31.2% of the OCFS population has mental health needs and 24% are in need of
special education. Because OCFS does not screen every youth and because some
youths may have more than one need, these numbers underestimate the service
needs of OCFS's population.

As of 1997, 107 children in OCFS custody are mentally retarded.

April 2000



For additional information contact:

Frances Cudjoe Waters, Director, Juvenile Justice Project, 212-254-5700
x309, fcudjoewaters at corrassoc.org


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