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4

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
CHILDREN’S BUREAU

-

-

-

PUBLICATION No. 235

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS
Year Ended December 31,1934
AND

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS
Year Ended June 30, 1935

m

•as.ax


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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
FRANCES PERKINS, Secretary

C H IL D R E N ’S BUREAU
K ATH AR IN E F. LENROOT, Chief

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS
Year Ended December 31, 1934
AND

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS
Year Ended June 30, 1935

BASED ON INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY 334 JUVENILE
COURTS AND BY THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

g

E IG H T H A N N U A L REPORT

£

Bureau Publication No. 235

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gig
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U N ITE D STATES
GOVERN M EN T PR IN T IN G OFFICE
W ASHINGTON : 1937

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D . C.


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Price 15 cents


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CONTENTS

Federal juvenile offenders placed on probation arid"those "received under
sentence in jails and in Federal institutions....................
Summary and conclusion____________________
hi


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Page

C5 OS O i bO tC In5 ►
“>

Source of information______________ ______
Part I Juvenile-court statistics for the year ended December 31 1934_
Development of statistical reporting_____ .
The cooperating courts_______________ _~I
State-wide reporting____________ _ III1 1 1 1
Reports from individual courts. H
i
l l
Trends in juvenile-delinquency rates____ I "
" ""
Delinquency rates for boys and for girls !
..........
Delinquency rates for white and for Negro children
Age under which juvenile court has original jurisdiction
Delinquency rates by age of child
Summary____________________________
__
Trends in delinquency cases______________ ~ ~ I I I "
Number of cases and of children______ H 'l l I " ~
” ~I ~
Ages of boys and girls____________
Hom e conditions____________________~_I
~ ~I
Reasons for reference to court______I I I I I 1 1
Place of detention care_______________H I
Disposition of cases_______________________
Previous court experience___________________
I I
Trends in dependency and neglect cases_________ ~
~
Summary tables— juvenile-court statistics, 1934 ~ ~
Delinquency cases____________ _______
Dependency and neglect c a s e s .I H I H H _
~
~
Special-proceedings cases_______________ 11
Cases of children discharged from supervision
Source tables— juvenile-court statistics, 1934
Delinquency, dependency and neglect, anc^jHcYal 'proceedings
cases, and cases of children discharged from supervision
Delinquency cases_________________________
Dependency and neglect cases______ I I I I I . I I I I I I I H
I I
TT ^'a®es of children discharged from supervision___________
r a r tj.1 federal juvenile offenders for the vear ended June 30 1 9 3 5
Source of information__________________________
__
’
Federal juvenile offenders brought to the attention of "United States
probation officers_____________________
Federal juvenile offenders received"in jails "and held’ pending triall 111
^deten^ion6111^6 ° ^ en<^ers
pending trial who were discharged from

10

11
16
19

20
21
21
24
24
25
28
31
33
38
42
42
51
55
56
57
57
63
81

86
91
91
91
97
99
103
106

Geographic distribution of juvenile courts reporting to the Children's Bureau in 1934


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ft

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS
For the Year Ended D ecem ber 31, 1934
AND

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS
For th e Y ear Ended June 30, 1935 1
SOURCE OF INFORMATION

This report includes the eighth annual report on juvenile-court
statistics and the third report on Federal juvenile offenders. Part I,
Juvenile-Court Statistics, is based on juvenile-court reports for the
calendar year 1934 supplied by individual courts and by State depart­
ments dealing with juvenile-court and probation work that cooperate
with the Children’s Bureau by supplying information on juvenile
delinquency, dependency and neglect, and children’s cases of other
types dealt with by juvenile courts.
Part II, Federal Juvenile Offenders, presents information on juve­
niles under 19 years of age who violated Federal laws and came to the
attention of Federal authorities during the fiscal year ended June 30,
1935. These statistics of Federal juvenile offenders have been com­
piled by the Bureau of Prisons of the United States Department of
Justice.
) Material compiled under the general supervision of Dr. Elizabeth C. Tandy, Director of the Statistical
Division of the Children’s Bureau, who has also written the report.

1

*


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PART I— JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR
ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1934
DEVELOPMENT OF STATISTICAL REPORTING
THE COOPERATING COURTS

The report on juvenile-court statistics for 1934 includes reports
from the juvenile courts of 4 entire States (Connecticut, Massa­
chusetts, Rhode Island, and U tah); from areas of Indiana and New
York comprising 76 and 93 percent, respectively, of the population
of those States; from 39 courts in 19 other States; and from the
District of Columbia. In all, reports from 334 courts are included.
Seventy-four of the courts serve areas of 100,000 or more population
and 260 serve less populous districts.
The area served by the courts for which reports have been received
includes roughly 37,000,000 inhabitants, or 29 percent of the popula­
tion of the United States. It includes 50 percent of the population
of the United States living in cities of 10,000 or more population and
10 percent of the population living in districts containing no cities
of this size. The reporting area is particularly representative of
large cities. It includes 63 percent of the population of the United
States living in cities of 100,000 or more population (table A).
The geographic distribution of the courts included in the 1934
report is shown in the accompanying map (p. iv). Most of the courts
are in States east of the Mississippi River; but the States immediately
west of the Mississippi are represented by six courts, and courts in
all States on the western coast are included. The courts for the
entire State of Utah give representation to the Mountain Division.
T a b l e A .— Population 1 in urban districts, classified according to size o f city, and

in rural districts o f the United States and in areas served by courts reporting to
the Children’s Bureau in 1934
Population 1 of areas served
by courts reporting
Population 1
of the
United
States

District and size of city

Total_________________

_____

___

Urban districts (cities with 10,000 or more population)—

Number

Percent of
population
of United
States

126,626,000

37,170,600

29.4

60,147,400

30,294,000

50.4

37,481,300
6,711,200
6,584,600
9,370,300

23,566,200
2.118.700
2,267,400
2.341.700

62.9
31.6
34.4
25.0

66,478,600

6,876,600

10.3

1 Estimated as of July 1,1934.

The information for 1934 was drawn from the records of 107,790
cases of juveniles dealt with by these 334 courts. These cases include
2

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3

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

66,651 delinquency cases, 22,499 dependency and neglect cases, and
1,150 cases of special proceedings.2 The statistics presented also
include 17,490 cases of children discharged from probation or super­
vision during the year.
These records of cases of juveniles are reported to the Children’s
Bureau under two systems— directly by individual courts and under
a State-wide system. A court cooperating individually sends to
the Bureau a card for each case disposed of by the court during the
year. These cards are tabulated in the Bureau, and tables showing
all the essential facts for the cases are returned to the court. Under
the State-wide system the courts furnish the State welfare depart­
ment or other State agency concerned with juvenile-court work or
probation service with information regarding their cases, and the
State office consolidates the material and supplies the Children’s
Bureau with an annual report for each court in the State. Much
more detailed information regarding cases is obtainable under the
system of reporting by individual courts than under the State-wide
plan.
For each of the 8 years during which the plan for promoting and
assembling uniform statistics has been in operation, the number of
courts reporting, the number of States represented, and the popula­
tion included in the reporting areas are shown in tables B, C, and D.
The number of cases of the various types reported by the courts
each year appear in table E.
T

B .— Number o f courts reporting under a State-wide system, number reporting
individually, and number o f States represented; courts that served areas with
100,000 or more population, and those that served areas with less than 100 000
population; 1 1927—34

able

Courts reporting
States represented 3
Under State-wide system
Year
Total
Total

1927_____
1928_____
1929_____
1930
1931_____
1932_____
1933_____
1934..........

«43
65
96
92
169
267
284
334

Serving
areas with
100,000
or more
popula­
tion

7
7
8
97
»218
«239
?294

1
1
1
4
35
48
44

Serving
areas with
less than
100,000
popula­
tion

6
6
7
93
183
191
250

Individually
Serving
areas with
Total3 100,000
or more
popula­
tion3
« 43
58
89
84
72
49
45
40

27
31
33
36
39
33
32
30

Serving
areas with
less than
100,000
popula­
tion
16
27
56
48
33
16
13
10

Total

Under
State­
wide
system

17
21
24
24
25
27
26

1
1
1
2
»4
•6
»6

Indi­
vidu­
ally 2

16
20
23
22
21
21
20

1 According to the 1930 census.
3 Includes the District of Columbia.
3 Individual reports were also available for certain courts that served areas with 100,000 or more popula­
tion and that reported under a State-wide system: 1928, 1929, 1930, 1 court: 1931, 3 courts: 1932. 9 courts1933,11 courts; and 1934,14 courts.
4 Includes the District of Columbia, which was not included in the 1927 report because the cards were
not received until after tabulations for that report were completed.
« Includes New York State courts serving 90 percent of the total population of that State.
6 Includes New Jersey State courts and New York State courts serving 84 percent and 91 percent, respec­
tively, of the total population of these States.
71ncludes Indiana State courts and New York State courts serving 76 percent and 93 percent, respectively
of the total population of these States.
2
Special-proceedings cases include those involving provision for the care of feeble-minded children,
children held as material witnesses, adoption cases, proceedings concerning the custody or guardianship
of children, and certain other types. (See table 28, p. 55.)


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T a b l e C .— Number o f courts reporting that served areas with 100,000 or more population1 and number that served areas with less than

100,000

^

population1 in specified States; 1927-34
Courts reporting

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1927

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1927

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

43

65

96

92

169

267

284

334

27

32

34

37

43

68

80

74

16

33

62

55

126

199

204

2
2
1
96
1
1
1
2

1
2

1
1

1
1

1

1

1

1
2

35

26

15

3

1

1

1

96

93

104

1
1

1
3
1
1
1

86

1
1
1

2

2

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1
43
1

1
17
2

1
19
2

1
2
1
19
2

58
1

54
1

54
1

California________

1

Connecticut_____
Dist. of Columbia.

2
1

2
1

36
1

27
1

16
2

4
2

1

1
1

89
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1

1
1

Indiana__________

10

1
1
2

11
1

7
1

2

3

1

North Carolina...

2
10
2

3
1
2
13
2

Ohio........................

3

9

Minnesota—..........
New Jersey............

Pennsylvania____

4
1

U t a h .......... ..........
Virginia.......... .......
Washington_____
Wisconsin_______

1934

1927

1
1
1

3

2
12
1
L_

2
3

3

3

2
10
1
2
9

2
11
1

2
>38
1

410
>40
1

2
* 46

8
1
6

8
1
4
12
1

7
1
4
12
1

8
3
2

8

1
1
5
2
2
1

5

9
1
4

4

8
1
5

1

1

1

1

1

7
2
1

8
4
2
1

8

8
3
2
2

1
7
3
1

1

3

2
2

3

2
2
1
73
3

2

1

707

99
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
73
3
2

1
1
1
1
s 48
2
2
1

1

73

3
2

1
1
2
2
5

2
1
"
1
1

3
1
2
6

g

1
1

3
1
1
1

1
2

2

2
2

2
7

2
6

2
7

2
14

10
14

2
15

1
3

4
1
4

4
1
5

4
1

4
1

1

1

1

1

1
1

1
1

1
1
1

1
1

1
1

1
1

1
1

1

1

1

1
1
2
1

1

3
----- -

3

1
1

I
1
1

1 According to the 1930 census.
aB o ld -fa c e ita lic figu res are used for courts reporting under a State-wide system.
> Courts serving 76 percent of the total population of the State.


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St. Louis

0

3
1
1
1

1

5
2

1

260

9

1
4

1

2

1
2
1
1

1

1
4
1
2
5

4
1

24
1

28
1

31
1

4

5
1
1
4

4

4

4

3

1

1

1

1

1
11

11

1
6
2

6
1

7
3

7
2

7
2

7
2

7
2

1

1

1

1

2

1
1

* Courts serving 84 percent of the total population of the State.
* Courts serving 90 percent in 1932, 91 percent in 1933, and 93 percent in
1934 of the total population of the State.

m

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

* Total............

Serving areas with less than 100,000 population

Serving areas with 100,000 or more population

Total

State

5

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
T

D .— Population 1 o f the United States and of areas served by courts that
reported under a State-wide system and those that reported individually; classified
according to areas with 100,000 or more population and areas with less than 100,000
population; 2 1927-34

able

Population 1 of areas served by courts reporting

Year

1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934

Under State-wide
system

Population
of the
United
States 1

Total

118,196,785
119,861,607
121,526,429
123.091.000
124.113.000
124.974.000
125.770.000
126.626.000

17,439,000
20,685, 200
22,275,900
24.967.100
27,809, 700
34.392.100
38,015,800
37,170,600

Percent
of popula­
tion of
United
States

14.8
17.3
18.3
20.3
22.4
27.5
30.2
29.4

Individually

With less
With
With less
With
than
100,000 or
than
100,000 or
100,000
more popu­
100,000
more popu­
popula­
lation
population
lation
tion

206,600
210,300
214,200
694,400
13,623,500
17,446,900
15, 349, 200

291.300
293.300
294.300
1,443,400
4,414, 700
4,953,500
6,508, 700

16, 737,000
19.025.100
19.591.600
22.510.100
24,068,200
15.360.600
14, 766,800
14,653,400

702,000
1,162, 200
2,180, 700
1,948,500
1,603, 700
993.300
848,600
659.300

1 Estimated as of July 1.
2 According to the 1930 census.
T

able

E .— Number of cases o f each specified type reported by courts cooperating
each year; 1927-34
Cases reported
Year

Number of
courts
reporting

1927...................................
1928............................... __
1929____ ____ __________
1930— ............— ............
1931_________ __________
1932...................................
1933.................................
1934...................................

43
65
96
92
169
267
284
334

Total

49,562
65| 600
75,610
82; 963
100, 669
108, 417
107,764
107,790

Delinquency Dependency
and neglect

30,363
38; 882
46; 312
53,757
59,880
65,274
68,039
66,651

12,552
16, 289
18,805
20,711
22,317
23,235
21,605
22,499

Children
discharged
from super­
vision
6 647
10 429
If)’ 492
2 7,562
17,356
18,737
16,928
17,490

Special
proceed­
ings 1

933
1,116
1,171
L 192
1,150

» Special-proceedings cases were not reported prior to 1930. They include cases of petitions for commit­
ment of feeble-minded children, adoption cases, controversies regarding custody of a child, children held as
material witnesses, and certain other types.
2 Exclusive of New York City, for which a complete report was not available.
ST ATE-W ID E REPORTING

The early plan for the collection of juvenile-court statistics on a
Nation-wide scale was based on reports from individual courts.
Many of the States had provision by statute for reports from the
courts to a State welfare department or other State agency concerned
with juvenile-court or probation work. In the first years of the
activity many State departments undertook to stimulate the interest
of judges and probation officers in the plan for Nation-wide statistics
and to urge the direct cooperation of the individual courts with the
Children’s Bureau. The inclusion in the first year (1927) of the
District of Columbia and 42 courts situated in 15 States and serving
areas comprising 15 percent of the population of the United States is
direct evidence of immediate enthusiasm and interest on the part of
both the State departments and the courts.

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6

JU VENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

All the reports for 1927 were received through direct cooperation
with individual courts. Through the interest of the Juvenile Court
Commission the entire State of Utah was included as early as 1928,
the commission sending in a card for each case dealt with by the courts.
Connecticut in 1931 was the first State to report to the Children’s
Bureau on summary forms through a State agencyM assachusetts
and New Y ork 3 began reporting under the State-wide plan in 1932,
and New Jersey and Rhode Island were added in 1933. New Jersey,
which compiled its delinquency records for 1933 as a Civil Works
Administration project, was not able to continue its cooperation in
1934. Indiana was added to the reporting area in 1934.
REPORTS PROM INDIVIDUAL COURTS

In the early years of the activity individual courts were admitted to
the reporting area without regard to the size of the community served.
As the program developed, however, the expense of direct Federal
contact with small courts handling only a few children’s cases during
the year came to be disproportionately great, and the policy was
adopted of gradually limiting direct reports to the Children’s Bureau
to courts serving areas of 100,000 or more population. Only a few
courts serving areas with less than 100,000 population are still included
under the individual plan; these are courts which are expected to be
included under State-wide reporting at an early date or in which other
special circumstances exist. For 14 courts that served areas with
100,000 or more population in States that reported under a State-wide
system, reports for 1934 were also available on an individual basis.
On account of the desirability of having the detailed information
that is obtainable only through cooperation with individual courts
and the necessity of having records over a period of years for the
study of trends in juvenile delinquency, effort has been directed toward
the continuance of the cooperative relationship with all courts serving
areas of 100,000 or more population that began reporting in the early
years. Changing conditions within the courts have often made this
difficult, but reports are available for 18 courts for the entire period
1927-34 and for 30 courts for 1929-34. This continuation of direct
cooperation is evidence not only of the desire of the courts to maintain
the Federal relationship but also of the realization by the communities
of the necessity for a statistical basis for planning and carrying on
activities for the protection of children.
TRENDS IN JUVENILE-DELINQUENCY RATES

*

Juvenile-delinquency rates4 are essentially a direct expression of
the amount of delinquency dealt with by the courts that was brought
to their attention by individuals and organizations concerned with the
welfare and protection of both the children and the community. The
rates of the courts are determined not only by the amount of delin­
quency in the respective communities served but also by the policies
of the police department and other agencies in referring cases to the
courts, the intake procedure of the courts— particularly the extent
to which they undertake to deal with minor cases— the relationship
8 Exclusive of New York City, which sends a card for each case directly to the Children’s Bureau.
« Variations in juvenile-delinquency rates must be interpreted with caution especially during the de­
pression years because, in addition to the factors discussed in this paragraph, the population estimates
which form the base of the rates are somewhat unreliable owing to the shifts in population since the United
States census of April 1,1930.


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^
M

7

JU VENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

of the courts to other agencies in the community, and the extent to
which the community provides services for children which tend to
reduce the necessity for court action. The delinquency rate for boys
and for girls— the number of children dealt with in delinquency cases
per 10,000 children of the same sex and of juvenile-court age— is
shown in table F for the group of 18 courts reporting from 1927 to 1934
and for the group of 30 courts reporting from 1929 to 1934. The
delinquency rate is shown for 44 individual courts in table G for each
year for which the courts have sent reports to the Children’s Bureau;
42 of these courts cooperated in both 1933 and 1934. Each of the
courts discussed in this section on trends in delinquency rates served
an area with 100,000 or more population.
T a b l e F .— Juvenile-delinquency ra tes1 per 10,000 boys and girls o f juvenile-court

age dealt with by courts that served areas with 100,000 or more population 2 and
that reported throughout specified periods
Juvenile-delin quency rate1

Year

1927_________________
1928_______________
1929______________
1930______ ______
1931__________
1932___________
1933_____________
1934____ ________

18 courts reporting,
1927-34

30 courts reporting,
1929-34

Boys

Girls3

Boys

Girls

162
174
183
184
172
162
156
151

31
33
34
34
30
25
24
25

177
177
166
154
151
148

38
37
32
28
26
28

avJtfnhia
estlm?'ted “ of July 1 of each year except 1934; no estimate for 1934 is
available, and the rates for this year are based on the estimate as of July 1,19 33
2 According to the 1930 census.
3 Only 17 courts reported girls’ cases.


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T

able

G .—

Juvenile-delinquency rates 1 per 10,000 boys and girls o f juvenile-court age dealt with by courts that served areas with 100,000 or
more population 2 and that cooperated tn 1934, 1927—34

00

Juvenile-delinquency rate1

1928

1929
143

California:

484

1930
123
501

143
293
420
427

258
387
448

1931
95

86

1933
111

Louisiana:

Michigan:
Minnesota:
New Jersey:
New York:

Westchester County............................


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100
146
72

82
113

168

165
59

327

325

252

202

217

271

(?)

168

7

21

42

75
22

71
23

68

309

173
143
352

183
155
348

220
178
348

155

183
152

176
138

181
121

152
114

132
110

181

1934

73
22

(*)
170
347

185

1933

14

59
92
192
125
136
325

57
186
42

1932

95
24

312
375
375
183
251

133
150

1931

82

216
409
363
237
262

417

1930
22

306
430
414
311
301

265
417
337
308

1929
35

371
67

276

1928

103

352
79

409

1927

142

392
75

Indiana:
141
181

1934

454
74

270

361

1932

13
50
65
72

60
49
79

52

47

50

79

63

64
73
58

47
41
49
75
52

41
42
50
75
49

70
67
82

40
48
50
46

52
76

37
86
52

71
77
11

41
54

38
43

22
44
20

55
26
47
33

87

100

81

57

56

56

63

31

30

(‘)
19
33

60
20
34

66

32

46
17
34

39

29
22

32
17

33
15

23
12

24
12

(3)

5r
21
33

164
96

178
109

167
108

163
138

188
106

148
126

148
114

178
129

42
27

50
30

42
33

41
28

41
36

32
23

32
19

35
20

206
106

218
143

219
219

232
210

206
198

121
131

103
192

99
224

29
11

39
12

40
10

36
13

26
26

20
16

19
15

18
17

139

146
58
124
177

157
40
122
209

16
10
19
43

100

143
43
89
145
127
66

12
12
20
48

154

69
37
115
72
102
66

13
16
18

164

85
41
114
115
125
59

14

203

166
53
110
162
146
69

11

83

148
52
115

35

3Ö

27

19

15
9
16
37
10
11

8
5
14
18
4
12

7
7
15
30
10
10

13
5
17
26
27
1.3

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

1927

San Francisco (city and county)----Connecticut:

Girls

Boys

Area served by court

w
80
244
489
182
221
70

61

51

467

72
40
23
280
60
252
398

20
320
78
258
533

36
342
56
261
470

27
320
55
320
422

61

76

58

80
342
254

50
324
370

19
18
289

«89
248
496
132
283

«82
294
444
121
310

66

»66
275
438
106
254

« 62
233
449
85
271

44
27
30
287
46
271
507

40
37
29
288
62
295
507

51
33
26
290
62
264
402

«49
333
368

«52
297
379

«80
345
356

»

304
497
107
218

65

64
97
76

59
116
113
88
52

« 58
105
115
85
46

« 50

«42

«34

117
75
43

90
63
33

84
48
34

10
7
i
42
8
60
113

8
1
1
38
9
67
89

« 21

«9

78

63

13

11

8

93

13
10
5
43
16
41
115

4
48
17
59
113

5
51
15"
88
98

4
47
12
65
96

16

20

22

17
57
68

25
59
68

5
6
42

31
95
79
53
38

8
7
4
38
9
43

86
10
53
67

2 A ^ r d K t t e ni 9 3 ( f 2 S ! estimated as of July 1 of each year except 1934^no estimate for 1934 is available, and the rates for this year are based on the estimate as of July 1,1933.
« Rate not computed because number of colored delinquent children was not reported.
4 Rate not computed because the ages of the majority of boys and girls were not reported.
«Based on official cases only, because unofficial cases were not reported in previous years.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

JUYENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

161
201
477
127

196
230
438

go
o

Ohio:
Franklin County_________________
Hamilton County________________
Mahoning County........... .................
Montgomery County.......................
Oregon: Multnomah County_________
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County..............................
Berks C ounty..___________________
Montgomery County...... .......... ........
Philadelphia (city and county)____
South Carolina: Greenville County___
Utah: Third district...................... ...........
Virginia: Norfolk (city)........................... .
Washington:
Pierce County..................................
Spokane County__________________
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County________

CO

10

JU VEN ILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
DELINQUENCY RATES FOR BOYS AND FOR GIRLS

The trend in the delinquency rate for boys has been downward
since 1930 in the group of 18 courts reporting throughout the period
from 1927 to 1934 and in the group of 30 courts reporting from
1929 to 1934. The decrease from 1933 to 1934 shown in the rate
for boys in both these groups of courts, however, was due essentially
to the marked reduction which occurred in the rate for boys in New
York City.6 The exclusion of New York City from each of the groups
of courts for both 1933 and 1934 brings for boys in each group of
courts a significantly higher rate for 1934 than for 1933.
In the group of 42 courts that served areas with 100,000 or more
population, and that reported individually to the Bureau in both
1933 and 1934 (see table G, p. 8), the same downward tendency
appears in the rates for boys in 1934 (162 in 1933 and 159 in 1934) as
is shown in the reporting groups of 18 and 30 courts discussed above,
and the exclusion of New York City from the group of 42 courts
similarly brings higher rates for 1934 (184) than for 1933 (178). The
area served by the group of 42 courts included approximately 2,154,000 boys of juvenile-court age, 555,000 or 26 percent of whom resided
in New York City. About 1,599,000 boys lived in the area served
by the remaining 41 courts.
Although the general trend in the rates for this group of 41 courts
is upward, only 15 courts showed significantly higher rates in 1934
than in 1933. The rates for 7 courts were significantly lower and the
rates for 19 courts either were identical or showed differences sosmall
that they are unimportant. The area served by courts with signifi­
cant increases in 1934 included only 29 percent of the total number
of boys of juvenile-court age living within the area served by the 41
courts, whereas the courts with significantly lower rates included 17
percent, and those with no change included 54 percent of the boys of
juvenile-court age.
The 15 courts which had significantly higher juvenile-delinquency
rates for boys in 1934 than in 1933 were Bridgeport, Conn.; Lake,
Marion, and Vanderburgh Counties, Ind.; Polk County, Iowa;
Caddo and Orleans Parishes, L a .; Hennepin County, M inn.; Mercer
County, N. J.; Erie and Rensselaer Counties, and Syracuse, N. Y .;
Allegheny County, Pa.; and Pierce and Spokane Counties, Wash.
The 7 courts with significantly lower rates in 1934 than in 1933 were
San Francisco, Calif.; Dade County, Fla; Hamilton and Montgomery
Counties, Ohio; third district of Utah; Norfolk, Va.; and Milwaukee
County, Wis.
The juvenile-delinquency rates for girls for 1934 in courts serving
areas of 100,000 or more population were slightly higher than in 1933,
both in the group of 17 courts reporting from 1927 to 1934 and in the
30 courts reporting from 1929 to 1934. The slightly higher rates for
1934, however, cannot be considered important— they follow a drop in
> In New York City the juvenile-delinquency rate for 1934 for all boys and for white boys showed a significant decrease when compared with the rate for 1933. The rate for Negro boys for 1934 was slightly bu t
not significantly higher than in 1933. The juvenile-delinquency rate for all girls showed little change, but for
colored girls there was a significant increase. Rates for white girls were not significantly different in the 2
years. The changes in New York City were due primarily to a lessened intake of cases referred on account
of acts of carelessness or mischief in one borough.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

JU VENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

11

1933 as compared with 1932 and the increases only bring the 1934
figures back to the 1932 level.
In the group of 42 courts reporting in both 1933 and 1934 the rate
for girls was 28 for 1934 and 27 for 1933— a difference again too small
to be considered important. The rates for these courts exclusive of
New York City (which included approximately one-fourth of the
girls of juvenile-court age in the area served by the courts) were
likewise not significantly different for the 2 years. Among these 42
courts reporting in both 1933 and 1934 there are 8 in which the rates
were significantly higher in 1934 than in 1933, 2 courts in which
the rates for 1934 were significantly lower than in 1933, and 32 courts
in which the rates for the 2 years were not significantly different. The
8 courts cooperating in both 1933 and 1934 which had significantly
higher juvenile-delinquency rates for girls in 1934 were Mobile County,
Ala.; Bridgeport, Conn.; Erie County, New York City, and Syracuse,
N. Y .; Hamilton County, Ohio; and Berks and Montgomery Counties,
Pa. The 2 courts with significantly lower rates for girls in 1934 than
in 1933 were Dade County, Fla., and the third district of Utah.
The delinquency rates for boys and for girls in 1934, as table G
shows, varied widely from court to court for the 44 courts serving
areas with 100,000 or more population and reporting individually for
the year. The rates for 1934 for boys varied from 449 per 10,000
boys of juvenile-court age in Mahoning County, Ohio, to 26 in Mont­
gomery County, Pa. Erie and Rensselaer Counties, N. Y., occupied
the middle positions with rates of 143 and 145, respectively. Rates
for girls in these 44 courts varied within a narrower range. The
maximum, 95 per 10,000 girls of juvenile-court age, occurred in
Hamilton County, Ohio, the minimum, 4, in Montgomery County,
Pa. Baltimore, Md., and Vanderburgh County, Ind., each with a
rate of 33, and Hennepin County, Minn., with a rate of 35, occupied
the middle positions.
DELINQUENCY RATES FOR W H ITE AND FOR NEGRO CHILDREN

In courts that serve areas having a large number of Negroes the
racial constitution of the population of the area is of importance in
connection with the work of the court. The delinquency rates for
white and for Negro boys and girls— the number of children dealt
with in delinquency cases per 10,000 children of juvenile-court age
and of the same race and sex— are shown in table H for the group of
14 courts cooperating from 1927 to 1934 and for the group of 19
courts cooperating from 1929 to 1934. The delinquency rates are
shown by individual courts in table I for each year of the period
1927-34 during which the courts have cooperated with the Children’s
Bureau. The courts included in the tables are those that served
areas of 100,000 or more total population and 10,000 or more Negro
population and that reported individually. The tables show that
the rates for both Negro boys and Negro girls dealt with in delinquency
cases were in all instances markedly higher than those for white
children of the same sex.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

12

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

T a b l e H .— Juvenile-delinquency rates 1 per 10,000 white and Negro hoys and girls

o f juvenile-court age dealt with by courts that served areas with 100,000 or more
total population and 10,000 or more Negro population 2 and that reported through­
out specified periods
Juvenile-delinquency rate1
19 courts reporting, 1929-34

14 courts reporting, 1927-34

White

1929.............................
1930_____ __________
1931...............- ..........
1932..........................—
1933______ _________
1934........... — .........-

13Q
152
159
161
148
138
132
119

Negro
566
567
614
604
575
559
568
612

White
23
26
27
27
22
18
17
18

Girls

Boys

Girls8

Boys

Negro
141
135
139
135
125
117
113
120

White

149
148
136
126
121
111

Negro

515
502
475
467
477
514

White

29
28
23
20
18
20

Negro

128
130
118
104
101
113

1 Rates are based on population estimated as of July 1 of each year except 1934; no estimate for 1934 is
available, and the rates for this year are based on the estimate as of July 1, 1933.
8 According to the 1930 census.
8 Only 13 courts reported girls’ cases.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

P

P

T a b l e I. — Juvenile-delinquency rates 1 per 10,000 white and Negro boys and girls o f juvenile-court age dealt with by courts that served areas

with 100,000 or more total population and 10,000 or more Negro population 2 and that cooperated in 1934", 1927-34
101461

Juvenile-delinquency rate 1
Area served by court

White

1927

1928

1929

1930

Negro

1931

1932

1933

1934

1927

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

District of Columbia_________________ .

234

275

112
265

Indiana:
Lake County_____________________
Marion County____________________
Louisiana:

139
154

126
119

54
139

277

240

206

■Florida: Dade County
Georgia: Fulton Comity

Maryland: Baltimore (city)________
Michigan: Wayne County_____________
New Jersey:
Hudson County___________________
Mercer County____________________
New York:
Erie County_______________________
New York (city)___________________
Westchester County_______________
Ohio:
Franklin County__________________
Hamilton C o u n ty.._______________
Mahoning County_______________

91
229

71
246
289
180

71
213
218
149

118
195
176
122

922

892

205
808

220

70
23*9
339
184

97
114

77
87

45
128

72
113

90
143

189
422

256
421

115
601

(S)

244
139

112
285
122

163
102
264
106

193
103
234
100

237
114
240
96

(<)

125

189
866
644

149
865
332
554

119
837
394
551

197
737
313
496

194
823
211
517

160
420

172
347

115
519

74
617

154
620

154
672
392

(3)
328
689
414

184
251
834
384

173
293
962
353

203
350
926
335

197
97

211
134

211
193

225
183

198
184

116
115

100
169

98
191

698
270

627
306

658
690

632
694

635
441

366
403

263
568

189
747

137
79
196

147
108
153

142
116
144

153
113
94

160
102
67

80
108
55

65
107
62

136
79
60

194
170
404

299
342
486

468
377
456

406
384
273

559
342
147

342
282
181

284
335
186

521
352
263

154
179
411

133
172
443
105

55
200
459
155

*59
204
463
117

»67
238
415
106

*46
244
474
97

*45
212
415
95

«44
182
417
71

589
776
935

435
509
1,105
464

332
695
1,011
601

*376
686
1,006
362

«225
834
888
343

»260
878
884
255

*252
854
822
257

*237
705
989
285

14
245
345

64
19
269
75
394

295
48
331

44
25
269
44
327

38
24
234
37
377

34
26
231
48
332

45
23
215
56
258

136
761

Virginia: Norfolk (city)_________ .’_____

65
23
238
52
284

56

Montgomery County______________
Philadelphia (city and county)_____

216
40
713
86
630

198
52
809
85
817

148
193
788
81
756

184
100
788
90
623

159
157
760
76
787

148
106
782
109
888

173
117
937
78
716

Pennsylvania:

ao

712

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

Boys
Alabama: Mobile County

See footnotes at end of table.

00


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

T

able

I.— Juvenile-delinquency rates 1 per 10,000 white and Negro hoys and girls o f juvenile-court age dealt with by courts that served areas
with 100,000 or more total population and 10,000 or more Negro population 2 and that cooperated in 1934', 1927-34— Continued
Juvenile-delinquency rate 1
Area served by court

White
1927

Orleans Parish___ _________ _
Maryland: Baltimore (city)________ _
Michigan: Wayne County_________ .
New Jersey:
Hudson County_____
_
____
Mercer County____
_
. . . ..
New York:
Erie County_______________
. .
New York (city)____ ____ _ . . . . . . . .
Westchester County_________
Ohio:
Franklin County____ _
______
Hamilton County______
. . .
Mahoning County_________________

Montgomery County

Philadelphia (city and county)_____
South Carolina: Greenville County____
Virginia: Norfolk- (city)________________

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1927

1928

1929

1930

1
23
78
25

7
16
74
34

36
15
57
26

171

182

45
169

33
160

35

10
21
72
31

62
67

35
36

35
29

20
28

22
37

163
287

109
174

117
160

62
10
16
10

63
11
18
10

35

19
20

45
8
23
13

24

9
17
15

30

35

29
39

15
20

61
57

49
64

32
77

57

38

25

(3)

(0

1931

1932

1933

1934

135

19
160
78
109

16
107
65
103

46
126
80
78

54
120
28
84

197
153

124
200

91
154

49
173

93
123

(3)

98
48

42
112
42

47
39
83
54

58
43
117
50

70
44
103
38

29
7

36
11

38
9

35
12

26
21

19
14

18
11

16
11

37
76

177
31

101
29

105
28

70
91

82
44

72
67

86
101

10
13
30

12
17
25

10
18
23

15
17
17

14
14
9

7
11
9

7
12
8

11
13
12

89
53
179

58
63
149

106
83
122

59
87
91

74
70
43

43
86
94

33
86
62

82
111
56

54

59

«46
75
101
73

«41
77
101
63

«29
62
83
60

«33
61
75
47

«28
77
72
44

109

87
60

50
94
100
80

164

94

344

259
298

134
324
316
188

«160
383
319
246

« 128
344
346
230

« 153
226
193
105

«46
189
204
60

«57
242
169
161

11
4
30
20
80

11
3
34
15
72

8
4
39
15
73

7
3
34
9
78

9
1
29
10
83

6

6
2
24
7
53

67
21
174
3
178

53
10
174
22
185

52
29
161
16
142

35
19
151
22
128

32

24
8
46

40
17
144
12
168

37
52
154
15
146

Pennsylvania:

Allegheny County
.. ...
Montgomery Conntv......... ....... ....

1929

5
29
64

33
170
143

148
169

1 Rates are based on population estimated as of July 1 of each year except 1934; no estimate for 1934 is available, and the rates for this year are based on the estimate as of July 1, 1933.
* According to the 1930 census.
3 Rate not computed because the ages of the majority of children were not reported.
4 Rate not computed because number of Negro delinquent children was not reported.
* Based on official cases only, because unofficial cases were not reported in previous years.


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t Louis
Federal Reserve Bank offSt.

ft

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

Girls
Alabama: Mobile County.. . .
District of Columbia_________
Florida: Dade County_________________
Georgia: Fulton County_____
_____
Indiana:
Lake County_____________ __
_ .
Marion County______ _________
Louisiana:

1928

Negro

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

V

15

The juvenile-delinquency rates for white boys in both groups of
courts have shown continuous decreases in recent years. The 1934
rate for white boys in each group of courts was significantly lower
than that shown for 1933. It was also significantly lower in 1934
than in 1933 in the group of 24 courts that served areas with 100,000 or
more population and 10,000 or more Negro population and that
reported individually in both 1933 and 1934. (See table I.) The
rate for white boys in this group of 24 courts was 115 in 1934 as com­
pared with 123 in 1933. In all three groups of courts, however, the
marked decrease in 1934 in New York City was the dominating factor.
The exclusion of New York City brings rates for each group for 1934
which are not significantly different from those which prevailed in
1933.
Significant increases in juvenile-delinquency rates for white boys
appeared in 5 of these 24 courts cooperating in both 1933 and 1934.
These 5 courts were Mobile County, Ala.; Lake and Marion Counties,
Ind.; Erie County, N. Y .; and Allegheny County, Pa. Significant
decreases for white boys appeared in 7 courts— Dade County, Fla.;
Fulton County, Ga.; New York City; Hamilton and Montgomery
Counties, Ohio; Philadelphia, Pa.; and Norfolk, Va.
Among Negro boys in both groups of courts that have cooperated
over a period of years, the 1934 rates were significantly higher than
those that prevailed in 1933. In New York City there was no signifi­
cant change in the juvenile-delinquency rates for Negro boys in 1934
as compared with 1933 and its inclusion, therefore, does not affect
the upward tendency of the rates. This significant increase in the
juvenile-delinquency rates for Negro boys in 1934 was preceded by a
small increase in 1933 as compared with 1932 which was not sufficient
to be statistically significant. The rates for Negro boys in both
groups of courts decreased through 1932 from the maximum rate in
1929.
In the group of 24 courts cooperating in both 1933 and 1934 the
rate for Negro boys was 511 for 1934, as compared with 486 in 1933.
Five of these twenty-four courts had significantly higher rates in 1934
than in 1933— the District of Columbia; Lake County, Ind.; Orleans
Parish, La. ; Erie County, N . Y . ; and Philadelphia, Pa. Three courts—
Dade County, Fla.; Hamilton County, Ohio; and Norfolk, Va.— had
significantly lower rates for 1934 than for 1933.
Increases in the rates for white girls in 1934 as compared with 1933
appeared in all three groups of courts. The increase in each of the
groups of courts was, however, relatively small and cannot be con­
sidered of great importance in view of the fact that it was sufficient
only to bring the 1934 rates to the 1932 level. In the group of 24
courts cooperating in both 1933 and 1934 the rate for white girls was
19 for 1934 as compared with 18 in 1933. The exclusion of New
York City from each of the groups of courts has little effect upon the
rates for the 2 years. No marked change in the frequency of court
work with delinquent white girls was evident either in the New York
City court or in the groups of courts outside of New York City.
Of the 24 courts reporting in both 1933 and 1934, 19 courts showed
no significant difference in the rates for these^ 2 years for white girls.
Only 5 courts had significantly higher rates in 1934 than in 1933—
Mobile County, Ala.; Marion County, Ind.; Erie County, N. Y .;
Hamilton County, Ohio; and Montgomery.County, Pa.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

16

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

No marked change appeared in the juvenile-delinquency rates for
Negro girls in 1934 as compared with 1933. In all 3 groups of
courts the 1934 rates were somewhat higher than in 1933, but the
difference in the rates for the 2 years was not sufficient to be statisti­
cally significant except in the group of 19 courts cooperating from
1929 to 1934. In the 3 groups of courts, exclusive of New York
City, there was no significant difference in the rates for the 2 years.
In the 24 courts cooperating in both 1933 and 1934 the rate for Negro
girls was 97 in 1934, as compared with 92 in 1933. Only 3 of these
24 courts showed significantly different rates for 1933 and 1934.
These 3 courts were New York City and Montgomery County, Ohio,
in both of which the rates for Negro girls were significantly higher
for 1934 than for 1933, and Dade County, Fla., in which the rate for
1934 was lower than that for 1933.
The rates for both white and Negro boys and girls varied widely
from court to court (table I). The maximum rate in 1934 for white
boys (417) appeared in Mahoning County, Ohio, and the minimum
(2?) in Montgomery County, Pa. The maximum for Negro boys
(989) appeared in Mahoning County, Ohio, and the minimum (78) in
Greenville County, S. C. The rates for white girls varied from 77 in
Hamilton County, Ohio, to 2 in Montgomery County, Pa. Rates for
Negro girls varied from 242 in Hamilton County, Ohio, to 15 in
Greenville County, S. C.
AGE UNDER W H IC H JUVENILE COURT HAS ORIGINAL JURISDICTION

As has been pointed out earlier, the character of the community
services available to children and the policies of the courts and other
agencies markedly affect the rates. In juvenile-delinquency rates the
age of original juvenile-court jurisdiction is an important factor.
The age of original jurisdiction of a court is established by State law
and is in most instances uniform throughout a State, although for a
few courts the maximum age of jurisdiction has been set by special
provision at a higher or lower age level than that of the State as a
whole. Among the 44 courts that served areas of 100,000 or more
population and that reported individually in 1934 (see table B, p. 3,
and table G, p. 8), 23 had jurisdiction under 16 years,6 6 had juris­
diction under 17 years, 13 had jurisdiction under 18 years, and 2 had
jurisdiction over all persons under 21 years of age. Table J shows
the juvenile-delinquency rates for all boys and girls of juvenile-court
age and for boys and girls 7 to 15 years of age dealt with by courts
that reported individually and that had jurisdiction beyond the six­
teenth birthday and by race for the courts of this group that served
areas with 10,000 or more Negroes in the total population.
The rates in table J for children 7 to 15 years of age, inclusive, may
be compared with the rates for courts haying jurisdiction under 16
years that appear in tables G and I. Wide variation is shown in
the rates for children 7 to 15 years of age dealt with by courts that
have jurisdiction beyond the sixteenth birthday and also in the total
« Mobile County, Ala.; Bridgeport and Hartford, Conn.; Fulton County, Ga.; Allen, Lake, Marion,
St. Joseph, and Vanderburgh Counties, Ind. (Indiana courts have jurisdiction over boys under 16, girls
under 18); Baltimore, M d.; Hudson and Mercer Counties, N . J.; Erie, Monroe, Rensselaer, and West­
chester Counties, New York City, and Syracuse, N . Y .; Allegheny, Berks, and Montgomery Counties,
and Philadelphia, Pa.; and Greenville, S. C.


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17

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
T

J . — A ge under which juvenile court has original jurisdiction and juveniledelinquency rates 1 per 10,000 while and Negro boys and girls o f juvenile-court age
and fo r those 7 to 15 years o f age, inclusive, dealt with by courts that had jurisdiction
beyond the sixteenth birthday and that served areas with 100,000 or more population
in 19342

able

Juvenile-delinquency rate1

Area served by court

Boys
California:
San Diego County......... .................
San Francisco (city and county)..
District of Columbia__ _____________
Florida: Dade County______________
Iowa: Polk County................................
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish..... ........... . ..............
Orleans Parish................... . .......... .
Michigan:
Kent County_______ _____ ______
Wayne County............. ..................
Minnesota:
Hennepin County..........................
Ramsey County........................—
Ohio:
Franklin County *.........................
Hamilton County................... —
Mahoning County.........................
Montgomery County....................
Oregon: Multnomah County-----------Utah: Third district.............................
Virginia: Norfolk (city).......................
Washington:
Pierce County *..............................
Spokane County.......... ... ..............
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County.........
Girls
California:
San Diego County.........................
San Francisco (city and county).
District of Columbia-----------------------Florida: Dade County.........................
Indiana:
Allen County..................................
Lake County-------------------- -------Marion County..............................
St. Joseph County.........................
Vanderburgh County...................
Iowa: Polk County..............................
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish__ _______________
Orleans Parish.............. .................
Michigan:
Kent County..................................
Wayne County________________
Minnesota:
Hennepin County.........................
Ramsey County...................... Ohio:
Franklin County *------- ------------Hamilton County........ — ............
Mahoning County.......................
Montgomery County..................
Oregon: Multnomah County---------Utah: Third district...........................
Virginia: Norfolk (city)............... ---■
Washington:
Pierce County *------------------------Spokane County----------------------Wisconsin: Milwaukee County------

Age
under
which
juvenile
court has
original
jurisdic­
tion

All
ages

Negro *

White »

Total
7 to 15
years
of age

7 to 15
years
of age

All
ages

7 to 15
years
of age

All
ages

371
67
375
183
325

270
61
335
169
305

195
176

163
158

823
211

761
210

220

198
166

237
114

215
106

203
350

180
325

110

113
96

96

83

335

314

178
129

127
96

62
233
449
85
271
264
402

38
182
345
72
228
197
327

44
182
417
71

26
142
312
58

237
705
989
285

151
549
864
258

258

203

716

586

80
345
356

59
276
271

15
57

13
43

120
28

108
24

22
37

18
27

93
123

100
112

63
11

45
. 8

70
44

61
42

10

8

38

37

28
77
72
44

21
54
53
37

57
242
169
161

52
188
164
134

53

38

146

120

178
132

i Rates are based on population estimated as of July 1, 1933; no estimate for 1934 is available.
j Population according to the 1930 census; rates for white and for Negro boys and girls are shown for areas
with 10,000 or more Negro population.
> Based on official cases only.


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18

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

rates for courts that have original jurisdiction only up to the sixteenth
birthday. In those courts with jurisdiction beyond the sixteenth
birthday the juvenile-delinquency rates both for boys and girls
7 to 15 years old were invariably lower than the rates for boys and
girls of all ages within the court’s jurisdiction. In courts having
10,000 or more Negroes in the population the same situation appeared
among white and among Negro boys and girls.
Chart I.— Juvenile-delinquency rate at each year of age per 10,000 white and Negro
boys and girls 7 to 15 years of age dealt with by 41 courts that served areas with
100,000 or more population and that reported throughout the period 1932-34

7

8

3

10

II

12

Age of'child


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13

14

15

19

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
DELINQUENCY RATES BY AGE OF CHILD

Delinquency rates, by age, for white and Negro boys and girls
from 7 to 15 years, inclusive, are shown in chart I and table K .
These are average annual rates for the 3-year period 1932-34. They
include all children 7 to 15 years of age dealt with by 41 courts that
served areas with 100,000 or more population and that reported for
each of these 3 years. The population of the area served by these
41 courts included 4,193,771 children 7 to 15 years of age (1,970,043
T

K .— Juvenile-delinquency rate at each year of age per 10,000 white and Negro
hoys and girls 7 to 15 years o f age dealt with by 41 courts that served areas with
100,000 or more population 1 and that reported in 1932—34

able

Children 7 to 15 years of age
Color, age, and sex of child
Juveniledelinquency
rate

Number of
children in
area served 2

Average number
of children dealt
with by courts
annually, 1932-34

82

4,193,771

34,397

118

1,970,043

23,311

7 years______ _____________________ _______ ___________
8 years____ __________________________________ ____ ____
9 years_______________________________ ________ _______
10 years______ ____________________________ __________ 11 years...________________________________ . __________
12 years.......................... ............. ............................................
13 years_______________________________________________
14 years---------------------------------- -------------------------------------15 years-------- -------- --------------------------- ---------------------------

9
20
37
64
93
129
178
254
300

218,394
227,625
225,187
222,402
209,789
228,845
213,479
213,714
210,608

189
449
826
1,414
1,957
2,943
3,793
5,423
6,317

Negro boys.......................................- ...........................

475

136,961

6,509

7 years........... — ............ . ............ ..................- .......... ..........
8 years................................... ..................................- ................
9 years-------- ------------ ------------------------------- --------------------10 years............................... ....................................... ..............
11 years_______________________________________________
12 years_____________ _________ _________________ ______
13 years--------------------------------------------------------- ------- ------14 years_____________ __________ - ..................... ..................
15 years......................................................... ..........— .......... -

33
86
164
290
521
681
871
1,008
1,040

17,590
17,893
17,361
16,678
13,621
14,315
12,903
13,760
12,840

58
153
285
483
709
975
1,124
1,387
1,335

17

1,939,969

3,275

1
2
4
5
7
11
22
41
61

212,779
224,713
219,007
218,711
207,717
222,439
211,663
212,073
210,867

26
50
81
100
146
251
460
879
1,282

89

146,798

1,302

4
11
18
30
48
94
160
238
257

18,002
18,601
17,602
17,637
14,616
15,794
14,837
15,056
14,653

7
20
31
53
70
148
238
359
376

Total____________ ____ _______________________

-

White boys................, ............ - .............................—

White girls____ ______ __________________________
7 years............... - ............................................................... —
8 years........................ ?.............................................................
9 years............. ..................................... ................ .................
10 years----------- ---------------- . ------------------------ ------- ---------11 years__________________________ ___________________ 12 years________________ s. . . . ---------- ---------- -----------------13 years................. .............. .................................................
14 years____________________ __________ _______________
15 years.......................................... ..........................................
Negro g irls............................................................... .
7 years____________ _______________________ ____ ______
8 years........................................................ ..................- .........
9 years............... .......... .................................................. ..........
10 years__________________ _____- ................... ................. ...
11 years..........- ............ ............ - ....................... .......................
12 years....................................................................... ..............
13 years................................................................................
14 years_____ _________________________________________
15 years............... ....................................................................1 According to the 1930 census.
2 Estimated as of July 1, 1933.


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20

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

white boys, 1,939,969 white girls, 136,961 Negro boys, and 146,798
Negro girls). The total population of the area served was 24,382,900.
As both the chart and the table show, delinquency rates for each
of the four groups of children were lowest at the younger ages, and
increased with each added year to age 15, the oldest age for which
rates are presented. In every age period the rates for Negro boys
were in excess of those for other children. High rates for Negro
boys appeared even in the early ages. They were almost invariably
four or five times as high as the rates for white boys. The rate at
age 15 was 1,040 for Negro boys as compared with 300 for white boys.
Among white boys, as among Negro boys, the tendency for the
delinquency rate to increase obviously began with the early ages,
and the increase with age was well marked. The rates for white
boys, although lower at every age than those for Negro boys, were in
excess of those for either white or Negro girls. The rates for Negro
girls were invariably four or five times as high as those for white
girls. B y age 12, the rates for Negro girls exceeded those for white
girls of age 15. The rate for Negro girls at age 15 was 257 as com­
pared with 61 for white girls of this age. The rates for white girls
were relatively low at all ages. Very few white girls under 13 or
14 years of age were dealt with by courts in delinquency cases.
SU M M AR Y

Juvenile-delinquency rates are a direct expression of the amount of
delinquency dealt with by the courts among children of juvenile-court
age. They are not an expression of the total amount of delinquency
in the community because many agencies work with children who
present problems of delinquency, and the number of children brought
to court depends on the work of the organizations assisting with the
problems and on the attitude of the community toward both the
organizations and the court. The rates also depend unquestionably
on the service the court gives to the children who are brought to its
attention.
The delinquency rates of the individual courts vary within a wide
range. Part of the variation is due to the composition of the com­
munity with respect to race; part is due to the difference in maximum
age of the children over whom the court has original jurisdiction.
The downward trend in delinquency rates for boys shown from
1929 or 1930 onward continued in 1934 in the groups of 18, 30, and
42 courts reporting throughout varying periods, but the decrease in
1934 was due essentially to the marked reduction in the number of
boys dealt with by courts in New York City. In these reporting areas,
exclusive of New York City, delinquency rates for boys showed a
definite increase in 1934 as compared with 1933. In the groups of
14, 19, and 24 courts (exclusive of New York City) in which the
racial composition of the population was an important factor, the


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JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

21

delinquency rates for white boys were approximately identical for the
years 1933 and 1934, but the delinquency rates for Negro boys in
1934 were significantly higher than in 1933. The New York City
rate for white boys showed a marked decrease in 1934, but there was
little change in the number of Negro boys dealt with by the court.
Delinquency rates for girls showed neither definite upward nor
downward tendency. The slight increases that prevailed in 1934 as
compared with 1933 were sufficient only to bring the figures to the
1932 level. vThey suggest primarily that the downward trend which
has prevailed in the past few years has been checked. In the group
of courts (exclusive of New York City) serving areas in which the
racial composition of the population was an important factor, the
increase in the rates for both white and Negro girls is shown by analysis
to have been small and of no statistical significance. The variation
in the rate for white girls in New York City was also unimportant,
but the rate for Negro girls indicates a significant increase in the
frequency with which Negro girls were brought into court in delin­
quency cases.
TRENDS IN DELINQUENCY CASES

In this section, which presents trends in delinquency cases, the
main body of the material is for the 30 courts serving areas of 100,000
or more population which have cooperated each year of the period
1929-34. For this group of courts material is presented showing the
number of cases disposed of each year, the age of the boys and girls
dealt with, the place the child was living when referred to court, the
place of care pending hearing or disposition of the case, and the dis­
position made by the court. Analysis by age, reason for reference,
and previous court experience of children dealt with is presented for
delinquency cases which were disposed of by 29 of the 30 courts
during 1934.
NUM BER OF CASES AND OF CHILDREN

A smaller number of delinquency cases was disposed of in this
group of 30 courts in 1934 than in any previous year of the period for
which figures are available (table L). The total for the year 1934
was only a little smaller than that for either 1933 or 1932 but was
markedly smaller than that for any earlier year. Fewer boys’ cases
were disposed of than in any prior year. The number of girls’ cases
was greater than in 1933 but considerably less than in 1929, 1930, or
1931. It was practically the same as in 1932.
In these 30 courts, 23,9tf9 boys were dealt with in the 28,156 boys’
cases and 4,504 girls in the 4,969 girls’ cases disposed of in 1934. The
case ratios for 1934— 85 boys per 100 boys’ cases and 91 girls per 100
girls’ cases— were approximately the same as those of earlier years.
The smaller number of boys per 100 boys’ cases than of girls per 100
girls’ cases shows that boys were dealt with more frequently than


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22

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

girls in two or more delinquency cases which were disposed of by the
court during a year; in other words, that there was greater recidivism
among the boys. The difference between the ratios for the two sexes
arises from such basic factors as differences in the behavior problems
of the two sexes, differences in the opportunity for delinquency in the
community, and differences in the degree of protection which the
family and the community afford to boys and girls. The attitude
of the community and the court itself toward desirability of referral to
court is unquestionably an important factor. The practice of the
court with regard to the disposition of cases (a larger percentage of
the girls referred to court were committed to institutions) also affects
the relative frequency with which boys and girls are referred to court
more than once during the period of a year.
T

able

L .— Number o f boys and girls dealt with in delinquency cases disposed o f by
SO courts that reported throughout the period 1929-84
Girls

Boys
Year

Total
cases
Cases

1929________________ __________
1930__________________________
1931_____ _____________________
1932........................................— 1933...... ................... — ...............
1934................................ ...............

37,731
38,536
37,073
33,707
33,563
33,125

31,348
32,342
31.365
28,767
28,885
28,156

Individ­
uals

Individ­
uals per
100 cases

26,738
27,288
26, GÖ6
24,516
24,311
23,959

85
84
83
85
84
85

Cases

6,383
6,194
5,708
4,940
4,678
4,969

Individ­
uals

5,741
5,614
5,067
4,382
4,215
4,504

Individ­
uals per
100 cases
90
91
89
89
90
91

Many of the individual courts showed a marked change between
1934 and 1933 in the number of cases disposed of (table M ). Nine­
teen courts showed an increase in the total number of boys’ cases
disposed of. Among the courts disposing of more than 250 cases in
1934 in which the increase in the number of boys’ cases amounted to
25 percent or more were Erie County, N. Y., 105 percent; Bridgeport,
Conn., 51 percent; and Allegheny County, Pa., 25 percent. The
maximum percentage of decrease in boys’ cases in 1934 as compared
with 1933 appeared in New York City, and in Norfolk, Va., 22 per­
cent. Hamilton County, Ohio, showed a decrease of 19 percent; Kent
County, Mich., 17 percent; Montgomery County, Ohio, 14 percent;
and the third district of Utah, 11 percent.
Twenty of the courts showed a larger nuipber and 10 courts a smaller
number of girls’ cases disposed of in 1934 than in 1933. The number
of girls’ cases disposed of by the great majority of the individual courts
was so small that the annual change was of little significance. Of the
courts disposing of 250 or more girls’ cases in 1934, two showed
an increase of 10 percent or more (New York City, 10 percent, and
Hamilton County, Ohio, 19 percent); whereas no court disposing
of 250 or more girls’ cases showed a decrease of as much as 10 percent.


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»
T

able

M .— Number of boys' and girls' delinquency cases disposed o f by SO courts that served specified areas and that reported throughout the
period 1929-34
Delinquency cases disposed of
Area served by court

Total
1929

Total cases______ ______ ______

Erie County........................
Monroe County____ ______
New York (city)_____ _______
Rensselaer County_______
Westchester County_________
Ohio:
Franklin County i___________
Hamilton County________
Mahoning County___________
Montgomery County___________
Oregon: Multnomah County___
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County........................... .
Montgomery County______________
Philadelphia (city and county)........
South Carolina: Greenville County____
Utah: Third district—_______ _________
Virginia: Norfolk (city)________________
Washington: Pierce County1__________

1931

1932

1933

1934

37,731 38,536 37,073 33,707 33,563 33,125

1930

1931

Girls

1932

1934

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

31,348 32,342 31,365 28,767 28,885 28,156

1933

1934

6,383

6,194

5,708

4,940

4,678

4,969

219
1,656
461
1,947

177
1,640
470
1,893

160
1,617
445
1,927

140
1,385
511
1,799

165
1,327
378
1,646

222
1,415
589
1,705

170
1,417
391
1,623

152
1,449
402
1,642

142
1,384
376
1,668

126
1,196
444
1,604

139
1,132
323
1,451

175
1,230
489
1,514

49
239
70
324

25
191
68
251

18
233
69
259

14
189
67
195

26
195
55
195

47
185
100
191

242
985
747
275
431

477
818
610
291
520

350
617
457
338
507

266
785
502
304
549

290
835
605
343
470

343
951
714
415
403

134
653
569
236
346

262
517
463
251
450

221
404
360
277
431

139
598
398
234
466

209
653
495
258
412

252
734
594
321
341

108
332
178
39
85

215
301
147
40
70

129
213
97
61
76

127
187
104
70
83

81
182
110
85
58

91
217
120
94
62

1,097
396

1,053
517

1,203
409

940
461

940
406

1,089
467

897
309

853
437

990
310

770
398

775
352

908
411

200
87

200
80

213
99

170
63

165
54

181
56

1,846
433

1,974
449

1,696
443

1,025
291

876
434

868
479

1,584
414

1,736
425

1,520
391

885
263

745
406

741
449

262
19

238
24

176
52

140
28

131
28

127
30

1,135
233
7,956
318
888

1,306
170
7,867
414
597

1,399
224
7,299
243
397

715
167
7,366
190
382

591
171
7,727
134
397

1,181
189
6,292
195
408

1,058
194
6,868
258
749

1,196
138
6,857
329
493

1, 291
190
6,416
195
338

657
150
6,584
150
310

532
143
6,854
93
341

1,089
167
5,328
148
341

77
39
1,088
60
139

110
32
1,010
85
104

108
34
883
48
59

58
17
782
40
72

59
28
873
41
56

92
22
964
47
67

473
2,034
2,021
752
902

542
2,072
2,151
598
1,172

575
2,550
1,979
578
1,247

470
2,418
2,110
493
839

420
2,298
1,892
454
993

436
2,044
1,887
429
1,101

274
1,394
1,689
523
750

345
1,486
1,802
368
1,024

395
1,941
1,613
360
1,110

311
1,951
1,825
315
731

295
1,841
1,608
'322
882

318
1,500
1,623
276
979

199
640
332
229
152

197
586
349
230
148

180
609
366
218
137

159
467
285
178
108

125
457
284
132
111

118
544
264
153
122

1,290
55
6,955
126
871
852
135

1,128
96
7,517
106
972
774
165

853
74
7,390
91
1,149
728
128

794
76
6,711
80
943
869
126

738
80
6,787
107
1,093
861
105

881
77
6,461
104
917
696
167

1,090
47
6,089
103
710
709
100

955
85
6,629
85
732
644
135

721
65
6,524
75
978
595
84

639
73
5,898
69
776
721
86

604
78
6,119
93
899
743
88

756
67
5,785
91
802
580
147

200
8
866
23
161
143
35

173
11
888
21
240
130
30

132
9
866
16
171
133
44

155
3
813
11
167
148
40

134
2
668
14
194
118
17

125
10
676
13
115
116
20

1 Includes only official cases because court did not report unofficial cases every year.


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1929

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

Alabama: Mobile County . . . .
California: San Diego County___
Connecticut: Bridgeport (citv)__
District of Columbia____ _____
Indiana:
Lake County.............
Marion County___
Iowa: Polk County____
Louisiana: Caddo Parish..
Michigan: Kent County.............
Minnesota:
Hennepin County____ _______
Ramsey County______________
New Jersey:
Hudson County______
Mercer County__________

1930

Boys

24

JU VENILE-COUKT STATISTICS, 1934
AGES OF BOYS AND GIRLS

The age distribution of the boys dealt with in the cases disposed of
was very similar each year, although there was a slight tendency
toward less frequent appearance of boys under 12 years in court and
a more frequent appearance of boys of 16 and over (table N).
Approximately two-thirds of the boys dealt with each year were from
12 to 15 years of age. In 1934, 17 percent of the cases were those of
boys under 12 years, 68 percent were of boys 12 to 15 years of age,
and 15 percent were of boys of older ages.
The girls dealt with in delinquency cases in 1934, as in previous
years, were generally older than the boys. Of the cases dealt with
m 1934, 21 percent were of girls 16 years and over— a smaller pro­
portion than in any previous year. Cases of girls of these ages con­
stituted between 22 and 25 percent of the girls’ cases disposed of
each year from 1929 to 1933.
T

able

N .—

Age o f boys and girls when referred to court in delinquency cases dis-posed
o f by SO courts that reported throughout the period 1929-84 1
Delinquency cases disposed of

Age of child when referred to court,
and sex
1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

Total cases.............................. ............

37,731

38,536

37,073

33,707

33,563

33,125

Boys’ cases_____________ __________

31,348

32,342

31,365

28,767

28,885

28,156

Under 10 years.................................... ..........
10 years, tinder 12..................... .....................
12 years, under 14_______________________
14 years, under 16_______________________
16 years, under 18____________________
18 years and over________________________
Not reported................. .............. ..............

2,129
3,969
8,174
12,939
3,831
79
227

2,096
4,084
8,094
13,281
4,289
149
349

1,702
3,856
7,451
13,053
4,372
133
798

1,631
3,545
6,920
11,687
4,282
150
552

1,639
3,481
7,208
11,786
4,288
128
355

1,408
3,255
6,869
12,266
142
115
101

Girls’ cases------------------------------------

6,383

6,194

5,708

4,940

4,678

4,969

Under 10 years____ _____________________
10 years, tinder 12.........................................
12 years, under 14.. _ ___________________
14 years, under 16______________________
16 years, under 18_______________________
18 years and over____ ____________ _____
Not reported_______________________

198
358
1,201
3,145
1,370
39
72

187
325
1,089
3,080
1,411
69
33

176
303
939
2,785
1/329
57
119

190
283
794
2,396
1,167
49
61

180
274
814
2,253
1,095
47
15

213
316
927
2,447
1,015
34
17

1Includes only official cases for Franklin County, Ohio, and Pierce County, Wash., because these courts
did not report unofficial cases every year.
H O M E CONDITIONS

The number of cases in which the children were living in homes of
normal composition and the number living in broken homes are shown
in table O. Information as to the place the child was living when
referred to court was more nearly complete in 1934 than in any
previous year. In each year of the 6-year period from 1929 to 1934
the children were living in their own homes m 92 percent of the cases
for which the information was obtained, and in 8 percent of the cases
the children were living in other places.
Somewhat fewer cases were referred to court in 1934 than in 1933
or 1929 in which the child was living with both his own parents and
in homes with one parent and a stepparent. A slightly larger number
in 1934 than in 1933 or 1929 were cases of children from homes in
which there was only one parent, the increase being mainly in the
number of cases of children coming from homes in which the parents

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25

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

m

were living apart rather than in the number of those from homes
which were broken by the death of either the father or the mother.
T a b l e O. — Marital status o f parents, and place child was living when referred to

court in delinquency cases disposed o f by SO courts that reported throughout the
period 1929—3% 1
Delinquency cases disposed of
Marital status of parents, and place child was
living when referred to court
1929
Total cases______________________ ____ _________ 37,731

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

38,536

37,073

33,707

33,563

Marital status and place reported___________ _______

32,210

35,633

34,147

30,682

31,066

30,865

Child living in own home_______________________

29,680

32,671

31,254

28,082

28,498

28,316

With both own parents______________________ 20,496
With one parent and a stepparent___________
2,664
With one parent only........................................... 6,520

22,739
2,812
7,120

21,826
2,567
6,861

19,780
2,166
6,136

19,871
2,253
6,374

19,471
2,185
6,660

3,014
1,556
643
706
130
125

2,901
1,333
741
657
120
164

2,579
1, 293
613
574
80
124

2,676
1,163
564
614
97
178

2,670
1,151
616
650
70
173

33,125

Father dead.....................................................
Mother dead.................................................
Parents divorced________________ ____
Father deserting mother.............. .............
Mother deserting father_________________
Parents not married to each other_______
Parents living apart for other or not speci­
fied reasons....... ...........................................

2,596
1,400
600
713
125
93
993

946

945

873

1,082

1,330

Child living in other place................. ..................... -

2,530

2,962

2,893

2,600

2,568

2,549

Marital status and place not reported............................

5,521

2,903

2,926

3,025

2,497

2,260

1 Includes only official cases for Franklin County, Ohio, and Pierce County, Wash., because these courts
did not report unofficial cases every year.
REASONS FOR REFERENCE TO COURT

*

The reasons for referring delinquency cases to court are shown in
table P. The reasons for reference of boys’ cases and girls’ cases
differed markedly. In all the years of the period for which the infor­
mation is presented boys’ cases were referred most frequently on
account of stealing, acts of carelessness and mischief, and traffic vio­
lations, whereas girls’ cases were referred most frequently on account
of being ungovernable, for sex offenses, and running away— offenses
in girls’ cases which will be recognized as closely allied.
The proportion of the boys’ cases referred on account of stealing in
1934 (46 percent) was larger than in any previous year of the period.
The proportion referred for acts of carelessness and mischief and
traffic violations (29 percent) was smaller than in either 1933 or 1932.
The percentages referred on account of running away and being ungov­
ernable (7 percent for each offense) in 1934 were approximately the
same as in previous years.
The same proportion of girls’ cases were referred for the group of
related offenses— being ungovernable, sex offenses, running away, and
truancy— in 1934 as in 1933 (74 percent). But the reason for refer­
ence was stated to be running away in 20 percent of the cases in 1934,
as compared with 16 percent in 1933, and the percentage referred on
account of being ungovernable was 28 in 1934, as compared with 30
in the previous year. The percentage of girls’ cases referred on
account of running away was larger than in any previous year, and
the number referred on this account (983) was greater than any year
since 1931. The proportion of girls’ cases referred on account of sex
offenses was the same (16 percent) in 1934 as in 1933; prior to 1933


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26

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

sex offenses had invariably represented 19 or 20 percent of the total
girls’ cases for which reason for reference to court was reported.
T

able

P .— Reason for reference to court in boys’ and in girls’ delinquency cases
disposed o f by SO courts that reported throughout the period 1929-84 1
Delinquency cases disposed of

Reason for reference to court, and sex of child
1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

Total cases____________________________________

37,731

Boys’ cases........................ - ..................... - ..........

31,348

38,536

37,073

33,707

33,563

33,125

32,342

31,365

28,767

28,885

28,156

Stealing______________________ ______________________ 12,936
Act of carelessness or mischief, and traffic violation... 9,229
2,414
Truancy.................................................................................
2,016
Running away___________________________ ______ ___
2,303
Ungovernable_______________________________________
Sex offense_____________________________ ___________
475
835
Injury to person--------------------------------------------------------200
Use, possession, or sale of liquor or drugs____________
820
Other reason________ ____ ______________________ ____
120
Reason not reported................ ............................... ...........

13,536
9,726
2,340
2, en
2,104
545
794
147
1,122
17

13,759
9,302
1,721
2,217
2,007
442
779
203
847
88

11,826
9,883
1,385
1,993
1,724
420
732
143
595
66

11,481
9,864
1,455
1,802
1,767
436
722
131
1,030
197

12,793
8,236
1,380
1,992
1,943
427
654
131
433
167

6,383

6,194

5,708

4,940

4,678

4,969

698
491
678
1,100
1,815
1,198
156
55
119
73

755
542
703
1,049
1,654
1,254
129
48
49
11

722
563
510
990
1,572
1,098
97
63
56
37

522
499
458
885
1,365
920
119
53
68
51

498
465
516
752
1,395
757
150
35
63
47

541
514
511
983
1,372
756
104
30
58
100

Girls’ cases..___________ _____ _______________
Stealing-------------------- ------------------------------ ----------------Act of carelessness or mischief, and traffic violation...
Truancy---------------------- ---------------------------------------------Running away....................................... ................. ..........
Ungovernable_______________________________________
Sex offense----------------- ----------------------------------------------Injury to person-------------------------------------------------------Use, possession, or sale of liquor or drugs____________
Other reason______ ____________ ____________________
Reason not reported.......................... .......... .....................

1934

1 Includes only official cases for Franklin County, Ohio, and Pierce County, Wash., because these courts
did not report unofficial cases every year.

Table PI shows the types of reasons for which boys were most fre­
quently referred to court during the period under review for each of
the 30 cooperating courts. The number of girls’ cases is not shown
because the number of cases referred for the different reasons was very
small. Among the courts referring 100 or more boys’ cases for stealing
in either 1933 or 1934 marked increases in the number in 1934 (10
percent or more) appeared in Bridgeport, Conn.; Lake County, In d .;
Polk County, Iowa; Caddo Parish, La.; Hennepin and Ramsey
Counties, Minn.; Mercer County, N. J.; Erie and Westchester
Counties and New York City, N. Y .; Multnomah County, Oreg.;
and Allegheny County, Pa. The drop in the boys’ cases referred on
account of acts of carelessness or mischief and traffic violations from
9,864 in 1933 to 8,236 in 1934 was due mainly to the reduction in the
number referred on this account in New York City and in Philadel­
phia. Cases of truancy, running away, and being ungovernable
increased from 5,024 in 1933 to 5,315 in 1934. A somewhat larger
number of such cases were referred on this account in 1934 than in
1933 in New York City (1,126 and 925) and in Philadelphia (1,111
and 1,019). Among the courts disposing of 100 or more cases referred
for truancy, running away, and being ungovernable in either 1933 or
1934 increases of 10 percent or more in 1934 as compared with 1933
occurred in Bridgeport, Conn.; Marion County, Ind.; Erie County
and New York City, N. Y .; Mahoning County, Ohio; and Multnomah
County, Oreg.

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T

able

P l.- -Number o f boys’ delinquency cases, referred fo r specified reasons, disposed o f by 80 courts that served specified areas and that
reported throughout the period 1929-84
Reason for reference of boys’ delinquency cases
Area served by court

Act of carelessness or mischief, and traffic
violation

Stealing
1929

1930

1931

1932

1934

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

Boys' cases_________ _____________ 12,936
12,936 13,536 13,759 11,826 11,481 12,793

9,229

9,726

9,302

9,883

9,864

8,236

6,733

6,455

5,945

5,102

5,024

69
412
222
691

75
507
181
811

78
467
188
841

65
340
227
910

54
328
119
859

70
340
209
856

21
404
68
630

15
430
138
533

14
484
112
492

23
483
133
416

36
462
125
303

22
540
146
371

83
338
225
78
196

126
308
166
108
237

110
270
160
116
243

68
373
145
106
254

112
364
151
133
204

148
398
243
168
185

8
89
214
94
89

36
46
198
80
146

31
35
102
85
121

15
99
132
37
122

31
108
190
72
124

49
60
208
95
96

564
207

561
300

500
193

412
237

484
240

561
277

133
57

162
69

333
59

246
84

184
66

243
80

535
277

628
272

655
237

350
139

343
244

333
274

320
84

349
83

306
82

197
72

134
107

159
120

674
132
2,485
71
250

746
94
2,353
65
196

771
130
2,573
69
205

439
98
2,242
51
177

372
96
1,836
31
191

653
104
2,054
66
211

232
30
2,548
36
191

303
22
2,611
28
90

374
24
2,137
11
44

116
20
2,983
5
27

61
20
3,036
9
33

221
$
1,577
12
24

101

110

111

23
1,159
139
271

16
1,057
232
177

25
1,028
109
72

209
655
346
191
400

245
664
578
115
481

283
955
551
143
565

243
891
740
103
316

224
783
574
128
414

231
829
588
95
487

2
378
689
75
126

12
438
521
77
284

12
467
520
56
287

16
536
590
58
201

8
531
569
65
263

27
473
519
71
211

26
271
483
205
143

45
266
555
152
161

646
39
2,243
57
354
208
79

532
75
2,303
63
403
240
103

352
55
2,167
56
499
264
63

284
58
1,707
54
392
333
72

319
60
1,833
64
487
375
59

514
61
1,931
60
462
293
92

53
1
2,226
7
103
313
8

58
4
2,700
5
76
196
16

76
2
2,680
1
173
171
11

104
6
2,755
8
191
202

45
2
2,896
13
143
220
8

70
3
2,473
5
178
157
18

* Includes only official cases because court did not report unofficial cases every year.


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«

1934
5,315
253
114
230

67

120
22
296
39

89
23
356
389
139
151

275

233
39

23
303
373
116
146

JU VENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

Alabama: Mobile County_________
California: San Diego County........ .
Connecticut: Bridgeport (city)........
District of Columbia______ _____ _
Indiana:
Lake County____________ _____
Marion County_____ __________
Iowa: Polk County____ ___________
Louisiana: Caddo Parish............... I.
Michigan: Kent County___________
Minnesota:
Hennepin County_____________
Ramsey County_______________
New Jersey:
Hudson County_______________
Mercer County________________
New York:
Erie County___________________
Monroe County_______________
New York (city)_______ _______
Rensselaer County....... ...............
Westchester County....................
Ohio:
Franklin County 1_____________
Hamilton County______________
Mahoning County.......................
Montgomery C o u n ty................
Oregon: Multnomah County............
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County................... .
Montgomery County__________
Philadelphia (city and county)..
South Carolina: Greenville County.
Utah: Third district_______________
Virginia: Norfolk (city).....................
Washington: Pierce County i______

1933

Truancy, running away, and being
ungovernable

142

to

28

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
PLACE OF DETENTION CARE

The proportion of cases in which the child was detained overnight
or longer pending hearing or disposition of the case was somewhat
greater in 1934 than in 1933 (40 percent of the boys’ cases and 50
percent of the girls’ cases in 1934 as compared with 37 percent and
48 percent, respectively, in 1933).
The proportion of cases in which boys were detained overnight or
longer was larger in 1934 than in any other year since 1930. Girls
were detained in a larger proportion of cases in 1934 (50 percent) than
in 1933 (48 percent), but 1933 was the year having the minimum
percentage; the proportion of cases of girls detained in the preceding
years either exceeded or was the same as that for 1934. In both boys’
and girls’ cases in 1934 the detention home was the most usual place
of care— 60 percent for boys and 58 percent for girls who were detained
and for whom place of care pending hearing was reported. Other
institutions stood in second place (29 percent for boys and 37 percent
for girls). Jails and police stations were used infrequently as places of
detention but were used more frequently for boys (7 percent of the
cases) than for girls (1 percent of the cases). Boarding or other family
homes were used in only 4 percent of both boys’ and girls’ cases.
The use of boarding or other family homes and the use of other
institutions for detention of boys were more frequent in 1934 than in
1933. Girls were more often detained in detention homes And in other
institutions in 1934 than in 1933. A few more boys were detained in
jails in 1934 than in 1933 (734 in 1934; 708 in 1933). The increase in
the number is obviously quite small, but it is in contrast to the drop
in every year from 1930 to 1933 (table Q).
T

Q .— Place o f care vending hearing or disposition in hoys’ and girls’ delin­
quency cases disposed o f by SO courts that reported throughout the period 1 9 2 9 -3 4 1

able

Place of detention care, and sex of child

Delinquency cases disposed of
1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

Total cases.......................................................

37,731

38,536

37,073

33,707

33,563

33,125

Boys’ cases______________________________
No detention care..............................- ............ .........
Detention care overnight or longer.......................
Boarding home or other family home...........
Detention home2_____________________
Other institution........................... — ............
Jail or police station* ......................................
Other place of care *..........................................
Place of care not reported................................
Not reported whether detention care was given.

31,348

32,342

28,885

17,077
11,172
41
6,214
3,689
1,225
2
1

31,365
19,174
10,917
46
6,646
3,299
917
8
1

28,767

16,858
14,291
97
8,816
3,876
1,178
324

17,577
10,363

18,022
10,397
312
6,684
2,689
708
4

28,156
16, 750
11,071
444
6,672
3,221
734

199
6,383
2,961
3,369
72
1,842
1,156
104
195

4,093
6,194

1,274

827
4,940
2,340
2,438

Girls’ cases______________________________
No detention care_____________________________
Detention care overnight or longer------- -----------Boarding home or other family home...........
Detention home2_________________________
Other institution__________________________
Jail or police station8. . ................. .................
Other place of care * ..____ ______- _________
Place of care not reported................................
Not reported whether detention care was given.

53

2,936
3,032

5,708
2,689
2,725

233
6,276
3,060
791
3

67
1,813
1,053
64
35

60
1,714
862
54
34
1

78
1,469
831
57
3

226

294

162

1934

466
4,678
2,397
2,223
93
1,226
868
35

335
4,969
2,462
2,441

1

2
66

58

99
1,405
910
25

1 Includes only official cases for Franklin County, Ohio, and Pierce County, Wash., because these courts
did not report unofficial cases every year.
2 Includes cases of children cared for part of the time in detention homes and part of the time elsewhere,
but excludes cases of children also held in jails or police stations.
3 Includes a few cases of children cared for part of the time in jails or police stations and part of the time
elsewhere.
* Includes a few cases of children held in more than 1 place of care but in places other than detention homes,
jails, or police stations.


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JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS^ 1934

29

In 1934 practically all the courts except those of Minnesota and
New York State used detention homes for the majority of children
detained (table Q l). The New York State courts, except the one in
Erie County, mainly used other institutions, whereas Erie County
detained all but two of its children in boarding or other family homes.
In Mercer County, N. J., all the children detained, and in Hudson
County, N. J., all but one were taken care of in detention homes. In
Ohio, although the majority of the children were detained in detention
homes, the use of jails and police stations was frequent except in
Hamilton County, where only two children were detained in such
places. Jails or police stations were also frequently used for children
in Caddo Parish, La.; Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, Minn.;
Multnomah County, Oreg.; Greenville County, S. C .; and the third
district of Utah. In several of these courts, however, the number of
cases of children cared for in jails or police stations in 1934 was smaller
than in 1933.
In connection with the study of place of detention care it must be
kept in mind that the courts must use for detention care the places
that have been provided for the purpose by the community. The
figures, of course, also reflect the attitude of the courts, because the
community’s appreciation of the desirability of providing the better
types of places of care for children who require detention, is dependent,
at least in part, upon the amount of emphasis that the court places
on the need for adequate provision.

101461°— 37---- 3


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T

able

Q l.—

Number o f delinquency cases o f children detained in certain types o f places pending hearing or disposition; cases disposed o f
by SO courts that served specified areas and that reported throughout the period 1929-34

00

O

Place of detention care of child
Area served by court

Detention home1

Boarding or other family home
1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934

Total cases.______ ___________________

311

405

1
1
1

4

2
1
3
3

1

2

2
1
4
6
3

71
2

51
1

51

2

1

2
3
7

3

3

237

4

2

1
2

108

29
4
2

7
4

5
5
3

6
1
3

1

38
2

31
1

1931 1932 1933 1934

1929 1930

2
1

53
173
250
35
187

191
407
217
80
175

145
384
197
41
198

111
622
171
29
200

43
734
181
101
205

60
866
152
91
165

Ohio:

10
1

1

New York:

2

1

1

5
9
3
1
1

1
3

2
1

1
2

7
4

221
32
7

376
6
4

580
21

792
25

691
59

328

377

396

437

380
51

355
98

3

2

1
3

7
Washington: Pierce County3----- -----------------

1

1
2
26

1
9
2

3
3

2
1
4

3
98

121
1

5
3
4

2
4

1
1

2

27
4

16
711

7
68

5
91

1
55

3
48

1
56

172
70

4
2

3

4

1
24

1

1

1
4

1

1

1

265 324 318 215 164 186
1,209 1,325 1,143 1,664 1,655 1,239
630 792 886 841 764 882
193 140 145 120 125 106
113 140 187 120 118 159

21
36
10
10
14

8
3
4
5
31

771 661 393 410 467 546
75
30
63
59
70
63
4,441 1,302 1,526 1,308 1,512 1,475

3

4

9

13
1

282
276
81

131
272
109

154
285
78

1

3
5
5
1
1

3

18
1

1
1
35
60
58
104 105 133
85
34
47
4,039 3,807 3,593 3,388 3,169 3,689
104
96
54
47
84
76
93 100 118 155 119 149

8

3

1

8
3
7
6
1

Pennsylvania:
3
1

1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934

543 10,658 8,027 8,360 7,745 7,910 8,077 5,032 4,742 4,161 3,891 3,557 4,131 1,282 1,289 971 848 743 759
1
1
108
90
85
69 106 116
21
2 10
6
16
4
382 389 452 302 204 289
4
21
17
10
2
4
90
90 77 42 34 24
1
1
13 122 129 175 292
2
24
1
33
27
5
6
5
412 366 413 453
250
4
2
8
4
375 367
6

Minnesota:
New Jersey:

Jail or police station3

Other institution

1930 1931 1932 1933 1934

123
374
75

113
283
46

142
258
84

5
1
1

7
2
1
20

17
2
2
1

35
4
3
44

27
4
3
1
47

1

8

5

6

7

7

11
2
1

21
3

32
8
2
19

19
Ï

9
2
17
9

6

1

16

16
49

193 129 165
164 70 98

78
75

20
65

6
10
21
13

8
2
30
10

1
1

1

1
144
10
284
77
88

143 147 126 127 141
1
1
8
2
276 75 67 98 148
58 45 35
'67
130 183 117 142 131

3
1

4
1

1

36
40
133
28

29
16
88
29

18
28
80
29

1
16
20
58
33

1 Includes cases of children cared for part of the time in detention homes and part of the time elsewhere, but excludes cases of children also held in jails or police stations.
8 Includes a few cases of children cared for part of the time in jails or police stations and part of the time elsewhere.
* Includes only official cases because court did not report unofficial cases every year.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1

1

»

18
39
31
23

8
52
23
23

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

District of Columbia.
Indiana:

106
1
2

169

1929

31

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
DISPOSITION OF CASES

A smaller proportion of both boys’ and girls’ cases was dismissed,
adjusted, or held open without further action in 1934 than 1933
(table R ). The proportion of boys’ cases dismissed (49 percent) in
1934 was less than in either 1933 (54 percent) or 1932 (51 percent)
but was greater than in 1929 (46 percent). In 31 percent of the boys’
cases both in 1934 and in 1929 the boy was placed on probation, a
larger percentage than in any intervening year. In a slightly larger
proportion of cases boys were committed or referred to institutions in
1934 (10 percent) than in either 1933 (8 percent) or 1932 (9 percent).
For girls a small decrease in 1934 as compared with 1933 appeared in
the percentage of cases disposed of by dismissal or adjustment and in
cases disposed of by placement under the supervision of a probation
officer. A somewhat larger percentage of the cases of girls were dis­
posed of by commitment or referral of the girl to an agency or individ­
ual in 1934 than in any previous year of the period.
T

able

R .—

Disposition o f case in boys’ and girls’ delinquency cases disposed o f by SO
courts that reported throughout the period 1929-84 1
Delinquency cases disposed of

Disposition of case, and sex of child
1929

1930

1931

1932

Total cases.

37,731

38,536

37,073

33, 707

33,563

33,125

Boys’ cases..

31,348

32,342

31,365

28,767

28,885

28,156

14,333
9,758
3,119
1,128
1,825
1,182
3

15,830
9,370
3,197
1,213
1,601
1,128
3

15,305
9,349
2,992
1,119
1,087
1,502
11

14, 775
8,346
2,552
1,061
692
1,340
1

15,669
7,994
2,436
1,081
484
1,221

13,793
8,735
2,844
1,075
380
1,321
8

6,383

6,194

5,708

4,940

4,678

4,969

2,262
1,921
1,238
568
47
341
6

2,316
1,842
1,190
439
39
365
3

2,185
1,650
1,095
419
28
330
1

1,840
1,536
882
382
29
270
1

1,912
1,355
806
340
14
251

1,927
1,359
848
532
22
280
1

Dismissed, adjusted, or held open without further
action_______________________________ ____ ____
Child supervised by probation officer. .” 111111” ! " I !
Child committed or referred to an institution_______
Child committed or referred to an agency or individual
Restitution, fine, or costs ordered___________________
Other disposition of case______________ . . . I . ' I I I I I "
Disposition not reported................................ .................
Girls’ cases..
Dismissed, adjusted, or held open without further
action_____________________________________________
Child supervised by probation officer___
Child committed or referred to an institution________
Child committed or referred to an agency or individual.
Restitution, fine, or costs ordered___________________
Other disposition of case................ ...................I I ..¿ .I l l
Disposition not reported________________ ____III'IIIC..

1933

1934

i includes only official cases for Franklin County, Ohio, and Pierce County, Wash., because these courts
did not report unofficial cases every year.

Study of the disposition of cases in the individual courts (table R l)
shows that the smaller number of cases dismissed, adjusted, or held
open without further action in 1934 as compared with 1933 was due
primarily to the marked drop in the number so disposed of by the
New York City court— 2,704 cases in 1934 as compared with 4,308 in
1933. Thirteen other courts, however, including Philadelphia, dis­
missed fewer cases during the year. On the other hand, 16 courts dis­
posed of more cases by these methods in 1934 than in 1933. Among
the courts in which a markedly larger number of cases (150 or more)
were dismissed, adjusted, or held open without further action in 1934
than in 1933 were Bridgeport, Conn,; Polk County, Iowa; and Erie
County, N. Y.

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T

able

R I .— N u m b e r o f d elin q u en cy cases, classified b y t y p e o f d isp o sitio n , d isp o sed o f b y 3 0 courts that served sp ecified areas a n d that reported
throughout the p erio d 1 9 2 9 - 3 4

00

to

Type of disposition
Area served by court

Case dismissed, adjusted, or held open with­
out further action
1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1 Includes dismissed cases not reported prior to 1933.
2 Includes only official cases because court did not report unofficial cases every year.


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1929

1930

1931

11,679 11,212 10,999
3
13
29
312
443
237
182
45
126
625
705
691

1932
9,882
44
207
186
585

1933

1934

9,349 10,094
57
65
211
156
104
134
578
656

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

4,357
121
72
52
86

4,387
118
91
27
79

4,087
80
87
28
84

3,434

3,242

3,692

71
67
31
107

63
62
24
103

119
101
22
131

58
314
74
21
132

126
229
161
7
177

113
169
183
70
218

71
226
164
75
196

90
208
161
61
159

113
275
123
18
124

60
111
91
66
122

113
102
8i
98
137

84
41
59
84
121

68
97
53
61
137

24
88
35
101
135

38
113
31
115
124

586
256

510
305

490
217

335
295

444
253

522
323

279
93

280
128

270
92

271
94

284
103

279
83

313
345

391
388

319
359

206
249

198
251

205
318

249
76

473
53

523
77

372
34

320
42

315
46

299
181
3,091
9
397

288
128
3,118
15
314

285
157
3,116
13
272

250
100
2,916
32
244

217
76
2,612
22
246

254
86
2,826
62
261

165
50
810
39
46

157
40
734
39
26

156
44
733
39
24

64
26
536
19
27

71
29
508
18
27

91
40
619
23
27

220
352
240
239
104

231
297
255
109
314

261
403
283
128
400

251
340
314
81
309

238
329
286
89
336

253
329
320
69
424

182
166
111
87
99

238
127
139
113
117

225
171
109
75
121

154
125
113
83
72

125
144
67
69
103

130
146
89
60
102

940
6
1,859
30
173
288
20

951
68
936
49
271
308
70

751
47
793
47
512
285
25

638
54
805
40
304
356
9

570
54
762
46
359
326
6

643
58
791
52
331
288
15

219
23
576
18
177
47
64

167
26
505
13
67
34
65

100
27
438
11
44
66
74

154
21
422
7
36
67
45

167
23
381
18
30
46
32

232
17
443
14
33
64
45

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

Total cases______________________ 16,595 18,146 17,490 16,615 17,581 15,720
42
23
30
66
52
26
Alabama: Mobile County______________
894
989
969 1,035
California: San Diego County__________
917 1,112
182
237
371
315
217
197
Connecticut: Bridgeport (city)_________
716
District of Columbia___________________
881
657
585
499
679
Indiana:
60
46
128
146
Lake County_______ ____ _________
56
106
444
401
384
481
Marion County_____ ______________
456
516
321
537
473
186
269
385
Iowa: Polk County____________________
100
212
111
100
113
128
Louisiana: Caddo Parish______________
133
162
209
165
149
188
Michigan: Kent C o u n ty______________
Minnesota:
221
415
323
202
255
238
Hennepin County__________ :______
42
83
67
36
Ramsey County..____ ____________
38
49
New Jersey:
302
305
850
600
331
705
Hudson County___________________
i 122
i 115
10
7
8
8
Mercer County____________ _______
New York:
874
302
534
200
631
787
Erie County............. ............. .............
46
16
38
57
New York (city)___________________ 3,294 3,468 3,048 3,620 4,308 2,704
103
253
334
169
130
85
Rensselaer County..............................
63
388
69
69
78
207
Westchester County.................... .......
Ohio:
24
33
45
33
23
31
Franklin County 2_________________
983 1,070 1,146 1,156 1,120
987
Hamilton County............ ...................
Mahoning County_________________ 1,415 1,408 1,325 1,453 1,397 1,245
280
243
226
229
Montgomery County______________
358
306
Oregon: Multnomah County...................
569
648
629
348
476
438
Pennsylvania:
1
6
3
1
1
2
25
Philadelphia (city and county)____ 3,663 4,974 5,172 4,580 4,752 4,222
23
35
27
40
33
49
South Carolina: Greenville County____
446
681
337
567
518
497
Utah: Third district.. . _________ ____ _
213
273
353
272
197
236
Virginia: Norfolk (c ity )................ ..........
62
2
16
46
77
38
Washington: Pierce County2______ __

Child committed or referred to an institution

Child supervised by probation officer

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

33

The total number of cases in which the child was placed under the
supervision of a probation officer was 8 percent greater in 1934 than
in 1933. Twenty-two of the individual courts placed a larger number
of children on probation in 1934 than in the preceding year.
The use of institutional care was more frequent in 1934 than in 1933.
In the group of courts as a whole the number of children committed
or referred to institutions in 1934 was 14 percent greater than in 1933.
Nineteen courts disposed of more cases by commitment or referral of
the child to an institution, one court disposed of exactly the same
number in both years, and 10 courts disposed of fewer cases bv this
method.
PREVIOUS COURT EXPERIENCE

For the year 1934 tabulations have been prepared for 29 of the 30
courts 7 showing the age, race, and reason for reference to court of
children who were dealt with for the first time in delinquency cases
and for the children who had been dealt with previously in delinquency
cases disposed of by the court. The analysis presented includes only
cases of children 7 to 15 years of ago for whom information was
obtained as to whether or not the child had ever been dealt with pre­
viously in a delinquency case. Cases of children 16 years of age and
over were excluded from the analysis because not all the courts have
original jurisdiction over children of these ages. The tabulations
include 18,008 cases of boys (14,574 cases of white boys and 3,434
cases of Negro boys) and 3,196 cases of girls (2,370 cases of white
girls and 826 cases of Negro girls). They include 12,601 cases of
boys and 2,601 cases of girls which involved children who had had
no previous court experience and 5,407 cases of boys and 595 cases of
girls in which the children had been dealt with previously by the
court in delinquency cases. The previous delinquency cases of the
children who had had previous court experience occurred either in
1934 or in earlier years. No information is available with regard to
the cases which would show either age at date of reference to court
or the reason for reference of the previous delinquency case.
Of the children dealt with in delinquency cases, boys more frequently
than girls had had previous court experience. Among the boys’
cases 70 percent and among the girls’ cases 81 percent were cases in
which the child had had no previous case disposed of (chart II).
In other words, 30 percent of all boys’ cases and 19 percent of all
girls’ cases were cases in which the child had had court experience
previously in 1934 or in earlier years. A larger proportion of the
cases of white boys (73 percent) than of Negro boys (58 percent)
were first delinquency cases. The difference in the relative frequency
of first court experience for both white and Negro girls was smaller
than for either white or Negro boys; 83 percent of the cases of white
girls and 78 percent of the cases of Negro girls were first delinquency
cases. But Negro girls dealt with by the courts had been involved
in previous delinquency cases more frequently than white girls.
Table S shows the age distribution and previous court experience of
white and of Negro boys and girls dealt with by the courts in delin­
quency cases. In every group the great majority of the cases (60
7
The courts included are all those that cooperated each year of the period 1929-34 except Philadelphia,
which reports to the Children’s Bureau not through cards but through tables from which information in
the same detail as for other courts consequently could not be brought together.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

34

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

percent or more) were those of children 13 to 15 years of age; a much
larger proportion of the girls (79 percent) than of the boys (69 percent) were of these older ages. Among both white and Negro boys
and girls the children of these older ages formed a larger proportion
of the children who had had previous court experience than of the
children who had had no previous court experience. The white boys
were of these ages in 67 percent of the cases of those dealt with for
the first time and in 79 percent of those who had been dealt with
previously; the Negro boys, in 60 percent of the cases of those dealt
Chart II.— Previous court experience of white and of Negro boys and girls 7 to 15 years
of age dealt with in delinquency cases disposed of by 29 courts in 1934
P ercen t

0

--------------- —

,

20

40
I

60

80

I--------------------------------1

tOO

-------------- »

WKifc« and Negro-boys
(IS,0 08 c a s e s )

White boys
(14,574. c a s e s )

Negro boys
(3,434 c a s e s )

White and Negro girls
(3,196 c a s e s )

White girls
(2 ,3 7 0 c a s e s )

Negro girls
(8 2 6 ca se s)

Previous
Court experience

N o p r e v io u s
c o u r t e x p e r ie n c e

with for the first time and in 69 percent of those dealt with pre­
viously. The white girls were in this age group in 78 percent of
the cases of those dealt with for the first time and in 88 percent of
those dealt with previously; the Negro girls, in 77 percent of the
cases of those dealt with for the first time and in 84 percent of those
dealt with previously.
In cases of boys with as well as those without previous court ex­
perience the reason for reference was generally stealing or acts of
carelessness or mischief (table T ). For both white and Negro boys JP
stealing was the reason for reference in a larger proportion of cases in
which the boy had been dealt with previously than of those in which
he was dealt with for the first time. Acts of carelessness or mischief,
however, constituted the reason for reference in a larger proportion

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35

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

of cases of both white and Negro boys dealt with for the first time
than in cases of boys dealt with previously. The proportion of cases
referred for other reasons was relatively small, and the differences
between first and previous court experiences were too slight for sound
conclusions. However, for both white and Negro boys there was a
slightly larger percentage of cases of truancy and for white boys a
slightly larger percentage referred for being ungovernable among
those having previous court experience than among those dealt with
for the first time.
T

S.— A ge when referred to court and previous court experience o f white and
Negro hoys and girls; delinquency cases o f boys and girls 7 to 15 years o f age fo r
whom a report was obtained as to previous court experience in cases disposed o f bv
29 courts 1 in 1934

able

Delinquency cases disposed of
Boys
Age of child when
referred to court

White

Girls
Negro

White

Total

No pre­ Previ­ No pre­ Previ­
vious
ous
vious
ous
court
court
court
court
experi­ experi­ experi­ experi­
ence
ence
ence
ence

Total_______

18,008

10,608

3,966

1,993

7 years____________
8 y e a rs.......... ........
9 years. . . . _____
10 years__________
11 years. ________
12 years _______ .
13 years__________
14 years. ________
15 years...................

134
271
592
1,036
1,336
2,204
3,071
4,313
5,051

101
200
403
674
802
1,324
1,755
2,436
2,913

13
17
55
138
224
385
665
1,108
1,361

20
48
89
150
204
277
357
414
434

Total

Negro

No pre­ Previ­ No pre­ Previ­
vious
ous
vious
ous
court
court
court
court
experi­ experi­ experi­ experi­
ence
ence
ence
ence

1,441

3,196

1,960

410

641

185

6
45
74
106
218
294
355
343

22
51
76
110
139
258
510
877
1,153

17
38
52
77
82
167
286
527
714

2
3
7
9
11
17
64
123
174

10
15
20
37
60
130
170
196

2
4
9
14
30
57
69

Percent distribution
Total_______

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

7 years____________
8 yea rs...................
9 years _________
10 years ________
11 years___________
12 years___________
13 years__________
14 years. _____ . .
15 y ea rs.............

.7
1.5
3.3
5.8
7.4
12.2
17.1
24.0
28.0

1.0
1.9
3.8
6.4
7.6
12.5
16.5
23.0
27.5

.3
.4
1.4
3.5
5.6
9.7
16.8
27.9
34.3

1.0
2.4
4.5
7.5
10.2
13.9
17.9
20.8
21.8

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

.4
3.1
5.1
7.4
15.1
20.4
24.6
23.8

.7
1.6
2.4
3.4
4.3
8.1
16.0
27.4
36.1

^9
1.9
2.7
3.9
4.2
8.5
14.6
26.9
36.4

.7
1.7
2.2
2.7
4.1
15.6
30.0
42.4

1.6
2.3
3.1
5.8
9.4
20.3
26.5
30.6

1.1
2.2
4.9
7.6
16.2
30.8
37.3

1 All the courts that served areas with 100,000 or more population and that cooperated throughout the
period 1929-34 except Philadelphia, which did not furnish this information.

Among girls the group of closely allied offenses— truancy, running
away, being ungovernable, and sex offenses— accounted for almost
three-fourths of the cases disposed of. (See table T .) Cases of
these types formed a larger proportion of the cases both of white
and of Negro girls who had been dealt with in previous delinquency
cases (83 and 81 percent, respectively) than of those who had not
been dealt with in previous delinquency cases (72 and 70 percent,
respectively).


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JU VENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

36

In the group referred for truancy, running away, and being un­
governable, the boys who had had no previous court experience were
13 to 15 years of age in about the same proportion of cases as were
those who had been dealt with previously (71 and 72 percent, re­
spectively). (See table U l.) However, among those referred for
acts of carelessness or mischief and for stealing, the boys were of these
older ages in a larger proportion of the cases involving previous court
experience (acts of carelessness or mischief, 74 percent, and stealing,
78 percent) than in cases of boys dealt with for the first time (acts ol
carelessness or mischief, 59 percent, and stealing, 67 percent).
T

T . — Reason for reference to court and previous court experience o f white and
Nearo boys and girls; delinquency cases o f boys and girls 7 to 15 years o f a4 eJ ° r
whom a report was obtained as to previous court experience m cases disposed of by
29 courts1 in 1934

able

Delinquency cases disposed of
Girls

Boys

Negro

White

Negro

White
Reason for reference to court
No
Total previ­
ous
court
expe­
rience

Previ­
ous
court
expe­
rience

No
No
No
Previ­ Total previ­ Previ­ previ­
previ­
ous
ous
ous
ous
ous
court
court
court expe­ court
court
expe­
expe­ rience expe­
expe­ rience
rience
rience
rience

Previ­
ous
court
expe­
rience

Total cases..................... 18,008 10,608

3,966

1,993

1,441

3,196

1,960

410

641

185

4,825
3,014
109
456
689
757
182
269
206
101

2,196
635
26
330
239
376
43
39
61
21

1,026
376
4
45
128
214
34
109
24
33

904
151
4
69
100
151
12
36
7
7

394
284
8
308
619
920
437
83
46
97

279
179
8
227
409
489
258
27
37
47

31
28

67
66

17
11

46
87
147
58
5
4
4

26
81
213
99
45
5
39

9
42
71
22
6

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

7.6
6.9

11.1
11.0

9.6
6.2

11.3
21.4
36.2
14.3
1.2
1.0

4.3
13.5
35.4
16.4
7.5
.8

5.1
23.6
39.9
12.4
3.4

Stealing............................ - - - - Act of carelessness or mischieL
Traffic violation------------------Truancy....................................
Running away......................—
U ngovernable...........- ..........
Sex offense................................
Injury to person-------- ---------Other reason.......... - ................
Reason not reported-------------

8,951
4,176
143
900
1,156
1,498
271
453
298
162

7

Percent distribution

Total cases___________
Stealing..........................
Act of carelessness or mischief.
Traffic violation------------------Truancy..----------- ---------------Running away--------------------Ungovernable______________
Sex offense................................
Injury to person----------- ------Other reason------ ------------------

100.0
50.2
23.4
.8
5.0
6.5
8.4
1.5
2.5
1.7

100.0
45.9
28.7
1.0
4.3
6.6
7.2
1.7
2.6
2.0

100.0
55.7
16.1
.7
8.4
6.1
9.5
1.1
1.0
1.5

100.0
52.3
19.2
.2
2.3
6.5
10.9
1.7
5.6
1.2

100.0
63.0
10.5
.3
4.8
7.0
10.5
.8
2.5
.5

100.0
12.7
9.2
.3
9.9
20.0
29.7
14.1
2.7
1.5

14.6
9.4
.4
11.9
21.4
25.6
13.5
1.4
1.9

i All the courts that served areas with 100,000 or more population and that cooperated throughout the
period 1929-34 except Philadelphia, which did not furnish this information.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

37

JU VEN ILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

Girls who had had previous court experience who were referred on
account of such offenses as truancy, running away, being ungovern­
able, and sex offenses were on the whole a little older than girls dealt
with for the first time on these charges (table U2). The differences
in percentage, however, were small. Cases of girls 13 to 15 years of
age comprised 90 percent of the cases in which the girls had had
previous court experience and 85 percent of the cases in which the
girls had had no previous court experience. The number of cases of
girls with previous court experience referred for other reasons, such
as stealing and acts of carelessness and mischief, were too few to
warrant consideration by age.
T

U l .— A ge when referred to court, reason fo r reference, and previous court
experience o f boys; delinquency cases o f boys 7 to 15 years o f age fo r whom a report
was obtained as to previous court experience in cases disposed o f by 29 courts 1 in

able

Boys’ delinquency cases
Reason for reference to court

Stealing

Age of boy when
referred to court

Act of care­
lessness or
mischief

Truancy, run­
ning away,
being ungov­
ernable

All other
reasons

Reason not
reported

Total
No
No
No
No
No
Pre­
Pre­
Pre­
Pre­
Pre­
pre­
pre­
pre­
pre­
pre­
vious vious vious vious vious vious vious vious vious vious
court
court
court
court
court
court
court
court
court
court
expe­ expe­ expe­ expe­ expe­ expe­ expe­ expe­ expe­ expe­
rience rience rience rience rience rience rience rience rience rience
Total............... . 18,008
7 years.........................
8 years_____ ________
9 years............. ..........
10 years_____________
11 years_____________
12 years......... ..............
13 years_____________
14 years.____ _______
16 years_____________

134
271
692
1,036
1,336
2,204
3,071
4, 313
6,051

5,851

3,100

3,390

786

2,289

1,265

937

228

134

28

36
82
205
365
462
774
1,054
1,373
1,500

5
13
41
118
186
330
548
845
1,014

45
97
170
264
327
497
537
711
742

3
3
20
34
48
94
160
204
220

21
43
85
135
161
212
365
555
712

5
7
37
58
86
160
209
345
358

17
23
28

1

4

1

136
191
331

37
58
101

20
20
62

5
11
11

100.0

100.0

.9
4.4
8.3
16.2
25.4
44.3

1.5
2.2
3.0
4.5
3.0
9.7
14.9
14.9
46.3

52

Percent distribution
Total............. .
7 years.................. .
8 years.......................
9 years______________
10 years_____________
11 years_____________
12 years_____________
13 years_____________
14 years___________ .
15 years................... .

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

.7
1.5
3.3
5.8
7.4
12.2
17.1
24.0
28.0

.6
1.4
3.5
6.2
7.9
13.2
18.0
23.5
25.6

.2
.4
1.3
3.8
6.0
10.6
17.7
27.3
32.7

1.3
2.9
5.0
7.8
9.6
14.7
15.8
21.0
21.9

.4
.4
2.5
4.3
6.1
12.0
20.4
26.0
28.0

.9
1.9
3.7
5.9
7.0
9.3
15.9
24.2
31.1

.4
.6
2.9
4.6
6.8
12.6
16.5
27.3
28.3

1.8
2.5
3.0
5.8
5.5
11.2
14.5
20.4
35.3

(»)

1 All the courts that served areas with 100,000 or more population and that cooperated throughout the
period 1929-34 except Philadelphia, which did not furnish this information.
8 Not shown because number of cases was less than 60.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

38
T

JU VENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

U 2 . — Age when referred to court, reason fo r reference, and 'previous court
experience o f girls; delinquency cases o f girls 7 to 15 years o f age fo r whom a report
was obtained as to previous court experience in cases disposed of by 29 courts m
1934

able

Girls’ delinquency cases
Reason for reference to court

Act of care­
lessness or
mischief

Stealing

Age of girl when
referred to court

Truancy, run­
ning away,
being ungov­
ernable,
sex offense

Reason not
reported

All other
reasons

Total
No
No
No
Pre­
Pre­
Pre­
pre­
pre­
pre­
vious
vious
vious
vious court vious court vious court
court
court expe­ court expe­
expe­
expe­ rience expe­ rience expe­ rience
rience
rience
rience

No
pre­
vious
court
expe­
rience

Pre­
vious
court
expe­
rience

No
pre­
vious
court
expe­
rience

Pre­
vious
court
expe­
rience

48

245

39

1,802

482

122

15

3
3
15
14
13

8
15
16
25
18
27
47
44
45

2
1
3
2
4
4
3
14
6

7
23
27
39
59
122
272
523
730

2
5
10
12
21
72
144
216

2
4
3
7
8
18
22
26
32

1
1
3
2

Total_________

3,196

346

15 years.................. - -

51
76
110
139
258
510
877
1,153

3
5
17
25
27
53
64
82
70

ii

86
1
4
1
7
7

i

n

2
3
5

22
33

5

3

Percent distribution

Total............. .

100.0

100.0

J)

15 years..- - - - - - - - - - —

1 ft
2 4
3 4
4 3
8 1
1ft 0
27 4
36.1

1.4
4.9
7.2
7.8
15.3
18. 5
23. 7
20.2

00

100.0
3.3
6.1
6. 5
10.2
7.3
11.0
19.2
18.0
18.4

(0

100.0

100.0

100.0

.4
1.0
2.1
2.5
4.4
14.9
29.9
44.8

1.6
3.3
2.5
5.7
6.6
14.8
18.0
21.3
26.2

.4
1.3
1.5
2.2
3.3
6.8
15.1
29.0
40.5

(2)

100.0

(2)

1.2
4.7
1.2
8.1
8.1
12.8
25.6
38.4

» All the courts that served areas with 100,000 or more population and that cooperated throughout the
period 1929-34 except Philadelphia, which did not furnish this information.
* Not shown because number of cases was less than 60.

T R E N D S IN D E PEN D E N CY AN D NEGLECT CASES

Twenty-eight courts have reported dependency and neglect cases
throughout the period 1929-34 (table V ). The number of dependency
and neglect cases and the percentage change in each year as compared
with the preceding year in cases disposed of by these 28 courts were as
follows:

Year

Number

14,863
15,012
14,473


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Percent in­
crease (+ )
or decrease
(—) as com­
pared with
preceding
year

+1
-4

Year

1932— ........ - ................... .
1933_____________________
1934............... ................... -

Number

13,188
12,810
13,030

Percent in­
crease (+ )
or decrease
(—) as com­
pared with
preceding
year
-9
-3
+2

39

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

In 1934 more dependency and neglect cases were disposed of than
in 1933, but the number of cases was less than in 1932 and every other
prior year. The 1934 number was 13 percent less than in 1930, the
year in which the maximum number of dependency and neglect cases
was disposed of by the 28 courts, and 12 percent less than in 1929,
the first year of the period under review. In 1934, 17 of these 28
courts disposed of more, and 11 courts of fewer cases of dependency
and neglect than in 1933. The difference in the number of cases
disposed of, however, by most courts was small. Of courts disposing
of 100 or more cases in 1933, only 6 (Marion County, Ind.; Polk
County, Iowa; Ramsey County, Minn.; Monroe County, N. Y .;
Montgomery County, Ohio; and Multnomah County, Oreg.) showed
increases of 10 percent or more, and only 8 (San Diego County, Calif.;
District of Columbia; Erie, Rensselaer, and Westchester Counties,
N. Y .; Franklin and Hamilton Counties, Ohio; and Allegheny County,
Pa.) showed decreases of 10 percent or more in the number of cases
disposed of in 1934 as compared with 1933.
T

able

V .—

Number o f dependency and neglect cases disposed o f by 28 specified
courts that reported throughout the period 1929-84
Dependency and neglect cases disposed of
Area served by court

Total cases________ __________
Alabama: Mobile County_________
California: San Diego County_____
Connecticut: Bridgeport (city)____
District of Columbia_______ ______
Indiana:
Lake C o u n ty ............... ..............
Marion Comity_______________
Iowa: Polk County_______________
Louisiana: Caddo Parish__________
Michigan: Kent County................
Minnesota:
Hennepin County_____________
Eamsey County______________
New York:
Erie County.................................
Monroe County.................... .......
New York (city)______________
Rensselaer County____________
Westchester County................. .
Ohio:
Franklin County1.......................
Hamilton County_____________
Mahoning County____________
Montgomery County_________
Oregon: Multnomah County.........
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County____________
Montgomery County_________
Philadelphia (city and county) _
South Carolina: Greenville County
Utah: Third district______________
Virginia: Norfolk (city)___________
Washington: Pierce County1_____

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

14,863

15,012

14,473

13,188

12,810

13,030

9
438
70
348

4
395
51
315

5
349
49
297

6

20
393
58
256

27
336
133
227

246
282
631
107
279

326
282
559
53
338

225
242
404
155
275

173
260
278
236

150
189
354
190
184

159
410
433
188
195

343
138

349
115

296
193

344
125

331
192

335
227

140
284
3,891
187
270

148
228
3,890
161
394

178
192
4,173
162
438

136
175
4,230
146
532

140
103
4,402
124
556

65
127
4,492
107
338

659
468
292
385
443

462
442
214
321
475

280
371
188
348
646

217
344
137
266
423

240
274
151
285
685

187
246
142
357
840

756
13
3,670
114
130
209
61

970
10
4,060
74
175
152
49

909
7
3,654
58
172
159
48

705
29
2,966
53
171
180
44

763
55
2,347
87
109
118
54

532
63
2,481
98
118
124
43

437
71
303

202

1934

1 Includes only official cases because court did not report unofficial cases every year.

Si

General economic and social conditions are reflected in the number
of dependency and neglect cases reported by courts, but community
conditions have varied widely, and the factors operating in the local
communities obviously were the main determinants of the number of
dependency and neglect cases referred to and disposed of by the
individual courts during the period.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

40

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

During some years of the period under review factors associated
with the depression, such as the ability of the family to secure employ­
ment, the availability of relief from public and private sources, and
the funds that have come into the communities in the form of work
programs, have unquestionably affected the number of dependency
and neglect cases. In some communities there has been a tendency
to provide social treatment for cases without recourse to the court.
In many communities the pressure of emergency relief and welfare
problems due to the depression has made it impossible to take cogni­
zance of situations which in more normal times would have been
brought to the attention of the courts.
Tables W , X , and Y show the age distribution of the children, the
marital status of the parents and the place where the child was living
when referred to court, and the disposition of the cases for the group of
courts during the period 1929-34. Table Z shows the number of
children committed or referred to institutions, agencies, or individuals
by each of the 28 courts during the period under review.
T

able

W .— A ge o f child when referred to court in dependency and neglect cases
disposed o f by 28 courts that reported throughout the period 1929—84 1
Dependency and neglect cases disposed of

Age of child when referred to court
1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

Total cases_____________ __________

14,863

15,012

14,473

13,188

12,810

13,030

Under 2 years........................... ..................
2 years, under 4_____________________
..
4 years, under 6-------------- -----------------------6 years, under 8_______________________
8 years, under 10________________________
10 years, under 12------- ---------------------------12 years, under 14_______________________
14 years, under 16------- - ------------------------16 years and over________________________
Not reported_______ - . . . ---------------------

1,764
1,930
1,982
2,042
2,077
1,697
1,651
1,265
206
249

1,843
1,841
1,946
2,037
2,103
1,790
1,660
1,348
222
222

1,799
1,692
1,760
1,915
1,972
1,881
1,498
1,266
207
483

1,653
1, 636
1,716
1,742
1,738
1,641
1,458
1,140
257
207

1,516
1,549
1,547
1,774
1,771
1,607
1,474
1,211
303
58

1,611
1,407
1,567
1,690
1, 820
1,725
1,638
1,250
280
42

1934

1 Includes only official cases for Franklin County, Ohio, and Pierce County, Wash., because these courts
did not report unofficial cases every year.
T

X .— Marital status o f parents and place child was living when referred to
court in dependency and neglect cases disposed o f by 28 courts that reported through­
out the period 1929-84 1

able

Marital status of parents and place child was living
when referred to court

Dependency and neglect cases disposed of
1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

14,863

15,012

14,473

13,188

12,810

13,030

12,220

13,376

12,386

10,956

10,521

10,906

Child living in own home----------- ------------------------

9,540

10,404

9,544

8,412

7,929

8,166

With both own parents___________ __________
With one parent and a stepparent.. ____ .
With one parent only..................................... .

3,022
447
6,071

3,295
493
6,616

3,141
401
6,002

3,121
320
4,971

2,840
351
4,738

2,970
367
4,829

Father dead_____________________________
Mother dead..__________ ________________
Parents divorced________________________
Father deserting mother________________
Mother deserting father_________________
Parents not married to each other----------Parents living apart for other or not
specified reasons__________________ ____

693
1,097
420
1,055
541
495

753
1,073
329
1,248
517
607

708
853
340
967
436
693

515
764
295
689
332
572

509
753
311
619
323
516

614
760
379
459
309
552

Total c a s e s .-------- ------------------------------------------Marital status and place reported..----------------------- -

1934

1,770

2,089

2,005

1,804

1,707

1,756

Child living in other place______________________

2,680

2,972

2,842

2,544

2,592

2,740

Marital status and place not reported.. ____________

2,643

1,636

2,087

2,232

2,289

2,124

1 Includes only official cases for Franklin County, Ohio, and Pierce County, Wash., because these courts
did not report unofficial cases every year.


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41

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
T

able

Y .— Disposition o f case in dependency and neglect cases disposed of by 28
courts that reported throughout the period 1929—34 1
Dependency and neglect cases disposed of
Disposition of case

Total cases______ ________________________ ____
Dismissed, adjusted, or held open without further
action__________________________________ ___________
Child supervised by probation officer________________
Child committed or referred to institution___________
Child committed or referred to agency or individual-.
Other disposition of case____________________________

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

14,863

15,012

14,473

13,188

12,810

13,030

4,181
3,036
3,283
4,192
162
9

4,537
3,057
3,252
3,930
232
4

4,111
2,918
3,197
4,032
214
1

4,535
2,572
2,636
3,232
213

4,330
2,540
2,849
2,846
245

4,251
2,425
2,878
3,261
197
18

1934

1 Includes only official cases for Franklin County, Ohio, and Pierce County, Wash., because these courts
did not report unofficial cases every year.
T

Z .— Number o f dependency and neglect cases o f children committed or referred
to institutions, agencies, or individuals disposed of by 28 specified courts that
reported throughout the period 1929-34

able

Area served by court

Dependency and neglect cases of children com­
mitted or referred to institutions, agencies, or
individuals
1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

Total cases------------------------- --------------------- ---------

7,475

7,182

7,229

5,868

5,695

6,139

Alabama: Mobile,County....... .........................................
California: San Diego County----------------- -----------------Connecticut: Bridgeport (city)................................. .......
District of Columbia..........................................................
Indiana:
Lake County.............. ..................................................
Marion County---------------------- ------- --------------------Iowa: Polk County............... ..................... .......................
Louisiana: Caddo Parish------------------------ ------- ------Michigan: Kent County........................ ...........................
Minnesota:
Hennepin County........ — ----------------------------------Ramsey County_________________________________
New York:
Erie County------------------------------- -----------------------Monroe County-------------------------------- - ------- --------New York (city)-------------- ------------- --------------------Rensselaer County---------------------------- -----------------Westchester County.......... ..................... ...................
Ohio:
Franklin County1---------------------------------------------Hamilton County------------------------------------- ---------Mahoning County_____________ _________________
Montgomery County---------- ---------- ------------- ------Oregon: Multnomah County............ ..............................
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County-----------------------------------------------

4
54
46
217

4
88
29
226

5
60
33
248

5
92
61
273

13
66
40
226

17
40
92
213

167
272
310
90
' 81

197
277
292
51
121

147
201
130
117
109

129
208
141
96
65

79
140
151
113
31

71
309
121
123
53

162
59

253
90

235
181

288
107

292
186

301
206

104
261
1,161
159
176

136
187
1,198
140
207

147
175
1,590
147
234

94
130
1,027
109
381

92
74
1,393
89
407

46
112
1,688
, 68
228

564
204
205
215
189

393
357
143
199
216

216
269
141
232
217

196
265
81
185
165

222
202
118
192
267

183
204
90
218
294

441
13
2,052
55
107
83
24

58
4
2,082
33
89
73
39

38
2,159
26
62
73
37

67
23
1,441
21
85
92
41

117
16
1,008
19
46
50
46

43
2
1,242
21
61
51
42

Philadelphia (city and county)-------------- ------- -----South Carolina: Greenville C o u n t y .---------------------Utah: Third district--------------------------------- ------- --------Virginia: Norfolk (city)--------------------------------------------Washington: Pierce County1-------------- ---------------------

i Includes only official cases because court did not report unofficial cases every year.


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1934

SUMMARY TABLES— JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
DELINQUENCY CASES

T a b l e 1.— Age under which juvenile court has original jurisdiction and age when

referred to court o f boys and girls dealt with in delinquency cases disposed of by
291 courts in 1984 1
Delinquency cases
Age under which juvenile court has original jurisdiction 3
Age of child when
referred to court

Total
16 years

17 years

18 years

21 years

Boys

Girls

Boys

Girls

Boys

Girls

Boys

Girls

Boys

Total cases............. 57,417

9,234

28,562

3,543

11,851

1,205

15,311

4,161

1,693

325

Under 10 years_________
3,088
3,144
10 years________________
4,082
11 years________________
12 years............ .............. . .
6,169
13 years_________________ 7,968
14 years__________ ______ 11,097
15 years________________ 12,039
16 years_________________ 6,481
2,954
17 years..............................
214
18 years and over_______
181
Not reported-................. .

370
264
348
621
1,066
1,899
2,421
1,399
732
83
31

1,874
1,883
2,413
3,637
4,568
6,492
6,786
707
91
19
92

182
118
166
304
518
926
1,146
134
31
5
13

402
543
802
1,186
1,574
2,199
2,460
2,601
58
15
11

31
30
41
70
146
262
321
295
6
3

759
683
826
1,255
1,713
2,191
2,528
2,769
2,390
119
78

147
110
137
234
381
669
895
896
638
36
18

53
35
41
91
113
215
265
404
415
61

10
6
4
13
21
42
59
74
57
39

Girls

1 Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, 284 reported boys’ cases and 256 reported girls’ cases.
3 Some courts have jurisdiction under special circumstances beyond the age specified; also courts occa­
sionally deal informally with children who are just beyond the age of juvenile-court jurisdiction.

T a b l e 2. — Age when referred to court o f white and colored boys and girls dealt

with in delinquency cases disposed o f by 65 courts in 1984 1
Delinquency cases
Boys
Age of child when referred
to court

Girls
Colored

White

White

Colored

Total
Num­ Percent Num­ Percent Num­ Percent Num­ Percent
distri­
distri­
distri­
distri­
ber
ber
ber
ber
bution
bution
bution
bution
Total cases...... ..........
Age reported...... .............. .
Under 10 y ears.............
10 years_____ _________
11 years_______________
12 years.......................
13 years_______________
14 years_______________
15 years.................. ........
16 years_______________
17 years....................... .
18 years and over______

52,538

34,715

52,332

34, .580

100

10,194
10,153

100

5,673

100

1,926

100

2,609
2,624
3,291
5,214
7,072
10,358
11,408
5,842
3,617
297

1,749
1,733
2,154
3,352
4,545
6,694
7,620
3,927
2,625
181

5
5
6
10
13
19
22
11
8
1

571
685
876
1,358
1,648
2,097
1,799
776
310
33

6
7
9
13
16
21
18
8
3
(s)

220
148
174
326
657
1,122
1,513
949
589
75

4
3
3
6
10
20
27
17
10
1

69
58
87
178
322
445
476
190
93
8

4
3
5
9
17
23
25
10
5

206

135

41

5,695

22

1,934

(2)

8

1 Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished infor­
mation for correlating age and color.
3 Less than 1 percent.

42

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43

SUMMARY TABLES

T a b l e 3.— Color and nativity o f boys and girls dealt with in delinquency cases

disposed o f by 65 courts and by 25 courts that served areas with 10,000 or more
Negro population 1 in 1934 2
Delinquency cases
Courts reporting nativity and color
serving areas with 10,000 or more
Negro population *

All courts reporting nativity and
colora
Color and nativity of
child

Boys
Total
Num­
ber

Girls

Girls

Boys

Per­
Total
Per­
cent Num­ cent
distri­ ber
distri­
bution
bution

Num­
ber

Per­
Per­
cent Num­ cent
distri­
ber
distri­
bution
bution

Total cases............. 52,538

44,909

100

7,629

100

35,334

30,418

100

4,916

40,410

34,715

77

5,695

75

24,434

21,200

70

3,234

66

Native born________ 39,098
Foreign born________
736
Nativity not reported.
676

33,553
624
538

75
1
1

5,545
112
38

73
1
(*)

23,417
514
503

20,289
440
471

67
1
2

3,128
74
32

64
2
1

10,194

23

1,934

25

10,900

9,218

30

1,682

34

10,133
61

23
(3)

1,913
21

25
(8)

10,889
11

9,210
8

30
(8)

1,679
3

34

White.................................

Colored_________________ 12,128
Negro.......... ................
Other_______________

12,046
82

100

(8)

i According to the 1930 census.
s Of:the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished in­
formation on nativity and color; of the courts reporting nativity and color, only 25 served areas with 10,000
or more Negro population.
8 Less than 1 percent.

T a b l e 4. — Parent nativity o f native white boys and girls dealt with in delinquency

cases disposed o f by 65 courts in 1934 1
Delinquency cases of native white children
Boys

Girls

Parent nativity
Total
Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

5,545

39,098

33,553

Parent nativity reported.................................................

37,274

32,081

100

5,193

100

Native parentage_________
. . . . _______. . . .
Foreign or mixed parentage________
_______

21,451
15,823

18,083
13,998

56
44

3,368
1,825

65
35

1,824

1,472

Parent nativity not reported____ ____________

352

> Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) reported on
parent nativity.


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44

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1 9 3 4

T a b l e 5.— Place where hoys and girls were living when referred to court in delinquency

cases disposed o f by 65 courts in 1984 1
Delinquency cases
Girls

Boys
Place child was living when referred to court
Total
Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

7,629

52,538

44,909

Place reported---------------------------------------------------------

50,016

42,952

100

7,064

100

In own home__________________________________

45,915

39,976

93

5,939

84

30,786
2,479
1,150
8,789
2,711

27,459
1,970
914
7,414
2,219

64
5
2
17
5

3,327
509
236
1,375
492

47
7
3
19
7

3,165
509
427

2,328
369
279

5
1
1

837
140
148

12
2
2

2,522

1,957

565

* Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished infor­
mation on the place where the child was living when referred to court.

T a b l e 6. — Marital status of parents of hoys and girls dealt with in delinquency cases

disposed o f hy 65 courts in 1984 1
Delinquency cases
Girls

Boys
Marital status of parents
Total
Number

52,538
Status reported-------------------------------------------------------One or both parents dead______________________

Parents separated------ ---------------------------------------

Percent
distribu­
tion

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

7,629

44,909
42,425

100

6,914

100

31,277
10,805

27,798
8,858

66
21

3,479
1,947

50
28

983
6,195
3,627

785
5,234
2,839

2
12
7

198
961
788

3
14
11

6,451

5,190

12

1,261

18

2,572
1,315
184
2,380

1,995
1,096
139
1,960

5
3

577
219
45
420

8
3
1
6

•798
8

573
6

3,199

2,484

49,339

(2)

5
1

(2)

225
2

3
(2)

715

i Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished infor­
mation on marital status of parents.
i Less than 1 percent.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

45

SUMMARY TABLES

T a b l e 7.— Marital status o f parents, classified according to place child was living

when referred to court; hoys’ and girls’ delinquency cases disposed of by 65 courts
in 1934 1
Delinquency cases
Place child was living when referred to court
In owi home
Marital status of parents
Total
Total

With
both
own
par­
ents

In
With With
other
moth­ father With
fam­
With
er
and moth­ father ily
and
er
step­
only home
step­ moth­ only
father
er

In
Not
insti­ In
other re­
tu­
port­
tion place ed

Total cases_________ 52,538 45,915 30,786

2,479

i, 150

8,789

2,711 3,165

509

427

2,522

Boys’ cases___ _ . . 44,909 39,976 27,459

1,970

914

7,414

2,219 2,328

369

279

1,957

99
40
58
64
27
14
2

129
18
22
33
23
8
1

1
3
2
1
2

105

130
724
212
459
130
48
20

Parents married and living together
Both parents dead
Father dead___________ _
Mother dead..........
Parents divorced________
Father deserting mother..
Parents

separated

27,798 27,439 27,439
'785
5,234 4,940
2^839 2^282
1
L995 1,813
1,096 1,026
' 139
116

3,834

1,106
667
4

674
180

791
1,013
11

1,608
174

9

for

Parents not married to
each other___ _________
Other status__ ________
Girls’ cases________

1,385

260

261

35

14

2

77

8

243

13

12

113

52

137

50

199
4
141

18

2
1
28

1
1,945

509

236

1,375

492

837

140

148

565

209
184
12

349
37
1
25

84
178
63
216
61
20
4

25
12
17
36
13
7
3

51
8
18
24
15
5
1
10

3

1,960

1,648

573
6
2,484

360
352

7,629

5,939

3,327

3,479
' 198
961
788
577
219
45

3,318

3,318

420

326

225
2
715

118

19

Parents married and livFather dead________
Parents divorced_________
Parents

separated

862
512
487
187
37

610

252
185
2

163
56

for

Status not reported______

92

263

61

73

11

25

9

72

3

10

6

43

8

25

16

91
2
45

6

10

2

Parents not married to
9

1
1
1

562

i Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished
information on marital status of parents and place child was living when referred to court.

T a b l e 8. — Source of reference to court o f delinquency cases disposed o f by 65

courts in 1934 1
Source of reference to court
Total cases................... ...................
Source reported........................................ Police.. _____________ ___________School department------- ---------------Probation officer. __________ ____
Other court......... ...................... .........
Social agency____ _________________
Parents or relatives_______________
Individual.._______ ______________
Other source______________________
Source not reported__________________

Delinquency cases
Percent
Total
distribu­
tion
52,538
52, 522
100
64
33,356
3,441
7
1,652
3
2
948
2
1,203
4,405
8
14
7,336
181
«
16

i Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 furnished information on source of reference to
court.
a Less than 1 percent.

101461°— 37---- 4


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

46

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

T a b l e 9.— Reason fo r reference to court o f boys and girls dealt with in delinquency

cases disposed o f by

291

courts in

1934

1

Delinquency cases
Boys

Reason for reference to court
Total

Number
Total cases___________________
Reason reported_________________________
Automobile stealing ______________ __________
Burglary or unlawful entry................... ..........
Hold-up________________________________
Other stealing___________ _______ _____
Act of carelessness or mischief_______________
Traffic violation_____________
Truancy................. ..................................
Running away____________________________
Ungovernable._______ ____________________
Sex offense________ ■______________
Injury to person_____________________________
Use, possession, or sale of liquor or drugs_______
Other reason_______ ____________________
Reason not reported...... ......................... ....................

66,651

57,417

66,230

57,100
1,549
7,974
388
17,478
14,875
1,809
2,834
3,184
3,573
928
1,336
319
853
317

1,556
8,052
396
18,459
15,756
1,883
3,835
4,658
6,165
2,525
1,550
434
961
421

Girls

Percent
distri­
bution

Number

Percent
distri­
bution

9 234
100
3
14
1
31
26
3
5
6
6
2
2
1
1

9,130
7
78
8
981
881
74
1,001
1,474
¿592
L597
214
115
108
104

100
(2)
1

(2)

11
10
1
11
16
28
17
2
1
1

1 Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, 284 reported boys’ cases and 266 reported girls’ cases
2 Less than 1 percent.

T a b l e 10.— R e a so n f o r referen ce to court o f b o y s a n d girls o f .each age p eriod dealt
w ith i n d elin q u en cy cases d isp o sed o f b y 6 5 cou rts i n 1 9 3 4

1

Delinquency cases
■Reason for reference to court,
and sex of child

Total cases .................

Age of child when referred to court
Total

Under 10 10 years, 12 years, 14 years, 16 years, 18 years Age not
years
under 12 under 14 under 16 under 18 and over reported

52,538

2,609

5,915

12,286

21,766

9,459

297

206

Boys’ cases____ ______ 44,909
Automobile stealing 1______
1,407
Burglary or unlawful entry.
5,641
Hold-up_________________ .
329
Other stealing_________ ____ 13,595
Act of carelessness or mischief_____________________ 11,953
Traffic violation............... .
1,294
Truancy..................................
2,090
Running away...................... . 2,930
Ungovernable _____________ 2,998
Sex offense_____ ____________
756
Injury to person___________
1,013
Use, possession, or sale of
liquor or drugs______ ____
262
Other reason......... .............. .
473
Reason not reported_______
168

2,320
7
260
11
597

5,448
34
1576
33
1,760

10,903
157
1,510
53
3,715

18,210
724
2,388
144
5,483

7,638
475
771
83
1,968

214
7
26

176
3
10

47

25

914

3,189
15
349
654
721
137
263

4,597
203
1,069
1,295
1,200
289
389

1,333
1,038
424
524
390
208
162

37
35

73

68
117
216
48
55

1,810
3
162
293
457
61
123

h

7
37
3
2
14

2
15
10

4
22
10

24
78
38

62
262
105

7,629
7
61
7
816

289

467

6

10

1,383
1
20

43

106

239

3,556
5
21
6
305

742
66
797
1,329
2,148
1,224
170

94
1
23
15
48
37
9

109
21
35
105
49
14

169
4
96
194
392
182
48

10
8

7
11
20

Girls’ cases__________
Automobile stealing. _____
Burglary or unlawful entry.
Hold-up.._ _______________
Other stealing ____________
Act of carelessness or mischief.____ ________________
Traffic violation_______ _
Truancy___________________
Running away________ ____
Ungovernable. ............. . . .
Sex offense____________ .
Injury to person___________
Use, possession, or sale of
liquor or drugs— .............
Other reason___________ ___
Reason not reported............ .

89
73
100

7
6

165
93 ,
4

10
11
11
7
3
3
1

2

1,821
1
4
1
114

83

30

4

5

267
8
430
761
1,078
485
65

90
53
222
298
500
446
28

4

g

1
21
23
25
1

4
5
2

41
20
64

41
21
2

5

4

1 Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished infor­
mation for correlating reason for reference to court and age of child.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

47

SUMMARY TABLES
T able

11.—

R e a so n f o r referen ce to cou rt, a n d color o f b o y s a n d girls dealt w ith in
d elin q u en c y cases d isp o se d o f b y 6 5 cou rts i n 1 9 3 4 1
Delinquency cases
White children

Total

Colored children

Reason for reference to court, and sex of child
Num­
ber

Reason reported_______ ______________ _____—
Automobile stealing-----------------------------------Burglary or unlawful entry------------------------H o ld -u p ...................... ..................... ................
Other stealing-------------------------------------------Act of carelessness or mischief_____________
Traffic violation___________________________
Truancy................. ....................... .....................
Running away.-----------------------------------------Ungovernable-------- -----------------------------------Sex offense-------------- ----------------------------------Injury to person----------------------------------- --Use, possession, or sale of liquor or drugs.. .
Other reason------------- ---------------------------------

Percent
distri­
bution

Percent
distri­
bution

Num­
ber

52,538

40,410

44,909

34,715

Num­
ber

Percent
distri­
bution

12,128
10,194

44,741

100

34,588

100

10,153

100

1,407
5,641
329
13,595
11,953
1,294
2,090
2,930
2,998
756
1,013
262
473

3
13
1
30
27
3
5
7
7
2
2
1
1

1,114
4,379
174
9,981
9,386
1,244
1,831
2,308
2,273
599
675
224
400

3
13
1
29
27
4
5
7
7
2
2
1
1

293
1,262
155
3,614
2,567
50
259
622
725
157
338
38
73

3
12
2
36
25

127

168
7,629
Reason reported........................— ------- ---------------

7,529

Burglary or unlawful entry-----------------------Hold-up..-------- ------------- ---------- -----------------Other stealing_____________________________
Act of carelessness or mischief_______ __ —
Traffic violation-------------------------- ------------Truancy----------- ------- --------------------------------Running away____________________________
Ungovernable----- --------------------------------------Sex offense------------------------------- -----------------Injury to person----------------------------------------Use, possession, or sale of liquor or drugs.. .
Other reason------------- ---------------------- ----------

7
61
7
816
742
66
797
1,329
2,148
1,224
170
89
73

5,695

(a)
11
10
1
11
18
29
16
2
1
1

1,887

100

(a)
1
(?)

10
9
1
12
19
28
16
1
1
1

53

100

1

1,934
100

7
49
2
585
501
63
690
1,061
1,554
930
62
72
66

1
(9

(2)

3
6
7
2
3

41

5,642

100

(2)

12
5
231
241
3
107
268
594
294
108
17
7

1
(2)
(2)

12
13
6
14
31
16
6
1

(?)

47

1 Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished in­
formation for correlating reason for reference to court and color of child,
s Less than 1 percent.

T a b l e 12.— C ou rt ex p erien ce o f b o y s a n d girls dealt w ith i n d elin q u en cy ca ses d is­
p osed o f b y 6 5 cou rts i n 1 9 3 4

1
Delinquency cases
Boys

Girls

Court experience

Child having no court experience previous to 1934_________
Child having 1 or more court experiences previous to 1934Court experience previous to 1934 not reported......................

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

Number

44,909

100

7,629

100

39,104

87

7,141

94

29,028
10,066
10

65
22

6,093
1,036
12

5,805

(2)
13

488

Percent
distribu­
tion

80
14
(2)
6

1 Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished
information on previous court experience.
» Less than 1 percent.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

48

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

T a b l e 13.— P la ce o f care p en d in g hearing or d is p o sitio n , a n d a ge w hen referred to
court o f h o ys a n d girls dealt w ith in d elin q u en cy cases d is p o se d o f b y 6 5 cou rts in
1934 1

Delinquency cases
Age of child when referred to court
Total
Under 14
years

Place of care, and sex of child

14 years,
under 16

16 years,
under 18

18 years,
and over

Age
not
Per­
Per­
Per­
Per­
Per­
re­
Num­ cent Num­ cent Num­ cent Num­ cent Num­ cent port­
distri­
distri­
distri­
distri­
distri­
ed
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber
bu­
bu­
bu­
bu­
bu­
tion
tion
tion
tion
tion
Total cases____________

52,538

20,810

21,766

9,459

297

Boys’ cases___________

44,909

18,671

18,210

7,638

214

Report on detention care____

44, 571

100 18,509

100 18,072

100 7,627

No detention care___________
Detention care overnight or
longer__________ __________

27,389

61 12, 275

66 10,558

17,182

39

6,234

34

7,514

461
11,791
3,442
1,173
315

1
26
8
3
1

163
4,501
1,392
116
62

1
24
8
1
(«)

249
4,905
1,959
307
94

1
49
27 2,314
11
88
2
731
1
156

Boarding home or other
family home_________
Detention home2_______
Other institution- _____
Jail or police station 3___
Other place of care4_____
No report on detention care—
Girls’ cases.... ................

100

214

58 4,289

56

42 3,338

44
1
30
1
10
2

338

162

138

11

7,629

2,139

3,556

1,821

206
176
100

149

135

63

132

79

37

17

62
2
15

29
1
7

9
1
4
3
27

83

30

Report on detention care____

7,563

100

2,119

100

3,520

100 1,815

100

82

100

27

No detention care.— _______
Detention care overnight or
longer_____________________

4,013

53

1, 281

60

1,634

46 1,038

57

36

44

24

3,550

47

838

40

1,886

54

777

43

46

56

3

121
2,216
.1,086
76
49
2

2
29
14
1
1
(«)

13
510
300
10
5

1
24
14
(»)
(5)

77
1,070
693
27
18
1

2
30
20
1
1
(5)

31
597
87
35
26
1

2
33
5
2
1

39
3
4

48
4
5

3

Boarding home or other
family home__________
Detention home 2_______
Other institution________
Jail or police station3___
Other place of care4_____
Place of care not reportedNo report on detention care—
1

66

20

36

6

«
1

3

1 Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished infor­
mation for correlating place of detention care and age of child.
2 Includes cases of children cared for part of the time in detention homes and part of the time elsewhere,
but excludes cases of children also held in jails or police stations.
3 Includes a few cases of children cared for part of the time in jails or police stations and part of the time
elsewhere.
4 Includes a few cases of children held in more than 1 place of care but in places other than detention
homes, jails, or police stations.
* Less than 1 percent.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

49

SUMMARY TAB LES

T a b l e 14.— D is p o s itio n and m a n n er o f handling deliq u en cy cases d isp o sed o f b y
2 9 1 cou rts in 1 9 8 4

1
1Delinquency eases
Unofficial

Official

Total
Disposition of case

Percent
distri­
bution

Num­ Percent
distri­
ber
bution

Num- Percent
distri­
ber
bution

Nubiber

Total cases.......... .......... .......... ................... .

66,651

44,489

Disposition reported_________________. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

66,642

loO

44,480

100

22,162

Child kept under supervision of c o u r t . . . . . . . . . . . .

24,198

36

20,999

4?

8,199

14

Probation officer supervising—---------------------Agency or individual supervising___________
Under temporary care of an institution____ _

22,861
890
94?

34
1
1

19,328
819
§52

43
2
2

3,033
?1
95

14

Child not kept under supervision of c o u r t ........

8?, 121

56

18,984

43

18,13?

§2

Case dismissed or adjusted_________ . . . . . . . . .
Committed to:

25,448

38

10,465

24

14,983

68

2,904
2,446
93
298
618

4
4

2,904
2,446
93
298
618

7
5

200
874
146
223
1,556
155
826

1
4
1
1
7
1

Referred without commitment to:
Institution-------------- ------- -----------------------Agency or individual................ — ..............
Referred to other court............... ............. ...........
Restitution, fine, or costs ordered___________
Runaway returned........ ..................... ..............
Other disposition of case......................................
Case held open without further action................
Disposition not reported____________________________

402
1,201
477
944
1,979
311
5,323
9 -

(2)
(S )

1
1
2
1
1
3
0)
8

22,162

(2)

202
327
331
721
423
156
4,497
9

100

(8)
(2)

1
1

(2)

1
1
2
1

(2)
10

4

1 Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, 287 reported official cases and 103 unofficial cases.
2 Less than 1 percent.

T a b l e 15.— D is p o s itio n o f cases o f b o y s a n d o f girls o f each age period dealt w ith in
d elin q u en cy cases d isp o se d o f b y 6 5 cou rts i n 1 9 3 4

1

Delinquency cases
Age of child when referred to court
Disposition of case, and sex of child
12
years,
under
14

14
years,
under
16

16
years,
under
18

18
years
and
over

Age
not
re­
ported

Total

Under
10
years

10
years,
under
12

Total cases___________________ 52,538

2,609

6,915

12,286

21,766

9,459

297

206

Boys’ cases_______ ___________

2,320

5,448

10,903

18,210

7,638

214

176

1,560
433

3,101
1,458

5,380
3,537

8,595
5,919

3,724
2,125

118
44

92
11

44,909

Dismissed, adjusted, or held open
without further action.. ______ _ 22,570
Supervised by probation officer____ 13,527
Committed or "referred to an institution_____________________ _____
4,488
Committed or referred to an agency
1,501
or individual_____________________
747
Restitution, fine, or costs ordered.. .
Other disposition__________________
2,068
8

111

416

1,083

2,088

765

19

6

101
39
76

225
76
171
1

336
194
372
1

566
254
782
6

264
155
605

2
3
28

7
26
34

Girls’ cases...................... ---------

7,629

289

467

1,383

3,556

1,821

83

30

Dismissed, adjusted, or held open
without further action___________
Supervised by probation officer____
Committed or referred to an insti-

3,010
2,171

192
48

259
110

513
436

1,277
1,089

718
471

32
16

19
1

Committed or referred to an agency
Restitution, fine, or costs ordered—
Other disposition.......... .......................
Disposition not reported..................

1,306

20

44

236

676

313

17

659
47
435
1

20
3
6

38
5
11

125
9
64

293
11
209
1

177
14
128

12

6
5
5

« Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished in­
formation for correlating disposition of case and age of child.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

50

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

T a b l e 16.— D is p o s itio n a n d rea son f o r referen ce to court o f b o y s ’ a n d g irls’ d elin ­

1

q u en cy cases d is p o se d o f b y 6 5 cou rts i n 1 9 3 4

Delinquency cases
Reason for reference to court
Disposition of case, and sex of
child

Total cases.
Boys’ cases________________
Dismissed, adjusted, or held open
without further action__________
Supervised by probation officer__
Committed or referred to an insti­
tution__________________ _______
Committed or referred to an
agency or individual___________
Restitution, fine, or costs ordered..
Other disposition. ________________
Disposition not reported_________
Girls’ cases________________
Dismissed, adjusted, or held open
without further action_________
Supervised by probation officer. _.
Committed or referred to an insti­
tution__________________________
Committed or referred to an
agency or individual______ ____
Restitution, fine, or costs ordered..
Other disposition________________
Disposition not reported__________

ported

XS

52,538 21,863 12,695 1,360 2,887 4,259 5,146 1,980 1,183
44,909 20,972 11,953 1,294 2,090 2,930

756 1,013

22,570 7,865 9,607
13,527 9,042 1,618

291
326

4,488 2,784

250

1, 501
747
2,068

163
277
38

661
340
274

8
7,629
3.01C
2,171

381
334

569

978
137

982
578

557 1,109
373 964

290

687

4
51
118

227 165
1
2
12 ,553

282
331

1,306

50

255

659
47
435
1

90
'" 2

473

142 363
78! 61
17

209
2
25
2
797 1,329 2,148 1,224
463
192

102

602
263

268
262

18
9
5
170

89

100

746
701

116
’ 345

1 Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished in­
formation for correlating disposition of case and reason for reference to court.

T a b l e 17.— -D is p o sitio n o f case classified according to color o f b o y s a n d girls dealt
w ith i n d elin q u en c y ca ses d isp o se d o f b y 6 5 cou rts i n 1 9 3 4

1

Delinquency cases
Disposition of case, and sex of child

Total cases.................................
Boys’ cases_____________ ____
Disposition reported............ .......
Dismissed, adjusted, or held open without
further action_________
•
Supervised by probation officer .
Committed or referred to an institution___
Committed or referred to an agency or indi­
vidual __________
Restitution, fine, or costs ordered...
Other disposition. . . .
Disposition not reported_____
Girls’ c a se s_________
Disposition reported...........
Dismissed, adjusted, or held open without
further action________
Supervised by probation officer..
Committed or referred to an institution___
Committed or referred to an agency or indi­
vidual________________
Restitution, fine, or costs ordered
Other disposition..................
Disposition not reported_______

Total
Num­ Percent
distri­
ber
bution

Num­
ber

Num­
ber
12,128

White children
Percent
distri­
bution

Colored children
Percent
distri­
bution

52,538

40,410

44,909
44,901

34,715
100

34,708

100

10,193

100

22,570
13, 527
4,488

50
30
10

17,665
10,709
3,119

61
31
9

4,905
2,818
1,369

48
28
13

1,501
747
2,068

3
2
5

1,008
545
1,662

3
2
5

493
202
406

5
2
4

8
7,629
7,628

100

7
5,695
5,694

100

1
1,934
1,934

100

3,010
2,171
1,306

39
28
17

2,214
1,584
1,006

39
28
18

796
587
300

41
30
16

659
47
435
1

9
1
6

486
30
374
1

9
1
7

173
17
61

9
1
3

10,194

*

* Of the 291 courts reporting delinquency cases, only 65 (64 of which reported girls’ cases) furnished in­
formation for correlating disposition of case and color of child.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

51

SUMMARY TABLES
D E P E N D E N C Y A N D N E G LE C T CASES

T

able

18.—

A g e w hen referred to court o f children dealt w ith i n d ep e n d en c y and
neglect cases d isp o sed o f b y 1 8 7 courts i n 1 9 8 4
Depenc ency and
negle 3t cases
Age of child when referred to court
Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

22,499
Age reported---------------------------------------

22,445

100

Under 2 years............ ............. ..........
2 years, under 4-------------------------- 4 years, under6----------------------- -6 years, under 8----------------------------8 years, under 10----------------------- 10 years, under 12—........... .......... —
12 years, under 14--------- ------- —
14 years, under 16-------------------------16 years and over—-----------------------

2,692
2,464
2,719
2,907
3,087
2,987
2,783
2,137
669

12
11
12
13
14
13
12
10
3

54

T

able

19.—

R ea so n f o r referen ce to court o f children dealt with i n d ep en d en cy a n d
neglect cases d isp o sed o f b y 1 8 7 courts i n 1 9 8 4

Dependency and
neglect cases
Reason for reference to court
Percent
distribu­
tion

Number

Total cases____________________________________ ____
Without adequate care or support from parent or guardian—
Living under condition injurious to morals-----------------------Physically handicapped and in need of public care—
Abandonment or desertion__ ____________________________
Abuse or cruel treatment----- ----------------------------------------------

i
T

22,499

100

16,816
2,159
2,190
824
489
21

75
10
10
4
2
«

Less than 1 percent.

able

20.—

C olor and n a tiv ity o f children dealt w ith i n d ep e n d en c y and neglect
cases d is p o se d o f b y 5 8 cou rts i n 1 9 8 4 1
Depenc ency and
negle et cases
Color and nativity of child
Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

17,842

100

White— ................................. ..................

15,309

86

Native born-------------------- -----------Foreign bom _____________________
Nativity not reported.......................

15,007
202
100

84
1
1

Colored................................ - ------- ----------

2,533

14

Negro—________ _______ __________
Other_____________________________

2,417
116

14
1

Total cases_____________________

1 Of the 187 courts reporting dependency and neglect cases, only 58 furnished information on color and
nativity of child.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

52
T

able

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
21.— Place child was living when referred to court in dependency and neglect
cases disposed o f by 58 courts in 1984 1
Dependency and
neglect cases
Place child was living when referred to court
Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

17,842
Place reported______ _________________________

15,700

In own home...... .................................... ..........

11,568

74

both own parents_______________
mother and stepfather__________
father and stepmother__________
mother o n ly ..._________________
father only___ _________________

4,126
296
247
4,471
2,428

26
2
2
28
15

In other family home_____________________
In institution__________________ ____ ______
In other place........ ........................................ .

3,259
633
240

With
With
With
With
With

100

t

21
4
2

2,142
1 Of the 187 courts reporting dependency and neglect cases, only 58 furnished information on place child
was living when referred to court.

T a b l e 22. — Marital status o f parents o f children referred to court in dependency and

neglect cases disposed o f by 58 courts in 1984 1
Depenc ency and
negle ct cases
Marital status of parents
Number
l

■

Percent
distribu­
tion

Total cases____________________ ________

17,842

Status reported_______________________________

15,494

100

Parents married and living together______
One or both parents dead........... .............. .

4,208
3,975

27
26

Both dead ___________ _________ ______
Father dead_________ ________________
Mother dead_________ _________ ______

526
1,350
2,099

3
9
14

Parents separated____ _________________ . .

5,578

36

D ivorced.______ _____________________
Father deserting mother______________
Mother deserting father______________
Other reason ________________________

1,060
861
534
3,123

7
6
3
20

Parents not married to each other
Other status__________ ___________________

1,709
24

Status not reported______ ____ _______________

2,348

11
(2)

1 Of the 187 courts reporting dependency and neglect cases, only 58 furnished information on marital
status of parents.
2 Less than 1 percent.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

53

SUMMARY TABLES
T

23.— Marital status o f parents, classified according to place child was living
when referred to court, in dependency and neglect cases disposed o f by 58 courts
in 1984 1

able

Dependency and neglect cases

17,842 11,568 4,126
4,208
526
1,350
2,099
1,060
861
534
3,123
1,709
24
2,348

928

139
1

62

Not reported

In other place

247 4,471 2,428 3,259 633 240 2,142

296

4,063 4,063
1,067
1,299
739
723
454
2,249
882
1
91

In institution

With father
only

With mother
only

With father
and
step­
mother

With both own
parents

Total

Total
Total cases_____________ _____ _
Parents married and living together____
Both parents dead_____________________
Father dead___________________________
Mother dead___________________________
Parents divorced_______________________
Father deserting mother............................
Mother deserting father________________
Parents separated for other reasons_____
Parents not married to each other______
Other status_______ ______ ________ ___
Status not reported____________________

With mother
and stepfather

In own home

Marital status of parents

In other family home

Place child was living when referred to court

182
43

411
711
57
1,563
3 749

123
1
1
22

19

10

52

1,117
161
11
397
685
46
1
10

95 33
475 32
196 53
679 88
250 45
107 13
61 15
715 114
574 223
20
3‘
87 14

17
18
34
33
26
18
4
43
30

1

2

17 2,139

i Of the 187 courts reporting dependency and neglect cases, only 58 furnished information on marital
status of parents and place child was living when referred to court.
T

able

24.— Source o f reference to court o f fam ilies represented in dependency and
neglect cases disposed o f by 58 courts in 1984 1
Families represented
indepe ndency and
neglect cases
Source of reference to court
Percent
Number distribution
Total cases_____________________

10,244

Source reported______ _______ ________

10,239

100

3,982
3,854
919
668
425
330
61

39
38
9
7
4
3
1

Parents or relatives _____________
Social agency_____________________
Individual________________________
Police. ______________________ . . .
Probation officer ............... ..............
School department..........................
Other source ................................ .......

5
1 Of the 187 courts reporting dependency and neglect cases, only 58 furnished information on number of
families represented.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

54
T

able

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
25.— Reason fo r reference to court and number o f fam ilies represented in
dependency and neglect cases disposed o f by 58 courts in 1934 1
Dependency and neglect cases
Families represented

Reason for reference .to court
Total
cases

Number

Without adequate care or support from parent or guardian____________
Abandonment or desertion______ ____________________________________
Living under conditions injurious to morals. _________________________
Physically handicapped and in need of public care____________________

Percent
distribu­
tion

17,842

10,244

100

13,937
614
431
1,850
1,000
10

7,658
372
275
960
977
2

75
4
3
9
10
(9)

1 Of the 187 courts reporting dependency and neglect cases, only 58 furnished information on number
of families represented.
9 Less than 1 percent.
T

able

26.— Place o f care o f child pending hearing or disposition in dependency
and neglect cases disposed o f by 58 courts in 1934 1
Dependency and
neglect cases

Place of detention care

Percent
Number distribution
17,842

Boarding home or other family home_________
Detention home9_____________
Other institution_____
Jail or police station__________________________
No report on detention care____ ________

______

17,379

100

11,961
5,418

69
31

430
1,143
3,814
3
28

2
7
22
(3)
(?)

463

1 Of the 187 courts reporting dependency and neglect cases, only 58 furnished information on place of
detention care.
9 Includes cases of children cared for part of the time in detention homes and part of the time elsewhere,
but excludes cases of children also held in jails or police stations.
3 Less than 1 percent.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

55

SUMMARY TABLES

T a b l e 27. — Disposition and manner o f handling dependency and neglect cases

disposed o f by 187 courts in 1934 1
Dependency and neglect cases
Total

Unofficial

Official

Disposition of case
Num­ Percent Num­ Percent Num­ Percent
distri­
distri­
distri­
ber
ber
ber
bution
bution
bution
22,499

19,063

3,436

_______________

22,481

100

19,045

100

3,436

100

Child kept under supervision of court___________

6,192

28

5,992

31

200

6

Probation officer supervising_________ _______
Agency or individual supervising____________
Under temporary care of an institution______

3,152
2,103
937

14
9
4

3,001
2,066
925

16
11
5

151
37
12

Child not kept under supervision of court_______

15,007

67

12,131

64

2,876

84

Case dismissed or adjusted__________________
Committed to:

5,738

26

3,495

18

2,243

65

179
2,412
1,344
1,203
521

1
11
6
5
2

179
2,412
1,344
1,203
521

1
13
7
6
3

Referred without commitment to:
Institution_________ ______ _____________
Agency or individual____ _______________
Referred to other court_________________ ____
Other disposition of case_____________________

1,538
818
128
1,126

7
4
1
5

1,488
357
68
1,064

6

50
461
60
62

1
13
2
2

Case held open without further action_________ .

1,282

6

922

5

360

10

Disposition reported_______________

Other institution.—_____ ________________

18

8
2
(2)

4
1
(2)

18

1 Of the 187 courts reporting dependency and neglect cases, 187 reported official cases and 34 reported
unofficial cases.
2 Less than 1 percent.

SPECIAL-PROCEEDINGS CASES
T a b l e 28. — Type o f special-proceedings cases disposed o f by 54 courts in 1934

Type of case

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

Total______ _____________________________________

1,150

100

Material witness1_____________ ____________________
Care of feeble-minded child_________ __________________

407
2 374
110
91
87
14
3 67

35
33
10
8
8
1
6

Custody or guardianship proceedings___ __ ___________
Permission to marry.—_______ __________________ . . ._
Permission to enlist in Army or Navy________________

* Reported by the following courts only: Baltimore, M d.; New York City; Niagara and Westchester
Counties, N . Y .; Hamilton County, Ohio; and Philadelphia, Pa.
2 In all but 16 of the cases, court action was brought for the purpose of committing the child to an institu­
tion for the feeble-minded.
3 Includes 15 cases of action in juvenile court to terminate parental rights or to declare child eligible for
adoption, prior to adoption proceedings in another court.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

56

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
CASES OF CHILDREN DISCHARGED FROM SUPERVISION

T a b l e 29.

Reason for discharge in cases o f delinquent and o f dependent and
neglected children discharged from supervision by 158 courts in 1934 1
Cases of children discharged from
supervision

Reason for discharge

Percent
distri­
bution

Number

14,332

100

3,141

100

10,068
1,063
184

70
7
1

2,067
102
24

66
3
1

279
1,711
167
58

2
12
1

74
262
308
21

2
8
10
1

3
3

178
105

6
3

Number

Total cases___________ _____
Reason reported________________
Conduct of child satisfactory or conditions improved
Expiration of period specified by court___
Order of court fulfilled...................
Conduct of child or conditions unsatisfactory but further
supervision not advised_____
Child committed or referred to an institution
Child committed or referred to an agency or individual___
Referred to another court.
W hereabouts of child unknown or child moved from juris­
diction of court .
Other reason_____
Reason not reported______

Dependent and
neglected

Delinquent

14,334

Percent
distri­
bution

3,141

(*)

406
396
2

andM^eclfcases^ 8 repor^*ng supervision cases, 158 reported delinquency cases, and 39 reported dependency
3 Less than 1 percent.

Length o f time child, was under supervision in cases o f delinquent and
o f dependent and neglected children discharged from supervision by 158 courts in
1934 *

Cases of children discharged from
supervision

Duration of supervision

Percent
distri­
bution

Number

14,330

100

3,141

100

4,949
4,948
2,401
863
764
405

35
35
17
6
5
3

1,161
701
357
222
302
398

37
22
11
7
10
13

Number

Total cases.................
Duration reported______
Less than 6 months...
6 months, less than 1 year
1 year, less than 18 months
18 months, less than 2 years
2 years, less than 3 years_____
3 years or more_______
Duration not reported___

Dependent and
neglected

Delinquent

14,334

Percent
distri­
bution

3,141

4

a ‘ ° J the U® courts reporting supervision cases, 158 reported delinquency cases, and 39 reported dependency
“Ru neglect cases.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

SOURCE TABLES— JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
DELINQUENCY, DEPENDENCY AND NEGLECT, AND SPECIAL-PROCEEDINGS CASES,
AND CASES OF CHILDREN DISCHARGED FROM SUPERVISION
T

Ia.
Number o f boys and girls’ delinquency, dependency and neglect, and
special-proceedings cases disposed of, and number o f cases o f children discharged
from supervision by courts in 6 States, by 74 courts that served specified areas with
100.000 or more population, and by 260 courts that served areas with less than
100.000 population in 19341

able

Area served by court

Delinquency cases Dependency and
neglect cases

Special-proceed­
ings cases

Cases of children
discharged from
supervision

Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys
Total cases2_________ 66,651 57,417 9,234 22,499 11, 555 10,944 31,150

State totals: 2
Connecticut________
3,857 3,473 384 1,182
635
547
Indiana___________
3,921 2,767 1,154
569
296
273
Massachusetts........ ....... 6,464 6,051 413
New York_________
11,436 9,820 1,616 9,339 4,840 4,499
Rhode Island_________
476
446
30
Utah_____ _______
1,902 1,637 265
164
79
85
A r e a s
w it h
100,000 o r
M O R E P O P U L A T I O N ________

1
512

47

27

5

490 * 17,490 13,725 3,765

1

3
1

1,172 1,071
900
L 217

101
317

167

345

4,781 3,871

910

21

55, 363 47,834 7,529 18,472 9,532 8,940 31,078

A la b a m a : M o b ile
County (Mobile)....... ._
222
175
California:
San Diego County (San
Diego)_________
1,415 1,230
San Francisco (city and
county)____________
603
463
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city)....... .
589
489
Hartford (city)_____ .
575
640
New Haven (city)..
292
282
District of Columbia
(Washington)______
1,705 1,514
Florida: Dade Countv
(Miami)_________
355
276
Georgia: Fulton County
(Atlanta).....................
1,006
850
Indiana:«
Allen County (Fort
Wayne)__________
166
78
Lake County (G ary)...
343
252
Marion County (Indianapolis)________
951
734
S t. Joseph County
(South Bend)____
347
235
Vanderburgh County
(Evansville)_________
169
131
Iowa: Polk County (Des
Moines).....................
714
594

296

10

284

645

535

11

336

178

158

41

140

687

343

344

21

.100
65
10

133
188
93

70
94
53

63
94
40

4

27

i

110

430 14,701 11,498 3,203

22

185

Girls

11

14

233

153

80

7

425

321

104

3

117
141
133

106
118
131

11
23

191

227

107

120

872

721

151

79

238

12 1

117

223

135

88

156

223

107

116

136

25

88
91

159

83

76

217

410

213

197

433

218

215

149
1

161

50

112
38
120

39

35

¿¿i

153

74
1 Population according to the 1930 census.
2 All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.
2 Includes 364 cases for 1 court which did not report boys’ and girls’ cases separately.
*i ,
14>334 delinquency cases, 3,141 dependency and neglect cases, and 16 other cases.
«Massachusetts, Indiana (except 2 courts reporting individually), New Jersey, and Rhode TsianH
reported only delinquency cases.

57


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

58

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

T a b l e I a .— Number o f boys’ and girls’ delinquency, dependency and neglect, and

special-proceedings cases disposed of, and number o f cases o f children discharged
from supervision by courts in 6 States, by 74 courts that served specified areas with
Z7&92P or more V°Pulation, and by 260 courts that served areas with less than
100,000 population in 1934— Continued

Delinquency cases
Area served by court

Dependency and
neglect cases

Special-proceed­
ings cases

Cases of children
discharged from
supervision

Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys
w it h
100,000 o r
M O R E P O P U L A T I O N — Con.
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish (Shreveport)............................

Girls

A r e a s

Orleans)_______
M ary lan d : Baltim ore
(city)................................
Massachusetts: 4
Boston:
Boston (central section)_____________
Brighton......................
Charlestown_____
Dorchester____
East Boston____
Roxbury____ ______
South Boston_____
West Roxbury___
Second district of Bristol (Fall River)___
Third district' of Bris_ tol (New Bedford)__
L a w re n c e d is t r ic t
(Lawrence)_______
Southern Essex district
(Lynn)______________
Springfield d i s t r i c t
(Springfield)________
First district of eastern
Middlesex (Medford).
Third district of eastern Middlesex (Cambridge)_________
Lowell district (Lowell).
East -Norfolk district
(Quincy)------------------Somerville district
(Somerville)____ .
Central
district
of
Worcester (Worcester). ______
Michigan:
Kent County (Grand
Rapids)_______
Wayne County (Detroit)_____
Minnesota:
H ennepin
C ounty
(Minneapolis)___
Ramsey County (St.
Paul)_______
New Jersey: 4
Hudson County (Jersey City)-----------------Mercer County (Trenton).................
New York:
Albany County (Albany).______ ________
Broome County (Bingham ton)........ .......
Chautauqua County
(Jamestown)________
D u tc h e ss C o u n tv
(Poughkeepsie)______|
Erie County (Buffalo) . 1

¿ “

415

321

94

188

82

1,003

909

94

252

140

112

299

272

27

3,122 2,852

270

250

149

101

233

175

58

173

150

23

688
57
127
185
366
340
244
148

631
54
123
174
34S
309
239
142

217

106

44

19

25

57
3
4
11

18
31

202

15

238

224

14

128

125

159

149

>

3
10

210

195

15

277

265

12

291
170

246
156

45
14

204

193

11

105

104

1

357

323

34

403

341

62

195

91

104

524

279

245

181

335

162

173

897

677

229

56

227

105

122

342

275

67

V

2,491 2,269

222

1,089

908

467

411

1,526 1,293

868

741

127

176

479

449

30

147

138

404

328

76

297

163

134

16

122

115

175

152

23

183

89

94

3

160

152

8

79

35

44

1

113
87
1,181 1,089

26
92

325
65

167
35

158
30

8
16

6

10

_

1
2

6

4

12

171*

n & J Î S Æ 11* 2 C0UrtS rep0rting individually)- New Jersey- a° d


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

7

160*

11

Rhode Island

59

SOURCE TABLES

T a b l e I a .— Number of boys’ and girls’ delinquency, dependency and neglect, and

special-proceedings cases disposed of, and number o f cases o f children discharged
from supervision by courts in 6 States, by 74 courts that served specified areas with
100.000 or more population, and by 260 courts that served areas with less than
100.000 population in 1934— Continued

Area served by court

Delinquency cases Dependency and
neglect cases

Special-proceed­
ings cases

Cases of children
discharged from
supervision

Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys
A r e a s

w it h

1 0 0 ,0 0 0

o r

M O R E P O P U L A T I O N — Con.
New York— Continued.
M onroe
C o u n ty
(Rochester)_________
New York (city)______
Niagara County (Ni­
agara Falls)_________
Oneida County (Utica).
Orange County (New­
burgh)___ ____ ______
Rensselaer County
(Troy)...... ...................
Schenectady County
(Schenectady)............
Suffolk County (Patchogue)_____________
Syracuse (city)...............
Westchester
County
(Yonkers)....................
Ohio:
Franklin County (Co­
lumbus).................. .
H a m ilto n C o u n ty
(Cincinnati)..............
M a h o n in g C o u n ty
(Y oungstown).;_____
Montgomery County
(D ayton)....................
O r e g o n : M u ltn o m a h
County (Portland)........
Pennsylvania:
A lleg h e n y C o u n ty
(Pittsburgh)................
Berks County (Read­
ing)................................
Montgomery County
(Norristown)________
Philadelphia (city and
county)........ ...............
Rhode Island: Sixth dis­
trict (Providence)®........
South Carolina: Green­
ville County (Green­
ville )...____ ___________
Utah: Third district (Salt
Lake C ity ...__________
Virginia: Norfolk (city)..
Washington:
Pierce County (Ta­
coma)............................
Spokane County (Spo­
kane) ________________
Wisconsin: Milwaukee
County (Milwaukee)..
A r e a s

w it h

l e s s

189
167
6,292 5,328
192
263

187
244

22
127
69
58
964 4,492 2,404 2,088

311

106

205

4

7
8

5
19

103
234

56
124

47
110

7
12
1

98
78
3,146 2,430
51
78

50
70

20
716
1
8

47

42

5

2 11

115

96

12

12

195

148

47

107

55

52

37

33

4

142

130

12

117

67

50

57

48

9

71
281

66
233

5
48

86

36

50

6

6

42
183

41
176

1
7

408

341

67

338

162

176

78

42

36

278

238

40

24

1

23

231

200

31

31

18

13

25

12

13

488

389

99

9

4

5

24

24

829

578

1,666 1,434

232

497

261

236

2,044 1,500

544

246

114

132

1,887 1,623

264

142

67

75

429

276

153

357

177

180

1,10 1

979

122

840

442

398

881

756

125

532

240

292

10 1

84

17

20

3

17

77

67

10

63

38

25

6,461 5,785
162

161

676 2,481 1,309 1,172

1

364 («)

(«)

251

1

104

91

13

98

42

56

15

4

11

76

52

24

917
696

802
580

115
116

118
124

58
63

60
61

14
1

9

5
1

255
312

226
278

29
34

1,503

923

580

239

199

40

126

67

58

21

12

9

638

555

83

164

86

78

26

12

14

3,482 2,967

515

776

388

388

3

3

t h a n

1 0 0 , 0 0 0 P O P U L A T I O N ...............

less than 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 . . .
Less than 5 0 , 0 0 0 _________________

5 0 ,0 0 0 ,

Girls

11,288 9,583 1,705 4,027 2,023 2,004
5,136 4,341
6,152 5,242

795 1,390
691
699
910 2,637 1,332 1,305

72

12

60

2,789 2,227

562

43
29

11
1

32
28

1,336 1,040
1,453 1,187

296
266

8 Massachusetts, Indiana (except 2 courts reporting individually), New Jersey, and Rhode Island
reported only delinquency cases.
8 Not separately reported.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

60

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

T a b l e I b .— Number o f delinquency, dependency and neglect, and special-proceed­

ings cases disposed of, and number o f cases o f children discharged from super­
vision by 260 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in 1984 1

Area served by court

Total.
Connecticut:
Ansonia (city)....................
Avon (town)_____________
Berlin (town)------------------Bethlehem (town)-----------Bloomfield (town)-----------Bolton (town) 2----------------Bozrah (town)----------------Branford (town)------------Bristol (city)_____________
Canaan (town)2..............—
Canterbury (town)---------Canton (town)___________
Colchester (town)_______
Columbia (town)2----------Colebrook (town)2----------Cornwall (town)------------Coventry (town)------------Cromwell (town)2_______
Danbury (city)— ............
Darien (town)----------------Derby (c it y ) ..-..........—
East Granby (town)------East Hampton (town) —
East Hartford (town)-----East Haven (town)-------East Lyme (tow n)i.........
East Windsor (town)2----Enfield (town)---------------Essex (town).......... ............
Fairfield (town).—............
Franklin (town)-------------Glastonbury (town).........
Granby (town).......... .......
Greenwich (town).............
Griswold (town)------------Groton (town)----------------Guilford (town)2--------—
Haddam (town).................
Hamden (town)...... ..........
Harwinton (town)---------Hebron (town)................. Killingly (town)................
Litchfield (town)2.............
Madison (town)-------------Manchester (town)...........
Meriden (city) - .................
Middletown (city)---------Milford (town)..................
Montville (town)..... ........
Naugatuck (borough)----New Britain (city)---------New Canaan (town)------New Hartford (town)----Newington (town)---------New London (city).........
New Milford (town)------Newtown (town)— .........
North Stonington (town)
Norwalk (city)........ ..........
Norwich (city)..... .............
Old Saybrook (town)-----Orange (town)....... .......... .
Plainfield (town).............
Plainville (town)________
Plymouth (town)_______
Pomfret (town)_________
Portland (town)________
Putnam (city)---------------Rockville (city)--------------

Depend­
ency and
neglect
cases

Delin­
quency
cases

11,288

4,027

17
1

25
2
5

1
2
12
62

1
1
1

Specialproceed­
ings cases

Cases of
children
discharged
from super­
vision

72

2,789
17

8

6

6

19
1
2
1

69

6

44
43
1

1
2
1
3
2
7
3
1
21

136
11
17

8
1
9

23

2
5
2
13
48
71
1
19
500
1
2
248

195
44
1
12
1
2
3
2

6

5
4
4
2
10
2
3
7
12
1
3
13
4
2
22
3

8

4
21
20
1
10
5
20
1
12
22

20
15
2

8

10

1

6
46
3
5
41

40

2
5
4
70
21
1
1
3

40
38

6
8

1
9
16
8

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
2 Cases are for the area specified although the probate court serving this area and dealing with dependency
and neglect cases has jurisdiction over a wider territory.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

61

SOURCE TABLES
T

I b .— Number o f delinquency, dependency and neglect, and special-proceed­
ings cases disposed of, and number o f cases o f children discharged from super­
vision by 260 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in 1934—
Continued

able

Area served by court

C onnecticut—Continued.
Rocky Hill (town)_______
Roxbury (town)..................
Salem (town)........................
Seymour (town)..................
Sharon (town)......... ...........
Shelton (city).......................
Simsbury (town)____ ____
Southington (town)---------South Windsor (town)-----Sprague (town)----------------Stafford Springs (borough)
Stamford (city)----------------Sterling (town)....................
Stonington (town)............. Stratford (town)...............—
Suffleld (town).....................
Thomas (town)----------------Thompson (town)________
Torrington (city)-------------Trumbull (town)............... Unionville (borough)-------Wallingford (town) 2..........
Washington (town)-..........Waterbury (city)................
Waterford (town)------------Watertown (town).............
Westbrook (town)-----------West Hartford (town)------West Haven (town)---------Westport (town).................
Wethersfield (town)—'------Willimantic (city)..............
Winchester (town)...........—
Windsor (town).—............ Windsor Locks (town)-----Illinois: Rock Island County..
Indiana:
Adams County—........ .........
Bartholomew County------Blackford County------------Boone County-----------------Cass County................... Clay County-------- -----------Clinton C ounty.......... .......
DeKalb County--------------Delaware County------------Elkhart County------ --------Floyd County......................
Franklin County............ . .
Grant County-----------------Greene County........... .........
Hamilton County------------Henry County........ ............
Howard County--------------Huntington County..........
Jasper County....................
Kosciusko County— ..........
La Porte County-------------Lawrence County............. .
Madison County-------------Marshall County........... .
Monroe County__________
Montgomery County........
Owen County____________
Parke County------------------Porter County____________
Randolph County..............
Rush County.......................
Steuben County--------------Tippecanoe County...........
Tilton County----------------Union County.....................

Depend­
ency and
neglect
cases

Delin­
quency
cases

14
1
2
11
2

11
36
7
91
9
103
2
1
19
2
1
65
98

187
29
10
18
29
17
10
1
25
38
29
14
7
36
25
25
26
100
27
13
29
67
28
22
18
30
21

2
72
73
16
92
49

8

Specialproceed­
ings cases

Cases of
children
discharged
from super­
vision

12

2
1
1
12
4
1
28
2
8
9
1
7
2
25
6
7
1
71
2
3
3
10
15
2
17
9
7
3
31

11

37
1
28

12
1
59
107

1
15
4
4
24
7
24
33
18
7
3
4
3
6
15
54
31
6
5
10
10
9
10
24
10
28
54

66

30
37
5

4
96
10
9
45
137
11
126
7
16

4
7
24
1
47
7
41
2
16

i Cases are for the area specified although the probate court serving this area and dealing with dependency
and neglect cases has jurisdiction over a wider territory.

101461°— 37---- 5


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

62
T

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

I b .— Number o f delinquency, dependency and neglect, and special-proceed­
ings cases disposed of, and number o f cases o f children discharged from supervision
by 260 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in 1984—
Continued

able

Area served by court

Indi ana—Continued.

Massachusetts: 54 courts (not separately reported)___
New York:

Columbia County_________ ________ ______ _____

Oswego County----- ------- ---------------------------------------

Ohio:

Rhode Island:

Utah:

Virginia:


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Delin­
quency
cases

74
201
9
15
192
36
1
31
115
1,953
'2 1 1
33
66
131
9
21
91
25
8
37
31
16
16

Depend­
ency and
neglect
cases

Specialproceed­
ings cases

Cases of
children
discharged
from super­
vision

1
246
8
1
1
33
90

17
22

127

4

141
139
5
23
47
3
98
29
33
45
2
4
8
30
34
35
139
24
248

132
125
114
93
19
153
78
70
186
103
29
36
10
164
108
7
137
42
12 •
75
124
66
86
44
3
28
38
144
59
220
70
87

509
308
111

8
4
2
1
1
2
4
6
2

6
50

2
10

2

1
38
54
1
11

1
5
1
3
5

3
50
1
68
10

2
8

2
i

2
10

2
3
1

7
12
5
205

72
35
69

1
1
1

16
29
19

119
246
258
84
113
127
38

6
26
5

5
2

610
132
163

45
5
77

44
6
4
66
26
17
10
4
25
13
99

3
6

32
127
79
41
45
37
29
31

8

47

63

SOURCE TABLES
DELINQUENCY CASES

T a b l e I I a .— A ge under which juvenile court has original jurisdiction and age when

referred to court o f boys dealt with in delinquency cases disposed o f by the courts
in 6 States, 7If. courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more population,
and 210 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population m 1934Boys’ delinquency cases
Age
under
which
Age of boy when referred to court
juve­
nile
court
Age
18
14
12
10
has Total Un­
years not
17
der years, years, years, 16
original
and
re­
years
years
under
under
under
10
juris­
over ported
16
14
12
years
diction

Area served by court

57,417 3,088 7,226 14,137 23,136 6,481 2,954

Total cases J.

State totals:a
Connecticut___
Indiana_______
Massachusetts.
New York____
Rhode IslandUtah__________

A r e a s w it h
l a t io n

1 0 0 ,0 0 0 o r

16
16
17
16
s 16
18

m o r e

p o p u

­

__________________________________ ____________

Alabama: Mobile County-----------California:
San Diego County_____________
San Francisco (city and county).
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city)---------------- ------Hartford (city)-------- ----------------New Haven (city)______________
District of Columbia-------------------Florida: Dade County---------- -—
Georgia: Fulton County-------------Indiana:
Allen County...........- ------- --------Lake County_________
—
Marion County________________
St. Joseph County_____________
Vanderburgh County---------------Iowa: Polk County--------------------Louisiana:
Caddo Parish------------------------ —
Orleans Parish-------------------------Maryland: Baltimore (city)-------Massachusetts:
Boston:
Boston (central section)--------Brighton-------------------------------Charlestown-------------------------Dorchester____ ______________
East Boston-------- ----------------Roxbury.------- ------- --------------South Boston____ ___________
West Roxbury----------------------Second district of Bristol______
Third district of Bristol___- ___
Lawrence district---------------------Southern Essex district________
Springfield district____ _______
First district of eastern Middle­
sex.
Third district of eastern Middle­
sex___________________________
Lowell district_________________
Somerville district______________
East Norfolk district----------------Central district of Worcester____

3,473
2,767
6,051
9,820
446
1,637

91
631 1,051 1,331
369
109
853- 1,136
431
219
670 1,285 2,362 1,521
208
206
508 1,237 2,701 5,157
54
168
139
68
17
338
540
301
127
56

16

•32

54

62

1,230
463

43
10

48
28

137
67

323
157
214
243
171
573
85
363
35
117
344
96
61
171

4
9
9
2
75

158
74
339
227
1,000
848

57
145
165

147
7
30
18
94
84
50
35
55
43
25
46
32

243
18
58
79
107
122

138
19
21
56
45
65
49
34
43
50
28
30
64

56

111

63

82

69
55
22
40
95

489
575
282
1,514
276
850

56
60

71
96

67
21
49

192
44
145

139
165
86
386
75
276

78
252
734
235
131
594

5
24
48

4
76

10
36
95
40
13
84

26
71
238
78
51
128

321
909
2,852

6
35
215

20
137
555

2

12

631
54
123
174
348
309
239
142
202
224
125
149
195

246
156
104
193
323

13

22

102
42
90
106
44
57

133

181

19
5
'257

47,834 2,386 5,819 11,778 19,720 5,263 2,566
175

214

191

303

101
11
1
281
43
17

2

i Population according to 1930 census.
,
.
...
j All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.
> Courts have jurisdiction over juvenile delinquents under 16 years of age and over wayward children
under 18 years of age.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

64

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

T a b l e I I a .— A ge under which juvenile court has original jurisdiction and age when

referred to court o f boys dealt with in delinquency cases disposed o f by the courts
in 6 States, 74 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more population,
and 210 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in 1984—
Continued
Boys’ delinquency cases
Age
under
which
Age of boy when referred to court
juve­
nile
court
18
Age
12
14
10
has Total Un­
years not
17
der years, years, years, 1 6
original
re­
under under under years years and
10
juris­
over ported
12
14
16
years
diction

Area served by court

A B E A S W IT H 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 O B M O B E P O P U l a t i o n — Continued.

Michigan:
Kent County____ _____ ______
Wayne County_______________
Minnesota:
Ramsey County------------------------New Jersey:

45
211

61

113

610

971

78
449

3
11

15

52

193

279

187

180

6

32

81

133

90

63

96
69

191

407

449

38
29

158

188

8
5

22
20
9

34
22
34

77
50

194

16

328
152
152

55

11

16
16

87
1 ,0 8 9

43
22

167
5 ,3 2 8

37
573
92

30

16

17

341

38

17

2 ,2 6 9

16

18
18

908
411

16
16

741

3
i
2
4

—
2

1

New York:
16
16

•

New York (city)-------------

-----

16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16

187
244
42
148
130
66
233
341

12

15

28
2

145

229
6

18
586
26

14

31

2

3
14

18
3

21

3

3 ,0 3 5
93

1
3
89

77
19
44

120

5
2

15
62

3
10

43
11

60

3

57

2
1

2

4

64

36
115

1

46

113

136

24

1

166

359

440

222

171
136
32

289
320

428
528

275
339

17 1
260
242

85

28
123

11

3
1

6

8

1

16
34

19
19

313
50
1 ,3 8 2

1

60

2

Ohio:
Hamilton County................. —
Oregon: Multnomah County-----Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County------ --------------Philadelphia (city and county). .

18

1 ,4 3 4

18
18

1, 500

71
55
54

18

1, 623
' 276

33

18

979

55

97

45
183

327

50
182

16
16

756
84

82

212

380

33

16

67

34
3
5

15
9

29
18

37
34

1

16
3 16

5 ,7 8 5
161

345
7

881
32

1 ,5 7 7

2 ,8 9 6
49

16

91
802

11

10

34

28
21

62

170

36
243

71

126

163

73

7

1

167
102

128
93

5
21
4

1

78

South C a r o lin a : G r e e n v ille
Utah: Third district____

_______

Washington:
Pierce County------------ --------------Spokane County__________
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County___

18
18

580

.

3

1

4
2
1

199

9

12

34

31

1

555

52

2 ,9 6 7

305

521

194
841

105

18

19
182

28
92

82

18

518

89
565

3
35

9 ,5 8 3

702

1 ,4 0 7

2 ,3 5 9

3 ,4 1 6

1 ,2 1 8

388

23

1 ,6 3 8
1 ,7 7 8

590

164

14

10

628

224

9

60

18

A b e a s w i t h l e s s t h a n 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 P O P U -

L A T IO N __________________________________

Less than

5 0 , 0 0 0 __________________________________

4 ,3 4 1

259

576

1 ,0 9 0

5 , 242

443

831

1 ,2 6 9

3 Courts have jurisdiction over juvenile delinquents under
under 1 8 years of age.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

16

70

years of age and over wayward children

65

SOURCE TABLES
T

I I b .— A ge under which juvenile court has original jurisdiction and age
when referred to court of girls dealt with in delinquency cases disposed o f by the
courts in 6 States, 74 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more
population, and 182 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 vovulation
in 1984 1

able

Area served by court

Age
under
which
juvenile
court
has
original Total
juris­
diction

Total cases3......................

State totals: 3
Connecticut........................
Indiana_____________ _
Massachusetts_______________
New York............. ................
Rhode Island........... ................
Utah...........................
A reas

with

100,000

Girls’ delinquency cases
Ag e of gir 1 when referr 3d to a jurt
Un­
14
10
12
18
Age
der years, years, years, 16
17
years not
10 under under under years years and
re­
years
14
12
16
over ported

9,234

370

384
16
18 1,154
17 '413
16 1, 616
3 16
30
265
18

41
38
9
72
8

612 1,687 4,320 1,399

47
87
26
107
2
16

84
195
500
175
81
186
338 1,030
4
13
40
85

17
234
in
63
10
74

732

83

31

117
3
1

40

or more popu-

7,529

281

16

47

4

21
21

185
140

10

16
16
16
17
17
16

100
65
10
191
79
156

14
5

20
4

4

8
2
12

18
18
18
18
18
18

88
91
217
112
38
120

17
17
16

94
94
270

5
3
7

6
21

17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17
17

57
3
4
11
18
31
5
6
15
14

2

L A T I O N ......................................................................

Alabama: Mobile County____
California:
San Diego County__________
San Francisco (city and county)
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city)_______________
Hartford (city)................... ............
New Haven (city).. _________
District of Columbia________ .
Florida: Dade County___ _
Georgia: Fulton County________
Indiana:
Allen County_______________
Lake County....... .........................
Marion County______________
St. Joseph County________
Vanderburgh County__________
Iowa: Polk County.....................
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish__________
Orleans Parish............ .......
Maryland: Baltimore (city)______
Massachusetts:
Boston:
Boston (central section)............
Brighton________ _______
Charlestown______ _____ _
.
Dorchester.......... ...........
East Boston.....................
Roxbury_______ ______________
South Boston______________
West Roxbury_____________
Second district of Bristol_______
Third district of Bristol................
Lawrence district_________
Southern Essex district_________
Springfield district___________
First district of eastern Middlesex____________________
Third district of eastern Middlesex............................................. .
Lowell district_________________
Somerville district........................
East Norfolk district....................
Central district of Worcester____1

463 1,361 3,613 1,123
5

14

24

7

22
12

57
44

39
35

27
11
1
44
2
46

36
42
9
98
48
89

3
3
37
23
3

9

17
29
14
3
27

37
42
99
47
26
39

30
14
45
25
• 8
5

13
22
80

45
42
117

28
19
27

2

12
1

25
1
4
4

16
1

3

2
9
2
2
1
2

3

2
5

3
3
5

17

1

6

7
6
1
22
3

3

4
1

3

1

10
15

1
2

17

12

1

1

17
17
17
17
17

45
14
1
11
34

1
1

2

10
3

5

2
12

2

9

12
3
2
7
9
2
6
10

40
17

29

1
11
9
32
15

17

1
1
1
2

6

i

2
17

i

3

2
3
2
1
2
3

7

3
14
5

1
4
11

76

7
3
7

18
5

595

5

4

i Population according to the 1930 census.
3 All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or
more population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.
3 Courts have jurisdiction over juvenile delinquents under 16 years of age and over wayward children
under 18 years of age.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

66

JU V E N IL E -00U R T STATISTICS, 1Ô34

T a b l e I I b .— A ge under which juvenile court has original jurisdiction and age

when referred to court of girls dealt with in delinquency cases disposed o f by the
courts in 6 States, 74 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more
population, and 182 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population
in 1984— Continued
Girls’ delinquency cases
Age
under
which
juvenile
court
has
original Total
juris­
diction

Area served by court

Age of girl when referred to court
Age
18
14
12
10
Un­
17 years not
der years, years, years, 16
years
and
re­
10 under under under years
over ported
16
14
years 12

A r e a s w i t h 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 o k m o r e p o p u ­
l a t i o n — Continued.

Michigan:
Kent County...................................
Wayne County...............................
Minnesota:
Hennepin County........................Ramsey County...............- ............
New Jersey:
Hudson County----------- ------------Mercer County.............. - ..............
New York:
Albany County..............................
Broome County.. . ........................
Chautauqua County.....................
Dutchess County........................—
Erie County....... ............................
Monroe County...................... —
New York (city)................. - .........
Niagara County-------- ---------------Oneida County...............................
Orange County...............................
Rensselaer County............- ..........
Schenectady County.....................
Suffolk County....... ......................
Syracuse (city)........ ................... .
Westchester County......................
Ohio:
Franklin County............................
Hamilton C ounty........................
Mahoning County------------- ------Montgomery County...........—
Oregon: Multnomah County-------Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County................. --Berks County------------------- -------Montgomery County----------------Philadelphia (city and county)..
Rhode Island: Sixth district--------South Carolina: Greenville County
Utah: Third district.......................
Virginia: Norfolk (c ity ).................
Washington:
Pierce County--------------------------Spokane County.--------------------Wisconsin: Milwaukee County—

17
17

62
222

6

5
ID

9
33

21
129

18
48

1
2

2

18
18

181
56

2

6
3

18
5

67
17

48
18

39
13

1

16
16

127
30

3

9
7

34
9

76
10

4

1

16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16

76
23

4
1

15
4
3
6
12
6
209
1

53
17
3
9
65
9
646
4
14
4
17
9
51
28
38

1

8

26
92
22
964
5
19

5

10
32

57

1

4

47
12
5
48
67

10

1
1
2
4
17

2

3

20
3
4

1

18
18
18
18
18

232
544
264
153
122

3
6
10
21
3

11
25
13
6
3

35
91
42
12
19

89
200
104
69
37

56
118
68
21
31

35
94
26
23
27

3
9
1

16
16
16
16
» 16
16
18
18

125
17
10
676
1
13
115
116

5
i

3

28

8

10

3

39

65

4
154

10

4
16

68
7
6
407
1
6
35
45

37
25

11
17

18
18
18

40
83
515

1
14

6
23

10
60

22
26
169

5
21
120

3
17
123

2
6

.........................................................................................

1,705

89

149

326

707

276

137

7

50,000, less than 100,000.............—
Less than 50,000----------------------------

795
910

30
59

54
95

163
163

348
359

131
145

62
75

7

A r e a s w it h l e s s t h a n
l a t io n

100,000 p o

p u

­

1
1

2

9

2
1

14
14

* Courts have jurisdiction over juvenile delinquents under 16 years of age and over wayward children
under 18 years of age.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

67

SOUKCE TABLES
T

III a .— Color, nativity, and parent nativity o f boys dealt with in delinquency
cases disposed o f by the courts in 1 State, 44 courts that served specified areas with
100,000 or more population, and 21 courts that served areas with less than 100,000
population in 19341

able

Boys’ delinquency cases
White boys
Area served by court
Total
Total

Total cases 3_________________

Native,
Native, foreign
native
or
parent­ mixed
age
parent­
age

Native,
parent­ For­ Nativ­
age not eign ity not
re­
born
re­
ported
ported

Col­
ored
boys

.

4 4 ,9 0 9

3 4 ,7 1 5

1 8 ,0 8 3

1 3 ,9 9 8

1 ,4 7 2

624

538

1 0 ,1 9 4

State total: Utah 3____________________

1 ,6 3 7

1 ,6 2 6

1 ,3 1 6

282

15

12

1

11

4 1 ,8 0 1

1 3 ,6 6 6

1 ,4 3 8

612

535

9 ,7 0 1

A r e a s w i t h 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 o r m o r e p o p u l a T I O N ...........................................................................................................

3 2 ,1 0 0

1 5 ,8 4 9

Alabama: Mobile County............ ..............
California:
San Diego County________________
San Francisco (city and county). . .
Connecticut:

175

95

95

1 ,2 3 0

1 ,1 9 4

312

21

52

1

36

463

435

808
204

161

35

27

8

28

489

146
160

310
313

8

575
1 ,5 1 4

467
477

3

Hartford (city)'.................. ....... ........
District of Columbia..... .......................

527
212
278

464

22
19

39
3

4
1
3

70
218

56

12

2

56
468
155
106

156
3

276
850

187
278

80

22
98
1

987
64
572

Indiana:
78
252
734

Vanderburgh County_____________

235
131
594

471
211
110
546

516

40
2
24

4
5
5

2

8
34

11

263
24

2
1

21
48

Louisiana:
321

Orleans Parish____________________
Maryland: Baltimore (city)________
Michigan:
Kent County......... v.............. ...........
Wayne County___________________
Minnesota:

909
2 ,8 5 2

178
411
1 ,6 2 2

'

1

143

177
276

94

3

1

852

518

243

7

38
3

102

341

321

153

2 ,2 6 9

1 ,8 5 5

595

116
1 ,1 5 4

908
411

884

523

354

1

395

211

118

63

741

196

494

449

717
361

88

271

1 ,0 8 9

1 ,0 0 4

167
5 ,3 2 8
148
233
341

163
4 ,5 3 3

326
45

650
116
3 ,0 3 4

1

37
2

498
1 ,2 3 0

13
1

20
414

6
3

24

27
2

24

16

New Jersey:
New York:
Erie County____ __________________
New York (city)------------ ------- ------Westchester County........................ .
Ohio:
Franklin County________ _________
Mahoning County....... ................... .
Oregon: Multnomah County.............
Pennsylvania:
Berks County__ ................................
Philadelphia (city and county)___
Utah: Third district_____________ I . .

146
216
300

801
93
87
101

1 ,4 3 4

1 ,0 2 6

910

1, 5 0 0
1, 6 2 3

1 ,0 1 5
1 ,3 8 1

1 ,0 0 8
' 244

276
979

217
964

756
84

626
84

67
5 ,7 8 5
91
802

56
3 ,6 5 8
65

580

801
252

88

3
1

24
1

1

85
4

514

179

5

53
122

795
2

1

169

12

6
13

a

17
41

95
7

4

14

3

408
485

50
1

3

377

242
59

717

707
10
183

15

23

26

191

432

3

206

15
130

39
14

45
41

1 ,6 7 5
65
559

1 ,8 8 0

7

59

37

225
13

6

10

1

2
1

3

4

1

7
172

493

239

1

11
2 ,1 2 7
26
1
328

Washington:
199
555

Wisconsin: Milwaukee County_____

2 ,9 6 7

195
548
2 ,7 9 5

A r e a s w i t h l e s s t h a n 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u L A T I O N ..................................................: _______________________

3 ,1 0 8

2 ,6 1 5

2 ,2 3 4

332

34

12

3

less than 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 _______ _______________
Less than 5 0 , 0 0 0 ----------------------- --------- -------

1 ,7 6 1
1 ,3 4 7

1, 57 8
1 ,0 3 7

1 ,3 3 5

217
115

16

7

3

18

5

5 0 ,0 0 0 ,

188
420
1 ,1 5 1

127
1 ,2 6 2

361

20

899

2

183
310

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
3 All figures for the State for which a total is given are also shown by courts lor areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

68
T

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

I I I b .— Color, nativity, and parent nativity of girls dealt with in delinquency
cases disposed o f hy the courts in 1 State, 44 courts that served specified areas with
100,000 or more population, and 20 courts that served areas with less than 100,000
population in 1934 1

able

Girls’ delinquency cases
W h i t e g irls
A rea served b y cou rt
T ota l
T ota l

N a t iv e ,
N a t iv e ,
N a t iv e , fo re ig n ,
p a ren t­ F o r ­
n a t iv e
or
age
e ig n
p a r e n t ­ m ix e d
n o t re ­ b o r n
age
p a ren t­
p o rte d
a ge

7 ,6 2 9

5 ,6 9 5

3 ,3 6 8

1,8 2 5

352

112

S ta te t o t a l: U t a h 2_________„•______________

265

262

213

40

5

4

A r e a s w i t h 100,000 o r m o r e p o p u LATION_____________________ ___________

7 ,030

5 ,1 9 2

2 ,9 3 5

1 ,765

343

112

47

27

27

185
140

167
129

120
49

34
55

7
10

6
11

100
65
191
79
156

94
47
39
70
60

28
15
34
64
60

63
31
4
4

1

88
91
217
112
38
120

80
65
156
103
22
107

61
22
156
71
22
102

7
43

94
94
270

48
35
133

62
222

T o t a l c a s e s 2________________ _____

N a t iv ­
ity
n o t re­
p o rte d

38

C o l­
ored
g irls

1,934
3

37

1,838
20

C a lifo r n ia :
S a n F r a n c is c o ( c i t y a n d c o u n t y ) . - C o n n e cticu t:

4

18
11
6
18
152
9
96

3
1
2

I n d ia n a :
10

29

2

8
26
61
9
16
13

3

4

1

48
15
63

9
32

1
36

2

53
178

30
72

9
91

13
1

13

181
56

174
54

104
31

70
21

2

127
30

115
18

32
6

80
12

92
22
964
47
48
67

80
22
712
45
41
56

31
13
156
27
19
18

48
9
438
18
22
34

232
544
264
153
122

158
397
227
118
117

143
378
79
115
99

12
13
90
3
17

125
17
10
676
13
115
116

92
17
4
369
8
115
44

36
13
2
152
8
80
43

53
4
2
199

40
83
515

40
81
475

37
64
190

599

503

385
214

346
157

L o u is ia n a :
10

46
59
137

1
1

9
44

M ic h i g a n :
W a y n e C o u n t y .................................. ........
M in n e s o t a :

7
2

N e w Jersey:
12
12

3

N ew Y ork:

N e w Y o r k ( c i t y ) _____________________

1
66

49

12
3

3

1

5
49

3
1
9

252
2
7
11

O h io :

1

74
. 147
37
35
5

P e n n s y lv a n ia :

P h ila d e lp h ia ( c i t y a n d c o u n t y ) -------

33

3

4

2

4

1
15
159

123

2
2
3

433

60

9

1

96

293
140

48
12

4
5

1

39
57

29
1

4

6
307
5

10

72

W a s h in g to n :

A reas

w it h

less th a n

100,000

popu-

L A T IO N ...................................... ............................

L e s s t h a n 50,000___ __

2
40

__________ —

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
2 All figures for the State for which a total is given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

69

SOURCE TABLES
T

I V .— Source of reference to court o f delinquency cases disposed o f by the courts
in 1 State, 44 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more population,
and 21 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in 1984 1

able

Delinquency cases
Source of reference to court
Area served by court
Total

Par­
Pro­
Other
School ba­
Other Social ents indi­ Other Source
de­
Police part­ tion court agen­ or
vid­ source not re­
oflSrela­
cy
ported
ment
tives ual
cer

Total cases 8__________ _______ 52,538 33,356
State total: Utah 8____ __________ 1,902
A R E A S W I T H 100,000 O R M O R E P O P U L A T I O N - ____ ___________________ _________

48,831 31,563
222
44

California:
San Diego County.................... 1,415
San Francisco (city and coun603
ty )............................................
Connecticut:
589
640
1,705
355
1,006
Indiana:
166
343
951
347
169
714
Louisiana:
415
1,003
3,122
Michigan:
403
Wayne County______________ 2,491
Minnesota:
1,089
467
New Jersey:
868
479
New York:
1,181
189
New York (city)...................... 6,292
195
281
408
Ohio:
Franklin C o u n t y ...________ 1,666
2,044
1,887
429
Oregon: Multnomah County... 1,10 1
Pennsylvania:
881
101
77
Philadelphia (city and coun6,461
South Carolina: Greenville
104
917
696
Waihington:
239
638
3,482
A r e a s

w it h

l e s s

P O P U L A T IO N .

t h a n

884

3,441 1,652
321

308

2,941 1,225
24
13

948 1,203 4,405 7,336

181

16

236

16

2

920 1,092 4,211 6,707
62
12
3
64

158

14

18

29

484

95

39

507

16

134

134

5

1

358

12

79

32

12

101

f

3

1

435
537
1,264
118
483

41
52
16
68
8

3
21
127
9
13

2

1
3
20
6
4

57
20
201
39
78

50
77
111
420

86
184
386
121
111
227

21
60
43
19
28
52

5
2
17
15
2
1

1
1

11
6
9
6
1
3

27
33
141
60
11
47

15
57
355
105
16
381

80
563
2,705

16
60
57

20
21
33

7

1

7
104

8
189
143

283
163
79

310
1,996

28
99

5
9

3

3
74

38
190

18
105

1
15

948
401

24
1

17
•6

74
18

25
41

1

369
424

155
19

105
6

77
1

31
15

130
14

1

959
10 1
3,140
65
209
216

4
2
333
72
15
69

14
4
2
2

4

989
1,476
1,123
132
692

101
150
372
87
63

111
3
4
16
6

9
43
20
8
3

50
50
44
12
27

126
133
136
80
73

274
184
188
94
216

171
86
65

20

357

236

16
6
2

66
1
9

15
1

4,724

299

64
555
428

4
130
47

10
53

169
489
3,076

16
24
135

1,793
1,071
722

500
287
213

3

1
2

55
71
78
15
42
29
283 1,0 12 1,484
10
13
33
6
29
20
39
26
58

50,000, less than 100,000.............
Less than 50,000_______________

3,707
2,146
1,561

1

20
1
1

24

8

5
5

1

21
7
1

2

10

438

943

42

11
13

2
14
7

12
51
34

11
140
125

4

1
2
92

3
2
1

3
27
17

28
37
75

18
•57
86

1

427
217
210

28
26
2

111
21
90

194
125
69

629
382
247

23
15
8

3

100,000

______ : ...............................

88

2

2
2

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
8 All figures for the State for which a total is given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

70
T

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

V a .— Reason for reference to court in boys’ delinquency cases disposed o f by
the courts in 6 States, 74 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more
population, and 210 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in
1934 1

able

B o y s ’ d e l i n q u e n c y c a se s

R e a s o n fo r r e fe r e n c e t o c o u r t
Ut

CD

©
A rea served b y c ou rt

0

d *_

A 2
0 O
Ut CO

Is
o

bfi
•S
73
©

£ ’s

©
©

GO

T o t a l c a se s 2______________________

S ta te to ta ls: 2
C o n n e c t i c u t _____________________ . . .

A

reas

w it h

100,000

o r

d
o

d

o

03

03
'o
V
©
e
03

&
d
03
P
U»

Ut

rd

*
03
bfi
d
*d
d
9
«

£

0

a

Ut

d

o

>

ë
o

>>
Ut
J3
*d

o3

d

O
bfl
d

X
0
m

5 7 ,4 1 7 2 7 ,3 8 9 1 4 ,8 7 5 1 ,8 0 9 2 ,8 3 4 3 ,1 8 4 3 ,5 7 3

3,473

1,459

1,420

Indiana__________ ____ ________ 2,7 6 7 1,420
474
Massachusetts____ ____________ 6,051 3 ,2 2 3 1,134
New York_________ _________ _ 9 ,820 4 ,5 5 0 2,411
Rhode Island___ __ __________
446
295
38
Utah_____________ ; ____________ 1,637
211
979

*03 a)
w bjo
s e
sT3

3
24
474
40
2
76

207
143
288
479
42
180

94
212
74
678
4
47

165
313
195
789
23
37

| S
S" *■«
SB O
w d
o o4
PC Î
® ©

0
Ut

©

Ot
0
Ut

d
o
8
p

©
d
d
©
8

Ut
0
M

0

o

U-f

92 8 1 ,3 3 6

46
73
69
125
1
33

'd

«

319

853

59
82
164
307
g
19

1
13
42
8

19
13
272
266

33

22

779 1,0 7 5

226

757

27

41

31 7

116
167
33

m o r e

P O P U L A T IO N ________________________

47,834 22,778 12,387 1, 551 2 ,194 2,731 3,091

175
22
Alabama: Mobile County_______
70
California:
San Diego County____________ 1,230
340
93
San Francisco (city and
county)_______ _____________
463
295
8
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city)___ ____ _____
489
209
146
575
Hartford (city)__________ 1 ' . ___
181,
261
282
163
69
New Haven (city)...................
856
323
District of Columbia___________ 1,514
Florida: Dade County___ _______
276
131
52
Georgia: Fulton County.............
850
573
137
Indiana:
Allen County. _______________
78
36
6
Lake County_____ _________ .
252
148
49
Marion County_______________
734
398
58
St. Joseph County ....... ......................
235
65
117
Vanderburgh County. ______ __
131
11
109
594
Iowa: Polk County_____________
243
206
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish______________ .
321
168
89
Orleans Parish________________
909
435
229
Maryland: Baltimore (city)_____ 2 ,8 5 2 1,027 1,438
Massachusetts:
Boston:
Boston (central section). . . . .
631
298
71
Brighton__________________
54
30
9
Charlestown.___________ . . .
123
72
37
Dorchester__________________
174
51
66
East Boston______ : _________
348
177
119
Roxbury________ _______
309
156
40
South Boston___________ . . .
239
120
75
West Roxbury______________
142
80
36
,
Second district of Bristol______
202
129
10
Third district of Bristol
____
224
151
41
Lawrence district_____________
125
74
19
Southern Essex district.
72
149
36
Springfield district........ .............
195
100
28
First district of eastern Middlesex__................... ........................
265
107
56
Third district of eastern Middlesex_____________________
141
40
246
Lowell district.......... .............. .
156
105
19

15

6

48

2

447

57

100

96

22

7

56

13

5

62

14

g

48
1
1

28
29
26
62
34
10

31
35
2
22
26
28

55
44
5
146
17
59

12
14
1
16
6
7

7
7
9
39
8
20

2
18
27
2
1
3

18
22
61
30
2
17

4
10
155
9
5
91

11
3
7
5
10

2
25
7
2
7

8

11
2
87

14
191
172

3
3
23

18
37
52

39

20
4

1
1

6

22
1
2
6
6

51

35
6
9

22

7
25
21
9

2

4
1
2
5
50

2

2

1
1
1

6
14
11
5
4
10
1

10
10
16
19

14
5
11
16
6

2

32

25

4

22

1

12

23
19

3

13

3

4
7
2
1
14

i

1

12

3

2
1

2
5
2

134
1

2
10
6
3
3
7
6
11

4
6
1
4
9

2
1
5

,
2
1

2
1

1

3
3

265

12

4
2
3

2

i
8
9
5
4

2

15
1

23

4
16
1
4
8

2

4
3
4

1
1

1
10

4

3

11

1

6

5

11

3

5

1
1
9

3

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
* All figures for the States -for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or
more population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

71

SOURCE TABLES

T a b l e V a .— Reason for reference to court in boys’ delinquency cases disposed o f by

the courts in 6 States, 74 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more
population, and 210 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in
1934 — Continued
Boys’ delinquency cases

A r e a s

w it h

p o p u l a t io n

100,000 o r m
—Continued.

Wayne County.......................... .
Minnesota:
Ramsey County........ .............. . .
New Jersey:
Mercer County..... ................... . .
New York:
Albany County................. ..........
Chautauqua County---------------Monroe County--------- -------------

Syracuse (city)...........................
Westchester County............ .......
Ohio:
Franklin County............ ............
Hamilton County............. ..........
Montgomery County.......... —
Oregon: Multnomah County-----Pennsylvania:
Montgomery County............ . . .
Philadelphia (city and county)
Rhode Island: Sixth district.
S ou th C a r o lin a : Greenville
C ounty........................................
Utah: Third district.......................
Washington:
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County..
r e a s
w it h
l e s s
t h a n
100,000
P O P U L A T I O N ------------ --------- ---------------

50,000, less than 100,000.-------------Less than 50,000--------------------------


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

j Reason not reported

j Other reason

Use, possession, or sale
of liquor or drugs

Injury to person

Sex offense

Ungovernable

Running away

Truancy

Traffic violation

o r e

Somerville district____________
East Norfolk district__________
Central district of Worcester—

A

Stealing

Total

Area served by court

Act of carelessness or
mischief

Reason for reference to court

57
99
167

23
42
49

5
13
22

1
20
30

11

9
2
5

5

6
9
6

7

341
185
2,269 1,678

71
212

25
42

7
112

7
16

23
95

11
53

8
59

4
2
12
3

104
193
323

1

£
4
18

908
411

561
277

152
48

91
32

13
3

13

30
25

25
14

6
4

741
449

333
274

159
119

1

121
13

21
4

79
17

6
6

14
15

8

40

12
2
2
2
32
6
179

7
8
2
4
4

1

30

1

32
2
1
16
40

13
4
8

25
6
6
10
57
26
466
18
14
3
10
9
3
10
29

2
8
1

13

69
8
5
8
3
4
200

59
58
170
21
67

59
33
60
10
86

49
28
18
11
31

9
13
24
4
16

46
1C

55

11
£
1
51

17

328
147
25
152
117
3
152
102
34
87
30
32
1,089
653
217
104
' 167
8
5,328 2,054 1,564
61
187
107
244
34
118
10
42
23
11
66
148
130
34
75
66
57
141
55
233
2 11
20
341

1
1
4

1
3
4

394
385
504
71
187

9
88
15
24

86
11
231
63
45

514
67
756
8
84
57
3
67
61
5,785 1,931 2,468
10
161
100

3

41

6C
462
293

4
116
133

199
108
555
265
2,967 1,163

1,434
1,500
1,623
276
979

752
829
588
95
487

10
11
46
1
3
3
2
5
13

10
3
11
1
3
10

2
123
3

2

5

177 167
1
36
3

1
2
2
1
9
13
7
9

__
__
__
__
27 __
5

8
42
6

1
9

87

214
30

661
2

236
6

1
62
24

69
33

2
29
7

10
21
32

4
15
12

35

12
8

27
125
953

5
35
185

6
1C
87

11
54
261

24
2S
141

6
104

1
14
51

2
IS
21

9,583 4,611 2,488

258

640

453

482

149

261

93

96

52

922
4,341 2,266
5.242 2,345 1,566

118
140

340
300

201
252

224
258

59
90

99
162

33
60

37
59

42
10

91
802
58C

5

109
8
460

4
3

ÌÒ

7
7

__
__
__
10 __
2
9
3

1

72

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

T a b l e V b .— Reason for reference to court in girls’ delinquency cases disposed o f by

the courts in 6 States, 7% courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more
population, and 182 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in
1984 1
Girls’ delinquency cases
Reason for reference to court

Area served by court

®

o

P
Total cases2.
State totals: 2
Connecticut___
Indiana.............
Massachusetts.
New York____
Rhode Island..
Utah..................

A r e a s

100,000 o r m o r e p o p u l a ­
. . ................................................................. ................. ................

9,234 1,074

384
1,154
413
1,616
30
265

46
85
83
180
3
37

7,529

907

1,001 1,474 2,592 1,597

881

50
108
22
185

31
155
38
369
1
30

72,
353
126
501
61
40

115 108 104

304
93
141
16
39

100
4

w it h

t io n

Alabama: Mobile County___________
California:
San Diego County________________
San Francisco (city and county)___
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city)......... .......... ............
Hartford (city)_______________ ____
New Haven (c ity )................. ..........
District of Columbia.............................
Florida: Dade C o u n t y .____ ______
Georgia: Fulton County...... ................
Indiana:
Allen County.......................................
Lake County_____________________
Marion County___ _____ _________
St. Joseph County.......... ...................
Vanderburgh County_____________
Iowa: Polk County_______________ . . .
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish..................................... f
Orleans Parish____________________
Maryland: Baltimore (city)................
Massachusetts:
Boston:
Boston (central section).......... ...J
Brighton____________ ______ ____
Charlestown...... ..............................
Dorchester-------------- ------------------East Boston..... ..................... ..........
Roxbury.......................... .................
South Boston------------- ---------------West Roxbury.................................
Second district of Bristol.............. .
Third district of Bristol_____ ____ _
Lawrence district________ ____ ____
Southern Essex district- ___________
Springfield district_________ ______
First district of eastern Middlesex. .
Third district of eastern Middlesex.
Lowell district_______________ ____
Somerville district________________
East Norfolk district.........................
Central district of Worcester______

712

67

755 1,290 2,177

47

6

29

185
140

10

54
85

157

77

25
12
6
100
19
32

100
65
10
191
79
156

11
91
217

112

24
110
43

38
120

43

6

10

94
94
270

28

50
120

20

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
2 All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or
more population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

73

SOTJBCE TABLES

T a b l e V b .— Reason fo r reference to court in girls’ delinquency cases disposed o f by

the courts in 6 States, 74 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more
population, and 182 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in
1984— Continued
Girls' delinquency cases

A r e a s w it h

Other reason

1 0 0 ,0 0 0 o r m o r e p o p u l a ­

t i o n — Continued.
Michigan:
Kent County............_.........................
Wayne County................................ ..
Minnesota:
Hennepin County_____ _____ _____
Ramsey County................... . ............
New Jersey:
Hudson County__________ ____ ___
Mercer County___________________
New York:
Albany County.................................
Broome County......... .........................
Chautauqua County______________
Dutchess County__________ ______
Erie County____________ _______
Monroe County___________________
New York (city)____ _____ _______
Niagara County___ _____ _________
Oneida C o u n ty ...______ _________
Orange County........................ ..........
Rensselaer County________________
Schenectady County______________
Suffolk County___________ ________
Syracuse (city)...... ................... .........
Westchester County______________
Ohio:
Franklin County__________________
Hamilton C ounty...____ _________
Mahoning County________________
Montgomery County______________
Oregon: Multnomah County________
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County................... ..........
Berks County...................... ................
Montgomery County_____ _______
Philadelphia (city and county)____
Rhode Island: Sixth district_________
South Carolina: Greenville County..
Utah: Third district______ _________
Virginia: Norfolk (city).......................
Washington:
Pierce County___________ _________
Spokane County...............................
Wisconsin: Milwaukee............ ...........

62
222

13
20

2
16

1
2

5
41

11
11

10
91

19
39

181
56

27
5

8

4

6
2

22

29
17

73
32

127
30

8
10

2
2

53
2

4

25
4

33
6

76
23
8
26
92
22
964
5
19
5
47
12
5
48
67

8
4
1
2
23
1
88
1
3

32
9
1
9
2

5
1

1
7
5
54

40

1
5
4
1
13
8
44

4

37

27
4
1
7
18
7
311
4
4
5
1
8

20
10

3

4
10

8

13
19

9
12

2
5

232
544
264
153
122

20
45
23
11
29

17
70
44
50
11

18
61
86
14
5

32
161
21
24
19

68
122
52
26
26

75
62
34
27
30

1
9
1

1
5

1

1

125
17
10
676
1
13
115
116

19
2
2
74

2

13

35
1

24

21
14

10

1

103

59

3
16
15

1
1
8

2
37
17

40
83
515

3
8
76

6
80

5
3
43

l e s s t h a n
1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u ­
.....................................................................................................

1,705

167

169

less than 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 __________________________
Less than 5 0 , 0 0 0 _______________________________________

795
910

85
82

59
110

A r e a s

Reason not reported

Use, possession, or sale
of liquor or drugs

Injury to person

Sex offense

Ungovernable

Running away

Truancy

Traffic violation

Stealing

Total

Area served by court

Act of carelessness or
mischief

Reason for reference to court

28
5
294

10

4

1
2
5

7
2

6
2

1

3
1
27

6 100

2
5
2

2

5
3

168

8
193

69

5

1

1
14
12

3
24
30

1
16
21

1
1
11

1

16
26
58

8
17
94

7
14
143

7 -246

184

415

386

57

40

31

3

2
5

103
81

178
237

168
218

28
29

25
15

7
24

2
1

3

1
10

1

4
3
1

1
—

1
8
6

w it h

l a t io n

5 0 ,0 0 0 ,


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

138
108

74
T

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

VI.— P la ce o f care o f child 'pending hearing or d is p o sitio n i n d elin q u en cy
cases d isp o se d o f b y the courts i n 1 S ta te, 4 4 courts that served specified a reas vrith
100,000 or m ore p o p u la tio n , a n d 2 1 courts that served a reas vrith less than 1 0 0 ,0 0 0
p o p u la tio n i n 1 9 8 4 1

able

Total cases 5______________________________ 52,538 31,402

1,902
AB E A S

W IT H

100,000

OB M O EE

P O P U L A T I O N _________

California:
Connecticut:

Indiana:

Louisiana:

Michigan:
Minnesota:
New Jersey:
New York:

Ohio:

Montgomery County------- --------------------------Oregon: Multnomah County________________

1,555

48,831 28,625

582 14,007 4,528 1,249 364

142

30

12 1

53

557 13,680 4,498 1,004

61

l

222

90

1,415
603

1,094
207

4

289
390

. 4

589
640
1,705
355
1,006

295
490
1,246
282
575

1

292
149
453

1
1
2

4

1

427

13
2

1

166
343
951
347
169
714

80
282
84
303
160
544

3

60
60
866

7

16

415
1,003
3,122

273
412
2,849

403
2,491

237
1,062

1

1,089
467

1,058
345

10

868
479

512
381

1,181
189
6,292
195
281
408

803
136
2,589
111
99
251

1,666
2,044
1,887
429
1,10 1

798
791
855
287
788

116

7
2

2
50
270

165
1,428

1
1
56

355
98
6
4

176

1

3

404

24
5

1

60

34
7
16

1
1

49
8

20
65

1

10

6

149

8
3

2

1

1
47
3,689
84

376

404

1

1
2
1

91
533

1

2

16

152

3

Place of care not re­
ported

| Other place of care3

Jail or police sta­
tion 3

Other institution

Detention home 3

Boarding home or
other family home

Total

Area served by court

No detention care

Detention care overnight or longer
in specified place

No report as to detention care

Delinquency cases

546
1,239
882
106
159

33
8
2
19

287
2
148
35
131

1
1

1

—

1

—

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
_
.■
.
1 Includes cases of children cared for part of the time in detention homes and part of the time elsewhere,
but excludes cases of children also held in jails or police stations. _
_
■
. . .
3
Includes a few cases of children cared for part of the time in jails or police stations and part of the time
elsewhere.
.
,
.
. . . .
3 Includes a few cases of children held in more than 1 place of care but in places other than detention
homes, jails, or police stations.
.
« All figures for the State for which a total is given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

*75

SOURCE TABLES
T

VI.— P la ce o f care o f child 'pending h earin g or d is p o sitio n i n d elin q u en cy
cases d isp o se d o f b y the cou rts i n 1 S tate, 4 4 cou rts that served sp ecified a reas with
100,000 o r m ore p o p u la tio n , a n d 2 1 courts that served areas w ith less than 1 0 0 ,0 0 0
p o p u la tio n i n 1 9 3 4 — Continued

able

1

3,707

2,777
1, 171

Place of care not re­
ported

112
379
1,653

Other place of care

239
638
3, 482

Jail or police sta­
tion

12
86
14
4,906
96
704
294

Other institution

881
101
77
fi, 4fil
104
917
fiOfi

Detention home

No detention care

100,000 o r m o r e p o p u l a t i o n — Con.
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County...............................................
Berks County_________- .....................................
Montgomery County..........................................
Philadelphia (city and county)....... .................
South Carolina: Greenville County__________ Utah: Third district_____________________ ____
Virginia: Norfolk (city)..........................................
Washington:
Pierce County---------------------------------------------Spokane County...................................................
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County-----------------------

Total

Area served by court

Boarding home or
other family home

Detention care overnight or longer
in specified place

No report as to detention care

Delinquency cases

A r e a s w it h

A r e a s w it h l e s s t h a n

100,000

p o p u l a t io n

---------

50,000, less than 100,000_______________________
Less than 50,000______________________________

T

l’, 561

1

5
13

546
63
1,475

317
2
73

7
8
52
23

142
258

19

101
234
1,829

1

25

327

30

245 303

10
15

312
15

12
18

158 48
87 255

12 1

24
25

VII.— M a n n e r o f h a n d lin g d elin q u en cy cases d isp o se d o f b y the cou rts i n 6
S ta tes, 7 4 cou rts that served sp ecified areas with 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 or m ore p o p u la tio n , a n d
2 1 7 cou rts that served areas w ith less than 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u la tio n i n 1 9 3 4 1

able

Delinquency cases
Area served by court
Total cases2

______________________________________________

State totals: 2

Utah
A r e a s w it h

.........................................- .............................. .
100,000 o r

m o r e p o p u l a t io n

.............................................................

California:
Connecticut:

Indiana:

Vanderburgh (County...........................................................................

Total

Official

Unofficial

66,651

44,489

22,162

3,857
3,921
6,464
11,436
476
1,902

1,715
1, 619
6,464
11,430
476
1,016

2,142
2,302

55,363
222

37,669
222

17,694

1,415
603

859
603

556

589
640
292
1,705
355
1,006

140
277
292
1,267
249
780

449
363

109
130
764
63
52

57
213
187
284
117

166
343
951
347
169 1

6
886

438
106
226

i Population according to the 1930 census.
______ _
3 All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

76
T

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

V I I .— M anner o f handling delinquency cases disposed o f hy the courts in 6
States, 74 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more population, and
217 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in 1934— Con.

able

Delinquency cases
Area served by court
Total

A reas with 100,000 or more population—Continued.
Iowa: Polk C oun ty............._ ........... . . . ......... ............
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish____________ _______ _______________
Orleans Parish___________ ____ _______ -IIIIIIIIIII
Maryland: Baltimore (city)............. ................ IIIHHI
Massachusetts:
Boston:
Boston (central section)________________________
Brighton.............................................. ..I .IIII.IIH
Charlestown______________________________ I .I ll
Dorchester.................................. ...................
East Boston______________________________ IIII"
Roxbury...........................................................„ .H I I
South Boston______________________________ IH~
West R o x b u ry ..._________________
.IIIIIII
Second district of Bristol................................. IIIII
Third district of Bristol..................
” 11
Lawrence district________________________ IIIIIIH I
Southern Essex district________ ______ ---IIIIIIIIII
Springfield district..........................................I..........
First district of eastern Middlesex................... 'I
Third district of eastern Middlesex___*......................
Lowell district___________________________________"
Somerville district__________________
IIIIIIH I
East Norfolk district___ ;_________:____ IIIIII
Central district of Worcester........................IIIIIIIIII
Michigan:
Kent County____________________________________
Wayne County______ ____
HUH"
Minnesota:
Hennepin County______________________________
Ramsey County......... ........................I.IIIIIIIII I
New Jersey:
Hudson County............................................................
Mercer County_______________________
IIIIII
New York:
Albany County..............................................................
IIIIII
Broome County____ ________
Chautauqua County_____________________IIIIIIIIII
Dutchess C ou n ty..___________________
IIIIIII
Erie C o u n t y .......__________ . u. . ________II.IIIII*
Monroe County_____ ;______ ____ ______ IIIIIIIIIII"
New York (city)......................... .......... IIIIIIIIII
Niagara County....................................... I.IIIIIIIII
Oneida County___________________________ IIIIII..
Orange C ounty.. _________ ___________ IIIII.IIII
Rensselaer County_________
HI
Schenectady County_______ ____________I
Suffolk County__________________________ HH
"
Syracuse (city)..................... .....................IIIIIIIIIII.
Westchester County...................
Ohio:
..........................
Franklin County_____________________________
Hamilton County________________ I.IIIIIIIIIII IIII
Mahoning County___________________IIIIIIHI I*
Montgomery County_____ _____ II.IIIIIIIIIIIII
Oregon: Multnomah County..................... „I II I I I I
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County................................. ....................
Berks County_______________
HH
Montgomery County___________I I .„ I „.II„I„I._ IIH
Philadelphia (city and county). ....................IIIIIIIH
Rhode Island: Sixth district,________
HH
South Carolina: Greenville County............
Utah: Third district________________ ____ I.IIIIII
Virginia: Norfolk (city)_____ _____________I. "
Washington:
Pierce County______________________________
Spokane County......................... .......... H ill II..........
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County....................I.IIIIIIIIH
Areas with less than 100,000 population.......................
50,000, less than 100,000_______________ . . .
Less than 50,000...__________________
IIIIII'*!' ¿*


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Official

Unofficial

714

154

560

415
1,003
3,122

383
1,003
3,122

32

688
57
127
185
366
340
244
148
217
238
128
159
210
277
291
170
105
204
357

688
57
127
185
366
340
244
148
217
238
128
159
210
277
291
170
105
204
357

403
2,491

403
2,491.

1,089
467

1,089
467

868
479

868
479

404
175
160
113
1,181
189
6,292
192
263
47
195
142
71
281
408

404
175
160
113
1,181
189
6,292
192
263
47
195
142
71
281
402

6

1,666
2,044
1,887
429
1,10 1

436
108
343
128
143

1,230
1,936
1,544
301
958

881
101
77
6,461
162
104
917
696

881
101
77
1,693
162
81
526
696

4,768

239
638
3,482

167
215
1,028

72
423
2,454

11,288

6,820

4,468

5,136
6,152

2,832
3,988

2,304
2,164

23
391

77

SOURCE TABLES

T a b l e V I I I a .— D is p o s itio n o f b o y s ’ d elin q u en cy cases b y the cou rts o f 6 S ta tes, 7 4
courts that served sp ecified areas with 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 or m ore p o p u la tio n , a n d 2 1 0 courts
that served areas w ith less than 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u la tio n i n 1 9 3 4 1

or

Other disposition of case

Institution

Institution

Agency or
individual
1 Restitution, fine,
costs ordered

Referred
without
commit­
ment to-

Com­
mitted
to—
1 Agency or
1 individual 1

Case dismissed or ad­
justed

Agency or individual
supervising
Under temporary care
of an institution

Total

Area served by court

Probation officer super­
vising

Child kept un­ Child not kept under supervision
der supervision
of court
of court

Disposition not reported

Case held open without further
action

Boys’ delinquency cases

57,417 19,608 707 655 22,508 4,519 413 314 811 894 2,308 4,672

Total cases *_

State totals:8
Connecticut___
Indiana_______
Massachusetts.
New York.......
Rhode Island­
'lltah__________

3,473
2,767
6,051
9,820
446
1,637

A r e a s w i t h 100,000 o r m o r e p o p u ­
l a t i o n ........................................ ................

Alabama: Mobile County.............
California:
San Diego County____________
San Francisco (city and county)
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city) —-----------------Hartford (city)________________
New Haven (city)..................... .
District of Columbia____________
Florida: Dade County____ _____
Georgia: Fulton County. ............
Indiana:
Allen County............................. .
Lake County_________ _______
Marion County_____ _________
St. Joseph County.____ _______
Vanderburgh County_________
Iowa: Polk C o u n ty .....................
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish_________________
Orleans Parish_______ _________
Maryland: Baltimore (city)------Massachusetts:
Boston:
Boston (central section)........
Brighton............................ .......
Charlestown— ........................
Dorchester......... ....................
East Boston_________________
Roxbury.....................................
South Boston_______________
West Roxbury______________
Second district of Bristol........ .
Third district of Bristol_______
Lawrence district_____________
Southern Essex district_______
Springfield district............ ........
First district of eastern Middle­
sex............ .................... ...........
Third district of eastern Middle­
sex........ ................................... .

1 ,2 1 1
9
1,10 2 31
3,521
3^924 122
283
690 108

2 1,641
818
19
611
1 3,330
48
617
1

188
4
242 10
343 44
796 184
115
77
6

57
31
63
15 119

13 198
27 14
61
4

12

63

89
61
143 330
98 1,371
214 1,048
25

34

47,834 15,799 529 573 19,341 3,858 351 275 590 521 1,937 4,052
175

52

7

70

25

21

1,230
463

142
380

2
21

57
9

692
30

23
17

489
575
282
1,514
276
850

134
144
2
165
6
599 245
83
175

252
353
67
413
103
53

19
33
27
93
30
246

1
97
60
106
35
443

10
26
92
4
18
19

144
71
2 2,081

96
27C
284

26
4
8
62
28
17
15
32
5
6
3
2
9

18
3

11

3
12
9
1

1
6
1
8
1
1

8

1

25
1

1

54
21

26

79
6

226

14
30
16
17
18
6

44
2

321
90S
2,852

17
237
276

631
54
123
174
348
309
239
142
202
224
125
149
195

256
23
65
73
228
180
126
62
155
194
104
82
103

265

193

21

8

4

1

2

36

246

158

44

7

2

1

7

27

9
3

T
1
3
16

1

27
3

2

82

7
3
55

13
9

1
1
8
11
4
3
16
7
11
22
11

4

2
1
2
1
2

13
IS
50

1
1
1
2
1
2

14
24
56
29
1
15

20
291

1

330
23
47
34
77
94
87
42
19
13
7
35
67

5

2

5
297
2
1

8
3
13

1
3
3
5
4
3
4
2

5

8

368

46
86
226
88
48
112

3
4

6
—

47

78
252
734
235
131
594

4
1

8

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
2 All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or
more population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.

101461°—37-

-6


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

78
T

JUVENILE-COUBT STATISTICS, 1934

V I I I a .— D is p o s itio n o f b o y s ’ d elin q u en cy cases b y the courts o f 6 States, 7 4
courts that served sp ecified areas w ith 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 or m ore p o p u la tio n , a nd 2 1 0 courts
that served areas with less t h a n 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u la tio n i n 1 9 3 4 — Continued

able

Boys’ delinquency cases
S

A r e a s w it h

1 0 0 ,0 0 0 o r m o r e

p o p

323

69
160

341

99

008
411

448
297

440

303

308
152
152

105
91

1,089
5,328
187
244

10
8
9
14

80

88
418

20
213

2 170
6 46

26
36

14

265
103

255
38

95
90
15
150
44
2,029
106
135
21
58
65
1
10
62

29
6
13
15
61
31
419
19
21
2
17
11
8
19
18

1,029
772
3 1,047
115
13
404
36

75
30
55
32
25

10
53
249
81
2,312
44
77

33
13

148

59
53

233
341

167
233

3
3

1,434
1,600
1,623
276
979

229
300
296
58
392

9
1
1

84

672
51

5,785
161

628
88

91
802
580

49
301
242

1
28
20

555
2,967

14
32
732

9

—

14

7

19
427
171

11
28
56

in
18
15

37
304
1,882
20

P O P U L A T IO N ............. .................................

9,583 3,809 178

less than 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ________________—
Less than 5 0 , 0 0 0 --------- --------- ---------------

4,341 1,795 21
5,242 2,014 157

t h a n

6 0 ,0 0 0 ,


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1 0 0 ,0 0 0

28

—

Disposition not reported

Case held open withou
action

Other disposition of case

or

Agency or
1 individual |
Restitution, nne,
costs ordered

2
2
4

39
16 — -

1
1
3,881

l e s s

Institution

Agency or
1 individual 1

1
6
93
26

173
30
14
363
45

w it h

p

­

u l a t i o n — Continued .
Massachusetts—Continued.
Lowell district..............................
Somerville district_____________
East Norfolk district...................
Central district of Worcester—
Michigan:
Kent County....... .........................
Wayne County........................... Minnesota:
Hennepin County_____________
Ramsey County...........................
New Jersey:
Hudson County_______________
Mercer County.................... .........
New York:
Albany County.............................
Broome County............................
Chautauqua County...................
Dutchess County.........................
Erie County__________________
Monroe County.............. - ......... New York (city)............. - ..........
Niagara County—........................
Oneida County_________ ______
Orange County________________
Rensselaer County.......................
Schenectady County...................
Suffolk County.............................
Syracuse (city)..............................
Westchester County— .............
Ohio:
Franklin C ounty........................
Hamilton County........................
Mahoning County.......................
Montgomery County--------------Oregon: Multnomah County........
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County.......................
Berks County_________________
Montgomery County..................
Philadelphia (city and county) .
Rhode Island: Sixth district-------South Carolina: G r e e n v i l l e
County........................... - .......... —
Utah: Third district........................
Virginia: Norfolk (city)..................
Washington:
Pierce County............................. Spokane County..........................
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County...

A r e a s

Referred
without
commit­
ment to-

Com­
mitted
to—
Institution

Case dismissed or ad­
justed

Total

Area served by court

Agency or individual
supervising
Under temporary care
of an institution

Probation officer super­
vising

Child kept un­ Child not kept under supervision
der supervision
of court
of court

3

2
9
4
2

19
11
13
12 1

3

4
34

29
160

6

24
6

193

31

1

4
1

4

5
56
52
10
57
10
19
4

1
12
1
2
7
1
2
....

8
1
50

6

1

5

20

96

5

53

12
2

3

4

390
12
11
2
6

1
9

2
32
9

1

1

4

28
8
32 171
14 10
9

43
3
21
3
443

____
—

____

42
13
6

49

49
150
148
12
36

93

__
__
__

547

55

1
31

12
22

28

2
18

22
95
187

81
19
22

__
____

6

2
1
4

32
32
88

1
3

6
7

82 3,167

661

62

39 221 373

371

620

59 1,400
23 1,767

284
377

20
42

4 179 128
35 42 245

149
222

302
318

____

2

89 129

2

i
____

....
—

6
23
6
23
13 —
1

1

6

30
11

—

79

SO U RCE T A B L E S
T

V III b .— D is p o s itio n o f girls’ d elin q u en c y cases b y the courts o f 6 S ta tes, 7 4
courts that served sp ecified areas w ith 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 or m ore p o p u la tio n , a n d 1 8 2 courts
that served areas w ith less th an 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u la tio n i n 1 9 8 4 1

able

Girls’ delinquency cases

Total cases1

State totals: 2
Connecticut___
Indiana............
Massachusetts.
New York____
Rhode IslandUtah_________

384
1,154
413
1,616
30
265

68
411
214
655
26
95

8
29

1
40

28

144
399
49
428

2
13

116

2,216 134 265 2,387
13
185
140

14
76

2
9

100
65
10
191
79
156

22
2
57
7
24

1
50

91
217
112
38
120

50
27
49
35
11
11

3
3
1
1

94
94
270

1
21
54

...

35
2
2
1
7
18
3
7
13
2
5
6
1
24
8

74
106
66
295
2
13

5

4

16
22

102
24

5
2

58
14

2
19
g
30
5
37

21
32
1
5
2
A
2

1
44
54
50
11
94

3
11
19
5

6

1
1
4
2
3
2
6
1
1
5
3
5
3
31

of

or

Agency or
individual 1
Restitution,
fine,
costs ordered
Other disposition
case

17

57
21

10

7

— -

2

66 331

50 459 651

2
2

9
49
1
29

6

4

25 406 525

1
4

1

23
1

6

6
4

2

2

3
17
IS
81

1
2
11
1

88 390

1
1
1

1
2
1

27
7
7
2

1

h

36
11
113

1
1
1
2
2
4
1

1

985 188

24

28
28
8

1
3
16
62

Institution

Agency or
individual

Institution

Referred
without
Commit­
ted to— commit­
ment
to—

9,234 2,753 183 292 2,940 1,2 2 2 205

A r e a s W IT H 100,000 O R M U E E PO PU LA ­
T IO N ....................................... .................. ..................

Alabama: Mobile County_________
California:
San Diego County..... ................ —San Francisco (city and county). .
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city)___ ________________
Hartford (city)............—- ------- ---------New Haven (city)........................... —District of Columbia_____ . __________
Florida: Dade County___ .....................
Georgia: Fulton County______________
Indiana:
Allen County........................................
Lake County______________
—
Marion County......................................
St. Joseph County____________
..
Vanderburgh County...........................
Iowa: Polk County_______________ _
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish_______________________
Orleans Parish______________________
Maryland: Baltimore (city)...............
Massachusetts:
Boston:
Boston (central section)__________
Brighton...............................
—
Charlestown_____________________
Dorchester_______________________
East Boston.........................................
Roxbury.............................
South Boston..... ............................. —
West Roxbury-.................................
Second district of Bristol.....................
Third district of Bristol...................—.
Lawrence district__________ _________
Southern Essex district.......................
Springfield district..............—- ............
First district of eastern Middlesex...
Third district of eastern Middlesex..
Lowell district______________________

Case dismissed or ad­
justed

su­
Probation officer
pervising

Area served by court

Agency or individual
supervising
Under temporary care
of an institution

Child kept Child not kept under supervision
under super­
of court
vision of court

Ï
1

2
8
1

1

1
4
10

5
1
1

1
14
1
2
4
10
20
2
6

70

19
5

1
1
2
1

2 __
1

1

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
2 All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

80

JU V E N IL E -C O U R T S T A T IST IC S, 1934

Y p ïB' D isp o s itio n o f girls’ d elin q u en cy cases b y the courts o f 6 States 7 A
courts that served sp ecified areas w ith 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 or m ore p o p u la tio n a n d 1 8 2 ennrt*
_ l h a t served a rea s with, less than 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 ¿oblation i 7 l m - c Z n Z t t i

further

Girls’ delinquency cases

AREAS "WITH 100,000 OB MOBE POPULA­
TION—Continued.
Massachusetts—Continued.
Somerville district..........
1
East Norfolk district_______
11
5
Central district of Worcester
34
27
Michigan:
Kent County______
62
25
14
Wayne County.......1111111
222 112 " i o
3
Minnesota:
Hennepin County..........
181
74
61
Ramsey County.................................
56
26
13
New Jersey:
Hudson County___ ______
127
21
Mercer County....... II...................
30
15
New York:
Albany County____ ___________
76
8
Broome County________ IIIIII
23
9
Chautauqua County.IIIIIIIIIIIIII"
1 ___
Dutchess County____________
26
8
Erie County___________ I..........
92
5
Monroe County............ ...I I I I I I
22
5
New York (city)_________ IIIIIIII
964
514
5—
Niagara County..____ _____ IIIIII
Oneida County_____
Orange County....... II
Rensselaer County....................H H
47
Schenectady C o u n ty .___
12
3
Suffolk County______
Syracuse (city)........ IIIIIIII..........
48
30
2 ___
Westchester County
67
28
8
Ohio:
Franklin County.........
232
56
2
2
Hamilton County.......
....... "
544
29
8
Mahoning County..........
264
24
Montgomery County.............
153
11
1
Oregon: Multnomah County
122
.32
26
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County...........................
125
71 __
8
Berks County_______________ III"
17
2
Montgomery County___IIIII.IIIH
10
6
Philadelphia (city and county).......
676
163
Rhode Island: Sixth district________
1
South Carolina: Greenville County. .
13
3 . __
1
Utah: Third district___
115
30
8
Virginia: Norfolk (city)___
116
46
"Ì
Washington:
Pierce County___________ ________
2
2 . ...
Spokane County_________________
1_
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County______
209
7
3
A B E A S W IT H L E S S T H A N

of

'O
U
O
‘S
a
a>
a.S
D
cx
®
OO ! fl
a
o

I Case held

fc>

3
o

Restitution
i
uuaw iMuereu
I Other
disposition

<

o}
|.|
©£
bcX
<E

I Agency or

IbjQ !a"

I Institution I

¡a jfr*
081
1-5 Q-tr
‘E ftl
u
og It S f
■**

u
Referre a ®
withou
t
Commit
ted to— " commi - fl
ment cd
to—
Institution

©
cc
©

V* c*u lUOKltUblUH

13
3
s
V

1

Probation officer
per visine

Area served by court

Case dismissed or ad­
justed

su-

Child kepi
under supei . Child not kept under supervisioi
of court
vision of court

o
ft
3

c
6
16
21

31 . . . .

12
f

___
4 ___

40
7

2
13
2
2
270
2
10

4

60
8

44

8
2

8

22

1
15

2

1 —
1
36 —

10

—

2
1

. .. .

15
1

1
—

7

5
12

100
190
190
57
21

47
25
13
15
6

2

1

44
13
3
80
1

3
70
33

—

10

8
8

274

6

140

5
9
1

1
2

7

3
5
2

—

—

—
—

—

i
. .. .

8
---—

4
5
8
37 154
16
20
31

2
1
3

10
84
11
4

2 ___
2
34

1
2
61 —

12

69

12 - - -

2
9

4 .. ..

1

3
3

1
8 ....

5
24
215

13
11
40

1
3

3.

1
8

2

10 .
1 ....

11
19
25

10 .
12 .

1 0 0 ,0 0 0 P O P U L A -

T I ° N ............................................................................................. .....................1 , 7 0 5

less than 1 0 0 , 0 0 0
Less than 5 0 , 0 0 0 ...........................
5 0 ,0 0 0 ,


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

79,
910

537

49

27

553

237

17

22

59

25

53 126 .

247
290

6
43

23
4

257
296

97
140

10

6
16

42

5
20

27
26

7

17

75 . . . .
51 .

81

SOURCE TABLES
D E P E N D E N C Y A N D N E G LE C T CASES

I X . Color, nativity, and parent nativity o f children dealt with in dependency
and neglect cases disposed o f by the courts in 1 State, 39 courts that served specified
areas with 100,000 or more population, and 19 courts that served areas with less
than 100,000 population in 1934 1

T able

Dependency and neglect cases
White children
Area served by court
Total

Total cases 1_____

17,842 15,309

State total: Utah1........

164

Native
foreign
or
mixed
parent
age

Native
parent
age
not re­
ported

For­
eign
born

9,518

4,431

1,058

202

100

2,533

Native
Total native
parent
age

Col­
Nativ ored
chil­
ity
not re­ dren
ported

160

109

38

11

1

1

4

16,830 14,360

8,747

4,288

1,028

198

99

2,470

Alabama: Mobile County.
21
27
California:
San Diego County.
336
300
San Francisco (city and county) .
626
687
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city).............
133
127
Hartford (city)________
188
149
District of Columbia______
133
227
Florida: Dade County____
238
209
Georgia: Fulton County..
195
223
Indiana:
Lake County________
159
112
Marion County
410
348
Iowa: Polk County.. . .
433
406
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish_________
188
178
Orleans Parish____
252
188
Maryland: Baltimore (city)__
250
160
Michigan:
Kent County_________
195
177
Wayne County________
524
467
Minnesota:
Hennepin County .
314
335
Ramsey County_____
227
212
New York:
Erie County___________
65
58
Monroe County..
127
126
New York (city)............
4,492 3,748
Rensselaer County___
107
106
Syracuse (city)__________
86
85
Westchester County.. .
338
292
Ohio:
............. .
Franklin County..
497
417
Hamilton County___
246
207
Mahoning County.
142
111
Montgomery County___
357
293
Oregon: Multnomah County.
840
827
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County______
532
486
Berks County________
20
20
Montgomery Countv . .
63
62
Philadelphia (city and county)
2,481 1,849
South Carolina: Greenville Countv
98
86
Utah: Third district...........
118
114
Virginia: Norfolk (city)_____
124
106
Washington:
Pierce County________________
125
120
Spokane County________
164
163
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County
776
762

21
219
271

65
294

12
37

4
15

9

61

65
88
117
189
195

52
50
6
18

77
347
383

34

A r e a s w it h

A reas

w it h

t io n

100,000 o r

less

than

m o r e p o p u l a t io n

100,000

.................................................

50,000, less than 100,000________
Less than 50,000__________

popu la

.

1

11
ID
2

28
1
o

17

27

178
130
67

23

69

74
270

ll
176

88
14

1

248
135

51
43

14
29

1

31
87
1,390
100
46
104

26
34
1,850
5
36
148

389
175
49
283
723

9
18
35
10
88

254
14
51
1,088
86
67
102

1

90

3

18
57
15

1
1
24
19

143
8

8

4

3
12

5

1

15
10
22

6
10
703

34

34
2

11
2

46

13
46

1
3

21

1

632
12
18

119
144
371

19
196

192

2

i

i

14

-

1,0 12

949

771

143

30

4

i

63

616
396

593
356

489
282

79
64

20
10

4

1

23
40

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
1 All figures for the State for which a total is given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than. 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

82

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

X .— R ea so n f o r reference to court o f children i n f a m i li e s rep resen ted i n
d e p e n d en c y a n d neglect cases d isp o sed o f b y the cou rts i n 1 S ta te, 8 9 cou rts that
served sp ecified areas with 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 or m o r e p o p u la tio n , a n d 1 9 cou rts that served
areas w ith less than 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u la tio n i n 1 9 8 4 1

T able

Families represented in dependency and neglect cases
Reason for reference of child to court

Area served by court
Total

With­
out ad­
equate
Aban­
care or
Abuse
don­
support
or cruel
ment
from
treat­
parent or de­
ment
sertion
or
guard­
ian

Living Physi­
cally
under
handi­
condi­
capped
Other
tions
reason
injuri­ and in
need
of
ous to
morals public
care

Total cases s.

10,244

7,658

372

275

960

977

State total: Utah J.

97

65

9

9

8

6

9,674
25

7,257
1

359
1

247

899

910

219
344

139
275

9
5

22
1

42
62

7
1

77
108
138
133
126

59
98
111
110
95

4
5
11
2

5
2
2
6
5

8
3
13
13
23

1
1
2
2

109
200
236

97
191
168

4
1
2

3
9

5
8
4

53

138
177
166

118
150
149

3
6
9

1
1
5

10
20
2

5

107
276

84
232

10
23

5

10
13

3
2

216
99

2 11
93

3
1

1
1

1
3

1

52
62
2,609
64
65
241

8
60
1,904
40
26
102

1
1
9
6
2
14

2
1
24
1
1

3

38

250
3
5
13

422
14
31
112

295
153
96
202
526

175
12 1
48
129
468

3
4
4
5

10
8
1
14
14

35
8
5
43
33

72
12
42
12
6

249
12
37
1,309
56
70
65

246
2
35
923
32
54
40

2

5

1
3

2
163
3
6
6

51
12
5

115
9
1
19

98
94
426
570
361
209

78
65
320
401
242
159

3
1
25
13
9
4

10
7
15

7
17
65

4
1

28
14
14

61
45
16

67
51
16

A r e a s w i t h 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 o r m o r e p o p u l a t i o n ................

Alabama: Mobile C ounty.............................
California:
San Diego County_______________________
San Francisco (city and county)................ .
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (c ity )..........................................
Hartford (city)___________________ _____ _
District of Columbia.........................................
Florida: Dade County................................. .
Georgia: Fulton C o u n ty ................................
Indiana:
Lake County...................................................
Marion County_________________ ____ _
Iowa: Polk County..........................................
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish_____________ ____ _________
Orleans Parish................................................
Maryland: Baltimore (city)______________ _
Michigan:
Kent County................................................. .
Wayne County...............................................
Minnesota:
Hennepin County___________ ____________
Ramsey County.... ....................................... .
New York:
Erie County....................................................
Monroe County_________________________
New York ( c it y ) ..._____ ___________ ___
Rensselaer County.........................................
Syracuse (city)................................. +............
Westchester County.... .......... ................... .
Ohio:
Franklin County............................................
Hamilton County_______________________
Mahoning County.............. .................. .
Montgomery County____________________
Oregon: Multnomah........ ....................
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County.........................................
Berks County.................................................
Montgomery County_____ ____ ___ _____
Philadelphia (city and county)____ ____ _
South Carolina: Greenville County.......... .
Utah: Third district____________________
Virginia: Norfolk (city).................................
Washington:
Pierce County__________________ ______
Spokane County................... ....................
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County.....................
A r e a s

w it h

l e s s

t h a n

1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u l a t i o n . . .

less than 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 _____________________________________
Less than 6 0 , 0 0 0 .................................................................................................

6 0 ,0 0 0 ,

2

2

23

2

1

1
1

57
4

1 Population according to the 1030 census.
* All figures for the State for which a total is given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

83

SO U RCE T A B L E S
T

X I . — Place of care o f child pending hearing or disposition in dependency
and neglect cases disposed o f by the courts in 1 State, 89 courts that served specified
areas with 100,000 or more population, and 19 courts that served areas with less
than 100,000 population in 1934 1

able

Dependency and neglect cases
Deteiition car e overni ?ht or
Ionger in specified p ace
Area served by court

Total cases 4____ __________________

No de­ Board­
Total tention
ing
care
home Deten­ Other
insti­
or other tion
family home * tution
home
17,842

11,961

430

1,143

164

120

6

5

A r e a s w i t h 100,000 o r m o r e p o p u l a t i o n . . _ 16,830
Alabama: Mobile County__________
27
California:
San Diego County________________
336
San Francisco (city and county)_________
687
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city)......... .....................
133
Hartford (city)_______________
188
District of Columbia__________
227
Florida: Dade County_______
238
Georgia: Fulton County_______ _________
223
Indiana:
Lake County______________
159
Marion County______ __
410
Iowa: Polk County_________
433
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish________________
188
Orleans Parish_____________
252
Maryland: Baltimore (city)___
250
Michigan:
Kent C o u n ty_________ . . .
195
Wayne County___________________
524
Minnesota:
Hennepin County____________ . . .
335
Ramsey County_________ _________
227
New York:
Erie County_____________________
65
Monroe County_____________
127
New York (city)____ _______
4,492
Rensselaer County_______________
107
Syracuse (city)____________________
86
Westchester County.._____ ______
338
Ohio:
Franklin County________ .
497
Hamilton County__________
246
Mahoning County......... ........
142
Montgomery County________________
357
Oregon: Multnomah County______
840
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny County...............................
532
Berks County_____________
20
Montgomery County_________
63
Philadelphia (city and county) . .
2,481
South Carolina: Greenville County.
98
Utah: Third district_______________
118
Virginia: Norfolk (city).............. ...........
124
Washington:
Pierce County_________ ___________
125
Spokane County_______________
164
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County_________
776

11,092
23

364

284
643
83
1C2
174
208
158

State total: Utah 4________

100,000 p o p u l a t i o n . . .
50,000, less than 100,000____ ______
Less than 50,000.......................... .

A r e a s w it h l e s s t h a n

3,814

31

463

1,094
3

3,792
1

25

463

12

ii
43

29
i

18
15

13
51
53

17
20

4
3

62

21

134
403
292

3

14

14

107

138
163
235

4
19
2

43
48

2
22
13

148
488

7
34

38
2

2

330
213

5
14
14
6
3

76
1,379
92
53
289

44

386
222
84
303
731

4
11
22
6
61

90
12
30
46
30

1
1

86

28

7
7
20

17
29
228

6

1
66
42
24

49
31
18

22
6
16

531
338

19

1
442

103
135
545

616
396

1

17
1
6
2
17

1
6
1
28

869

1

45
3,090
15
5
5

9
48
2,109
89
83
86

1, 0 12

No re­
port as
Other to de­
place tention
of care3 care

10
3
5
2

368
3
28
g

15
1

2
6 1
6
.

1

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
3 Includes cases of children cared for part of the time in detention homes and part of the time elsewhere,
but excludes cases of children also held in jails or police stations.
s Includes 3 children cared for in jail or police station (1 in New York City, 1 in Multnomah County,
Oreg., and 1 in the third district of Utah), and 28 children cared for in other places.
4 All figures for the State for which a total is given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

84

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

T a b l e X I I .— Disposition o f dependency and neglect cases disposed o f by the courts
in 8 States, 48 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more population,
and 189 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in 1984 1
Dependency and neglect cases
Child kept un­
der supervi­
sion of court

Area served by court

*
o
Total cases 2...... ............ .......

State totals: 2
Connecticut...... ............ .........
New York....... ..................
Utah........ .............. .

©
g3
1
üa
Jj 60 >>£
©
2 fi
0 .S
>
f
!
d ’> ® £
o
■** a
r
i
03
oS
g
rO
r§ O
a
bu
s
Ph
p
<4
Ci
©
Pi
d

Child not kept under supervision
of court
0
83
u
O

Referred
without
commit­
ment to—

Committed
to—

'S ti
|ü

a
o

©
$
o

3

©
a
©
bo

Cfl
S3
0
0
a
M

fl

°

d
*3
©0
bod

a

©
e0
©
O
a
_o
o
Pi
0
Ut
©
ip
O

©
«2
d
©
rP
d
>o
do

d
d
o

2
S
©
C
3
o

&
5

22,499 3,152 2,103 937 5,738 2,591 2,547 521 1,538 818 1,254 1,282

1,182
22
9,339 1,301
164

3
285

150 387
2,572 1,270

A reas with 100,000 or more popuLATION.......................
18,472 2,885 1,906
Alabama: Mobile County
27
California:
San Diego County......... .......
336
98
San Francisco (city and
county)........ .....................
687 112
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city)........................
133
Hartford (city)____________
188
New Haven (city)__________
93
District of Columbia________
227
Florida: Dade County..
238
31
Georgia: Fulton County_______
223
28
Indiana:
Lake County____ ______
159
17
Marion County______
410 101
Iowa: Polk County___
433 131
Louisiana:
Caddo Parish.._____ _____
188
Orleans Parish__________
252
26
Maryland: Baltimore foit.yl
250
38
Michigan:
Kent County.............................
195
34
Wayne County.................. ........
524
56
Minnesota:
Hennepin County_____ ______
335
Ramsey County_______ ______
227
2
New York:
Albany County______________
297
Broome County.......................
183
Chautauqua County_________
79
Dutchess County____________
325
Erie County..............................
65
Monroe County........................
127
1
New York (city)____________
4,492 1,129
Niagara County........................
103
Oneida County___________ ___
234
Orange County........................ .
2 11
18
Rensselaer County................... .
107
Schenectady County........ ........
117
11
Syracuse (city)...... ...................
86
Westchester County................ .
3381 21

396 14
68
53
701 151 1,450 154 1,004
10
17
9

4,933 2,213 2,032 385 1,124 713
5

9

7

18

173

396

77

75
25
34

204
4
14

56

22
202
1

29
92
24

36
3
2

14

2

4
71
20

8

4
26

33
74 ” ÏÔ
44
g
3 12
23 46
.

4
66

Ï

46
68
28

29
20
61

307

25
3

44

1

218
127

15

33
14

13
20

70
41

134
7
4
114
i
14
1,629

56
1

39
26
2
35
16
68
71
9
52

4
17

31 —

32
26
28
5
29

18
—

904

18

14

19 —

24
1

12 —

9—
34
64
49

61

3

562

87
433

18
------

1

*

175

53

3

0
©
£
o
Pi
©

1

1
5

i
43
965
6
4
1
53
6
4
i

18
1

10 —
3—
37 —

12

15

2
2

1
35
23

—

27
5
112

27
9

9
24
7
11

8

3
14
25
2

12
12
1

18
104 —
5

32
75
2

40
29

4
4 ~n
7]
19
127
il

499 150
55
107
52
11
47
23
2
66

1

22

39
11
26
9

1
3
i

5—
85 ——

24
14
36
96

10 —
3
103 —
9—
4
15

18

48
47

9
13 ___

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
* All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population ana included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

85

SO U RCE T A B L E S
T

XII.— Disposition o f dependency and neglect cases disposed o f by the courts
in 3 States, 48 courts that served specified areas with 100,000 or more population,
and 139 courts that served areas with less than 100,000 population in 1934— Con.

able

36

1

1
7

1,031

1
6
1
401

PO PU -

Ohio:
Hamilton County____________
Oregon “ Multnomah County—
Pennsylvania:

1
11
2
9
2
6
127

10
23
8

2 69
3 12
2 12
17 66
4 118

738 102

1

17

3
14
9
5
40

2 ___
8
59
146 ___
3

23
9

4
10
1

21
54
24

3
2

7
6

3
3
4

6
1
3

8
14
26

40

3

79 324

17
55
132

17
14
11

4
1
41

1
24
5

1
15
1

A b e a s w i t h l e s s t h a n 100,000
P O P U L A T IO N ------- ---------- ---------

4,027

267

197 140

805

378

515 136

50,000, less than 100,000__________
Less than 50,000________________

1,390
2,637

172
95

50 12 1
147 19

323
482

84
294

82
433


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Disposition not reported

5

Other disposition of case

56
180
36
26
16

Agency or
individual

Total

97
4
11
82
20

Institution

177

251
25
35
75
223

Individual

Philadelphia (city and county). 2,481
South
Carolina:
Greenville
98
118
124
Virginia: Norfolk (city)................
Washington:
125
Pierce County....... ................... 164
776
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County..

96

4
19
4
32

Agency

488
4

1

Eeferred
without
commit­
ment to—

Committed
to—

Institution

137

532
20

100,000 O B M O K E
Continued.

Case dismissed or ad­
justed

2
1

A K E A S W IT H
l a t io n —

Under temporary care
of an institution

497
246
142
357
840

Area served by court

Child not kept under supervision
of court

Agency or individual
supervising

Probation officer super­
vising

Child kept un­
der supervi­
sion of court

Case held open without further
action

Dependency and neglect cases

52
84

31 —
45
1
2

38 —

9
32
8

4
«

27 —
11 ___
48 —

414 105

692

378 —

194
220

140
552

135 . . . .
243

37
68

86

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934
CASES OF CHILDREN DISCHARGED FRO M SUPERVISION

T

X I I I .— Reason fo r discharge in cases of delinquent children discharged from
supervision by the courts in 4 States, 44 courts that served specified areas with
100.000 or more population, and 114 courts that served areas with less than
100.000 population in 1984 1

able

Cases of delinquent children discharged from supervision

Total cases *______________ _

167

406

State totals:2
Connecticut________ ____
Indiana____________________
New York........ ...............
Utah_____ ___ _________ _

1,172
1,180
3,742
617

831
988
2,982
317

120
2
16
87

18
52
68
14

108
94
495
59

10
8
42
3

11
29
57
27

11,744

8,320

825

157

1,493

132

329

Alabama: Mobile County_______ .
11
California:
San Diego County_____ ________
144
San Francisco (city and county). . .
365
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city )_______ ____ ____
117
Hartford (city)_____________ ____
141
New Haven (city)____________. . .
133
District of Columbia________
683
Florida: Dade C ounty____
107
Indiana:
Lake County____________
113
Marion C o u n ty______________
160
Vanderburgh County_______________
39
Iowa: Polk County. .
143
Louisiana: Orleans Parish_________
269
Maryland: Baltimore (city)......... ..........
208
Michigan:
Kent County__
173
Wayne County_____ _______________ 1,318
Minnesota:
Hennepin County______
732
Ramsey County.*________ _______ _
277
New Jersey:
Hudson County____
176
Mercer County__ __
147
New York:
Albany County____ _______ _________
122
Broome C ounty____________________
87
Chautauqua County________________
4
Dutchess County___________________
62
Erie County_____ __________________
171
Monroe County. .
79
New York (city)___________ . . . .
2,261
Niagara C ounty____________________
51
Oneida County__ _
78
Orange County______ ______________
12
Rensselaer County. ___ _ ________
37

9

1

3

A r e a s w it h

100,000 o r

m o r e p o p u l a t io n

.

638

486

38

14

3

i
1

2

2

16

2
87
5

i

8
23
15
82
11

2
9

2
38
10

122
8

2

3

15
23

1
1

21
30
75

1

61
2

1
4
9
5

51
1,128

65

10

25
180

2

644
243

g
1

72
23

3

3

26
18

2

7

18
24

1
3

4
27
18
276
13
11
1
9

92
133
38
107
150
116

34
128
97
60
4
55
130
59
1,857
32
62
11
18

91

16

2

1
20
14

85
115
106
343
69

2

74
7
82
110 . . . .

4
4

80
292

Reason not reported

1,711

Other reason

279

Child committed or re­
ferred to agency or indi­
vidual
Whereabouts of child un­
known, or child moved
from jurisdiction of court

1,063

*03
O

Child committed or re­
ferred to institution

Expiration of period speci­
fied by court

14, 334 10,068

Area served by court

Conduct of child or condi­
tions unsatisfactory but
further supervision not
advised

Conduct of child satisfac­
tory or conditions im­
proved

Reason for discharge

23
4
5

2

2
6
12
5

3

10
1

10
9

2
7

2
8
2
4
2

Ï

13

1
2
3

40

45

10
1 Population according to the 1930 census.
s All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or more
population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

87

SOURCE TABLES
T

XIII — Reason for discharge in cases o f delinquent children discharged from
supervision by the courts in 4 States, 44 courts that served specified areas with
100.000 or more population, and 114 courts that served areas with less than
100.000 population in 1934— Continued
_________________________________ __

able

Cases of delinquent children discharged from supervision
Reason for discharge

ss

1SÎ

&

Area served by court
S .-B
«•o
•S a

a
0 O

w i t h 100,000 o r m o r e p o p u l a ­
t i o n —Continued.
New York—Continued.
Schenectady County............................
Suffolk County.....................................
Syracuse (city)-------------------- -----------Westchester County............................
Ohio:
Hamilton County.
Montgomery C ounty.-...................
Oregon: Multnomah County----------Pennsylvania:
Berks County--------------- ------- ------Philadelphia (city and county)—
South Carolina: Greenville County.
Utah: Third district----------------------Virginia: Norfolk (city)------------------Wisconsin: Milwaukee County........

* li
I•§2
§1

8 St
&8

«jo
S '0
O
2
33<0
os
H
’ft
K
H

a
o
Q»fl +3
° üo

s in
iU f
®g !
O fl '
+* 0 \

“ In'S

0

° .S 2

O
-o g -S
S Î* a
2 fc-P hO H
SSI
£

Is
II!
o

A reas

A r e a s w it h l e s s t h a n
t io n

100,000

popu la

­

. ........................................................... - ...........

60,000, less than 100,000.
Less than 50,000-----------


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

57
42
181
235

43
37
156
172

228
30
396

94
12
309

24
679
50
245
311
846

24
43
27
152
232
671

2,590

1,748

1,201
1,389

822
926

457

107

6

29
27
129
238

218

83
155

109
109

77

152

88

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

Z :% Z % Z o ^ io T ^ FsV1
^

and 15

^

“

Jm P

Cases of dependent and neglected children discharged
from supervision

Total cases 2„

State totals: 1
Indiana___
New York•Utah___. . .

36
1,039
28

12
811
12

1
11
1

29

1
105
3

1
26

A r e a s

w it h

1 0 0 ,0 0 0 o r

m o r e

p o p u l a t io n

2,942

1,985

84

54

253

78
60
189
116

34
44
62
62

10
1

35
1
84
30
24
208

39
20
17
180

165
65

103
41

19
885
2
43

18
712

California:
San Diego County______ ____ ___
San Francisco (city and county)

District of Columbia._____ ________
Florida: Dade County________
Indiana:

........

Lake County________________

Marion County_______ 1111111111111.........

Iowa: Polk County_______________ "

Louisiana: Orleans Parish
Maryland: Baltimore (city).'.” ” ” ! ”
Michigan: Wayne County...
Minnesota:
Hennepin County.............................
Ramsey County______
New York:

Monroe County___________
New York (city)___________ V

Syracuse (city)............ I l l ” ” ”

.............

Westchester County........ .........
Ohio:

Hamilton County__________
Montgomery County . . .
.................
Oregon: Multnomah County
Pennsylvania: P h ila d e lp h ia ( c i t y a n d
county)................................
'
South Carolina: Greenville County
Utah: Third district_____

Virginia: Norfolk (city)........ I
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County
A r e a s

w it h

l e s s

t h a n

1 0 0 , 0 0 0 p o p u l a t i o n ______

50,000, less than 100,000
Less than 50,000_______

1
1
31

12

1
6

1
2
8

1

14

11

15

105

30

2
1
92

36

150
25
10
1
657

16

60
6
7

14

502

21

178

150

43
1

21
14
7

272

164

130

7
1
50
32

26
12
21

1
12

1
7

in r is H in t in n

308

fro m

262

Other reason

74

Child committed or re­
ferred to agency or indi­
vidual
Whereabouts of child un­
known or child moved

102

Child committed or re­
ferred to institution

2,067

Conduct of child or condi­
tions unsatisfactory but
further supervision not
advised

Conduct of child satisfac­
tory or conditions im­
proved

3,141

Area served by court

Expiration of period speci­
fied by court

Total

Reason for discharge

1
2

8
15
16
21

12

15
1

14
40
16

2
13

7

1
1

30

12

1

1
13

9

15

3

24

29

13

9
1

64

46

10

14

1

1

199

82

18

20

9

36

14

20

135
64

43
39

18

17
3

9

18
18

11
3

19
1

1

1

\ Population according to the 1930 census,
population'and includ^în^he^oup^total for areas with less thaï?W ,oœ popïïaUom


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

100,000 or more

89

SOURCE TABLES

T a b l e X V .— Length o f time child was under supervision in cases of delinquent

children discharged from supervision by the courts in 4 States, 44 courts that
served specified areas with 100,000 or more population, and 114 courts that served
areas with less than 100,000 population in 1934 1
Cases of delinquent children
Duration of supervision

Area served by court
Total

Total cases V
State totals: *
Connecticut.
Indiana........
New York..
Utah.............
A r e a s w i t h 100,000 o r m o r e p o p u ­
l a t i o n .................................................................

Alabama: Mobile County.................
California:
San Diego County............. ..............
San Francisco (city and county)..
Connecticut:
Bridgeport (city)..............................
Hartford (city)..................................
New Haven (city)............................
District of Columbia...........................
Florida: Dade County........................
Indiana:
Lake County.....................................
Marion County.................................
Vanderburgh County......................
Iowa: Polk County.............................
Louisiana: Orleans Parish................
Maryland: Baltimore (city)..............
Michigan:
Kent County.....................................
Wayne County..........- .....................
Minnesota:
Hennepin County............................
Ramsey County...............................
New Jersey:
Hudson County................................
Mercer County.................................
New York:
Albany County.................................
Broome County------ --------------------Chautauqua County........................
Dutchess County..............................
Erie County...................- ..................
Monroe County--------- ----------------New York (city).____ ___________
Niagara County......................... .......
Oneida County.................................
Orange County.................................
Rensselaer County_______________
Schenectady County_____________
Suffolk County..................................
Syracuse (city)— ..............................
Westchester County........................
Ohio:
Hamilton County.............................
Montgomery County........... ..........
Oregon: Multnomah County............
Pennsylvania:
Berks County.._______ __________
Philadelphia (city and county). . .
South Carolina: Greenville County.
Utah: Third district...........................
Virginia: Norfolk (city).................... .
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County........
A r e a s w i t h l e s s t h a n 100,000 p o p u ­
l a t i o n .................................................................

50,000, less than 100,000.............. ......
Less than 50,000.................................

6
1 year,
2
18
3
Less
Not
months, years, years
than 6 months, less
re­
than 18 less than less
less
or
months than 12
months 2 years than 3 more ported

14, 334

4,949

4,948

1,172
1,180
3,742
617

449
516
1,386
317

546.
346
1,232
216

11,744
11

3,785

4,139

4

5

144
3Ç5

31
172

117
141
133
683
107

2,401

863

764

405

120
187
731
57

35
83
198
10

15
35
144
10

7
13
51
7

2,025

730
1

701

360
1

25
115

21
41

19
18

20
13

28
6

14
18
46
113
76

61
69
83
225
28

28
26
4
176
3

10
15

4
8

5

68

66

35

113
160
39
143
269
208

59
80
21
39
123
48

32
63
18
36
146
59

11
12

2
2

9
3

173
1,318

63
212

732
277

38

10

10

50

19

26

6

66
532

22
264

8
117

7
122

3
71

311
52

355
65

45
74

14
33

5
44

2
9

176
147

12
56

19
91

82

22

25

16

122
87
4
62
171
79
2,261
51
78
12
37
57
42
181
235

15
10

35
13

72
54

8
20
10
1,160
6
5
17
21
2
7
57

25
23
25
893
11
13
1
8
15
2
34
58

26
74
24
150
23
45
9
12
11
38
64
43

228
30
396

75
6
187

71
2
120

24
679
50
245
311
846

357
11
90
11
160

2,590
1,2 0 1
1,389

1,164
469
695

6
4
1
29
8
48
3
13

4

10

4

........

4
2
25
8
10
8
1
2

4
1

3

3

4

21
29

37
30

18
18

40
11
43

18
3
14

16
5
22

8
3
10

15
248
11
104
109
210

6
20
14
29
118
202

16
6
7
27
116

8
4
8
39
107

3
30
4
7
7
51

809
425
384

376
210
166

133

63
34
29

45
23
22

40
93

4

1 Population according to the 1930 census.
JAll figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or
more population and included in the group total for areas with, less than 100,000 population-


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90
T

JUVENILE-COURT STATISTICS, 1934

X V I .— Length o f time child was under supervision in cases o f dependent and
neglected children discharged from supervision by the courts in 8 States, 24 courts
that served specified areas with 100,000 or more population, and 15 courts that
served areas with less than 100,000 population in 1984 1

able

Cases of dependent and neglected children discharged
from supervision
Duration of supervision
Area served by court
2
1 year,
18
3
6
months, years, years
than 6 months, less
less
than 18 less than less
or
months than 12 months 2 years than 3 more

Total cases 2.

State totals: 2
Indiana.. .
New York
Utah_____

A r e a s w it h

1 0 0 ,0 0 0 o r

m o r e

p o p u l a t io n

______

California:
San Diego County______________________
San Francisco (city and county)_________
District of Columbia........ ................................
Florida: Dade County......................................
Indiana:
Lake County______ ______ _______ ______
Marion County.......................... . . ................
Iowa: Polk County________________________
Louisiana: Orleans Parish................................
Maryland: Baltimore (city)_______________
Michigan: Wayne County............................. .
Minnesota:
Hennepin C ou n ty........................................
Ramsey County___________ ______ ______
New York:
Monroe County.......................... ..................
New York (city)------------------------------ ------Syracuse (city )..............................................
Westchester County......................................
Ohio:
Hamilton County................... .......................
Montgomery County....... .............................
Oregon: Multnomah County._____ _______
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia (city and
county)............................................................
South Carolina: Greenville County...............
Utah: Third district...................................... .
Virginia: Norfolk (city)_____ ______________
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County____________
A r e a s w it h

l e s s

t h a n

1 0 0 ,0 0 0

p o p u l a t io n

..

less than 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 _____________________________________
Less than 5 0 , 0 0 0 __________________________________________________

5 0 ,0 0 0 ,

3,141

1,161

701

357

222

302

1ë
QO

1

Total

36
1,039
28

21
549
16

6
309
2

5
68
2

1
37
3

30
4

3
46
1

2,942

1,086

669

337

206

282

362

78
60
189
116

29
20
36
57

6
22
41
32

6
12
17
22

10
2
29

18
2
28
1

9
2
38
4

35
1
84
30
24
208

20
1
16
10
7
32

6

5

1

11
18
2
24

7
2
1
25

4

20

26

8
33

5
30

1
64

165
65

34
12

31
20

33
16

8
5

20
8

39
4

19
885
2
43

516
2
8

289

51

22

6

19
1

7

3

9

7

9

2
1
92

1
1
59

13

9

2

1

8

150
25
10
1
657

42
6
2

24
5
1

8
7

5
2
4

24
4
1

175

47
1
2
1
96

98

58

125

105

199

75

32

20

16

20

36

135
64

42
33

22
10

8
12

15
1

19
1

29
7

3

1

i Population according to the 1930 census.
1 All figures for the States for which totals are given are also shown by courts for areas with 100,000 or
more population and included in the group total for areas with less than 100,000 population.


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PART IL— FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS FOR THE YEAR
ENDED JUNE 30, 1935
SOURCE OF INFORMATION

Information with regard to juveniles under 19 years of age who
violated Federal laws and came to the attention of Federal authorities
is presented for the year ended June 30, 1935. The statistics pre­
sented have been compiled by the Bureau of Prisons of the Depart­
ment of Justice from reports received from United States probation
officers, from United States marshals, and from Federal institutions
which received Federal juvenile offenders by court commitment.
The publication of these statistics is a continuation of the cooperation
of the Children’s Bureau with the Department of Justice in furthering
that Department’s program for the treatment of Federal juvenile
offenders according to juvenile-court principles.
The information presented for the year, ended June 30, 1935, in­
cludes statistics for all Federal juvenile offenders under 19 years of
age: (1) Offenders brought to the attention of the United States pro­
bation officers; (2) offenders received in jails and held pending trial;
(3) offenders discharged from detention who had been held in jails
and other institutions pending trial; and (4) offenders placed under
supervision of United States probation officers and those received
under sentence in jails and in Federal institutions.
The statistics on Federal juvenile offenders presented in this report
differ from those presented in Children’s Bureau Publication No. 226
and No. 232 in that they are for a fiscal year rather than for a calendar
year, and in that the compilations by the Bureau of Prisons were
made directly from original sources rather than from the juvenile
index file, which was the basis for the statistics compiled by the
Children’s Bureau.1 The statistics compiled by the Bureau of Prisons
give some information not hitherto available on the movement of
cases brought to the attention of the United States probation officers,
on offenders received in jail pending trial, and on offenders discharged
from detention who had been held in jails and other institutions
pending trial.
FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF
UNITED STATES PROBATION OFFICERS

P

The reports from the United States probation officers compiled in
the Bureau of Prisons by the office of the Supervisor of the Probation
System, United States Courts, show that 2,501 cases of Federal juve­
nile offenders under 19 years of age were under the attention of the
United States probation officers during the year ended June 30,1935.
These cases include 2,219 new cases referred to them during the year
1
Statistics compiled by the Children’s Bureau from the Juvenile index file were published in Children’s
Bureau Publication No. 226, Juvenile-Court Statistics and Federal Juvenile Offenders, 1932; and No. 232,
Juvenile-Court Statistics and Federal Juvenile Offenders, 1933.

91


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

92

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 19 3 5

and 282 cases carried over from the previous year. Of the total 2,501
cases, 2,071 were disposed of during the year and 430 were carried
over to the next fiscal year.
These statistics include all Federal juvenile offenders brought to
the attention of United States probation officers in Puerto Rico and
in the 72 Federal judicial districts in the 48 States in which United
States probation officers were on duty during the year. (These 72
districts include 91 percent of the population of the 48 States.) The
statistics also include a large proportion of the Federal juvenile offend­
ers in the 12 judicial districts in the United States in which no proba­
tion officer was on duty during the year, as Federal juvenile offend­
ers committed to jails in these districts are regularly referred to United
States probation officers on duty in adjoining districts. They exclude
offenders in these 12 districts who were not referred to United States
probation officers in adjoining districts and also offenders in the Dis­
trict of Columbia, as the administrative relationship of the District of
Columbia courts to the Department of Justice differs from that of
other Federal courts.
T a ble A.— Population in 1980, by geographic division, o f Federal judicial districts
with and those without probation officers on duty during the year ended June 80,
1985
Population of the Federal judicial districts in 1930

Geographic division
Total

Districts with United
States probation offi­
cers on d u ty 1

Number

Percent

Districts with no
United States pro­
bation officers on
duty
Number

Percent

123,832,090

112,560,727

91

11,271,363

9

Continental United States1______ _______

122,288,177

111, 016,814

91

11,271,363

9

4 northern divisions.,________________

73,021,191

66,474,349

91

6,546,842

9

New England_______ ____________

8,166,341
26,260, 760
25,297,185
13,296,915

7,806, 730
26,260, 750
19; 790; 799
12,616,070

96
100
78
95

359,611

4

5, 506,386
680,845

22
5

37,370, 764

34,284,184

92

3,086,580

8

15,306,720
9, 887,214
12,176; 830

13,105,346
9,887, 214
Hi 29i; 624

86
100
93

2,201,374

14

885,206

7

11,896,222

10,258,281

86

1,637,941

14

3, 701, 789
8,194,433

2,523,345
7,734,936

68
94

1,178,444
459,497

32
6

1, 543,913

1,543,913

100

Total_____________________________

East North Central______________
West North Central........ ................
3 southern divisions____ _____________
South Atlantic1 _________ : _______
West South Central....... .................
2 western divisions_______________ _
Mountain____________ . _______
Pacific___________________________

1 Excludes the District of Columbia because the administrative relation of the District of Columbia
courts to the Department of Justice differs from that of other Federal courts.


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93

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 1 9 3 5

T able B.— Total cases and movement o f cases of Federal juvenile offenders brought
to the attention o f United States 'probation officers in each Federal judicial district
during the year ended June 30, 1935
Cases brought to the attention of United States
probation officers
Federal judicial district1
Total

Total_________________________ ____ ___
Alabama,:
Northern_____________________________ . .
Middle_______________________ ______ — .
Southern____ ___________ ____ __________
Arizona_____ ___________________ ____________
Arkansas:
Eastern________ _________________________
Western_____________ ______________. ____
California:
Southern________________________________
Colorado_______________ . ___________ _______

Cases car­
ried over
from pre­
vious year

Cases dis­ Cases not
disposed
posed of
during year of June 30,
1935

New
cases

2,501.

282

2,219

2,071

430

96
27
27
58

15
3
4
1

81
24
23
57

78
22
24
49

18
5
3
9

54
73

13
4

41
69

53
26

1
47

18
24
31
10

1
4

18
23
27
10

16
22
29
9

2
2
2
1

Florida:
Southern________________ _______________.
Georgia:
Northern_______________ ________________
Middle__________________ ____ __________
Southern___________________________ ____
Illinois:
Northern_________________ ____ _________
Eastern_________________________ ________
Southern___________________________ ____
Indiana:
______ _______________
Northern____ _
Southern_______________________ _______ .
Iowa:
Northern__________________ _____________
Southern__ _____________________________
Kansas_____ _____________ __________________
Kentucky:
Eastern______________ ___________________
Western_____________ ___________________
Louisiana:
Eastern___________________________ _______
Western__________________ ____ _________
Maine_____ _________________________________
Maryland__________ ____________________ ___
Massachusetts...................... ............ .....................
Michigan:
Eastern__________ ____ __________________
Western............................ ..............................
Minnesota_______________ ___________________
Mississippi:
Northern________________________________
Southern________________________________
Missouri:
Eastern_______ ______________ ____________
Western_________________________________
Nevada.—........................ ................... ...................
New Hampshire................. ...................................
New Jersey__________________________________
New Mexico............................................................
New York:
Northern________________________________
Eastern_________ ____________ ___________
Western_________________________ _______
North Carolina:
Eastern__________________________________
Middle— _______ ________________ ____ _
Western...... ......................................................

23
64

6

23
58

15
46

8
18

57
61
40

13
2
6

44
59
34

40
51
30

17
10
10

50
26
14

9
3

41
23
14

44
21
13

6
5
1

16
7

10
1

6
6

16
6

4
3
22

2

3
3
20

1

9

2
3
13

12 1
40

11
4

110
36

107
39

14
1

42
66
10
40
13

7
13

35
61
10
38
9

7
5

4
3

35
53
10
36
10

34
7
28

4
2
1

30
5
27

29
7
24

5

34
83

4
10

30
73

25
70

9
13

32
45
9
8
7
1
26
15

3
6

29
39
9
g
7
1
21
13

23
41
6
7
7
1
16
14

9
4
3
1
10
1

22
15
35
9

3
5

29
41
42

2
6
10

5
2

24
15
38
14

5
1

19
15
38
13

31
47
52

1
2
3

30
45
49

1

2

2
4

4

2

1 Exclusive of the following districts in which there was no United States probation officer on duty during
the year ended June 30 1935: Delaware, Idaho, North Dakota, Ohio (northern), Oklahoma (eastern), Utah,
Vermont, Virginia (western), Washington (eastern), West Virginia (northern), Wisconsin (eastern), and
Wyoming; however, a large proportion of the Federal juvenile offenders in these districts are regularly
referred to the United States probation officers in adjoining districts.
101461°—37-----7


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

94

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 19 3 5

T a b l e B .— Total cases and movement o f cases o f Federal juvenile offenders brought

to the attention o f United States probation officers in each Federal judicial district
during the year ended June SO, 1935— Continued
Cases brought to the attention of United States
probation officers
Federal judicial district1

Cases car­
ried over
from pre­
vious year

Total

Pennsylvania:

South Carolina:

Tennessee:
Middle__________________________________
Texas:

Cases dis­ Cases not
disposed
posed of
during year of June 30,
1935

5

39

39

5

13
1

28
62
15

20
70
16

8
5

3

16
5
23
3

17
10
22
3

2
4
1

63
21
7

10

53
21
4

35
17
7

28
4

3

26
30
22

2
5
2

24
25
20

20
14
18

6
16
4

57
25
50
154
19
11
99
7

6

51
18
46
151
19
11
88
7

53
15
36
148
19
10
79
4

4
10
14
6

44
Oklahoma:

New
cases

28
75
16
19
14
23
3

1

9

4
3
11
1

1
20
3

1

The procedure of the United States Bureau of Prisons insures that
these statistics include practically all cases of Federal juvenile offenders
in districts with United States probation officers and a large propor­
tion of cases of offenders in districts without United States probation
officers. The Bureau of Prisons currently receives reports both from
United States probation officers and from United States marshals with
respect to juvenile offenders brought to their attention. These reports
are checked against each other by the use of the juvenile index file and
the names of juvenile offenders not already shown on the reports of the
probation officers are immediately transmitted to them bv the Bureau
of Prisons through the office of the Supervisor of the Probation System.
During the year ended June 30,1935,20 percent of the cases of juvenile
offenders brought to the attention of United States probation officers
were referred by the office of the Supervisor of the Probation System,
and 80 percent of the cases were referred directly by authorities in the
Federal judicial districts. Table B shows for the year ended June 30,
1935, the number of cases carried over from the previous year, the
number of new cases referred, the number of cases disposed of during
the year, and the number of cases not disposed of at the end of the
year in each Federal judicial district in which a probation officer was
on duty.
Cases of Federal juvenile offenders brought to the attention of United
States probation officers came particularly from the South (table C).


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95

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 19 35

Of the total of 2,501 cases, 70 percent were in Federal judicial districts
in the three southern divisions; o f the 2,071 cases disposed of, 68 per­
cent were in these geographic divisions, which include only 34 percent of
the population 15 to 18 years of age, inclusive, in the 48 States and
Puerto Rico. The proportion of cases in the four northern divisions
(23 percent) was relatively small as compared with the proportion of
the population 15 to 18 years of age, inclusive (56 percent). In 16
States 50 or more cases of Federal juvenile offenders brought to the
attention of United States probation officers were disposed of during
the year. These States are:
Cases dis­
posed of
during year

Texas_______________________________
K en tu cky_________________________
Alabam a___________________________
Georgia____________________________
N orth Carolina____________________
Louisiana__________________________
Mississippi________________________
Oklahoma_________________________

252
146
124
121
112
96
95
90

New Y o rk _________________________
Arkansas___________ „ ______________
W est Virginia_____________________
Illinois_____________________________
M issouri___________________________
F lorida____________________________
South Carolina____________________
Tennessee_________________________

81
79
79
78
¿4
61
52
52

C .— Population 15 to 18 years o f age, inclusive,» in 1930, and total cases and
movement o f cases o f Federal juvenile offenders brought to the attention o f United
States probation officers in each geographic division during the year ended June 30,
1935 2

able

Total3.................

9,443,360

4 northern divisions...

5, 260,065

New England..........
Middle Atlantic____
East North Central.
West North Central.

Cases brought to the attention of United States probation
officers

Percent dis­
tribution

Cases not
disposed of
June 30,
1935

Number

Number

Percent dis­
tribution

Percent dis­
tribution

Cases dis­
posed of
during
year

New cases

Number

Number

Percent dis­
tribution

Cases car­
ried over
from pre­
vious year

Total

Number

Number

Geographic division

Percent distribution

Population 15 to
18 years of age1
in 1930

Percent dis­
tribution

T

Cases dis­
posed o f
during year

100 2,501

100

282

100

430

100

56

564

23

84

30

480

22

485

23

79

18

577,560
1,890,268
1,792,015
1 , 000, 222

6
20
19
11

37
173
205
149

1
7
8
6

3
23
34
24

1
8
12
9

34
150
171
125

2
7
8
6

32
146
179
128

2
7
9
6

5
27
26
21

1
6
6
5

3 southern divisions.. .

3,225,781

34 1,747

70

188

South Atlantic3____
East South Central.
West South Central.

1,335,684
856,673
1,033,424

14
9
11

617
506
624

25
20
25

58
60
70

21
21
25

2 western divisions___

803,118

9

189

8

9

Mountain..................
Pacific.......................

284,802
518,3l6

3
5

120
69

5
3

7
2

Puerto Rico..................

154,396

2

1

(9

1

100 2,219

67 1,559

(9

100 2,071

70 1,416

68

331

77

559
446
554

25
20
25

482
417
517

23
20
25

135
89
107

31
21
25

3

180

8

169

8

20

5

2
1

113
67

5
3

105
64

5
3

5

3
1

1

(9

1 Very few Federal juvenile offenders are under 15 years of age.
3 Excludes the District of Columbia because the administrative relation of the District of Columbia
courts to the Department of Justice differs from that of other Federal courts.
3 Excludes the District of Columbia.
4 Less than 1 percent.


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96

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 1 9 3 5

Information with regard to the type of offense committed is not
available for all the juveniles brought to the attention of United States
probation officers. Many of these offenders, however, were unques­
tionably included among juveniles received in jails pending trial,
juveniles received for supervision by probation officers, and juveniles
received under sentence in jails or in Federal institutions. The
offenses with which these groups of juveniles were charged are dis­
cussed in later sections (pp. 98 and 105).
Cases of Federal juvenile offenders brought to the attention of
United States probation officers are usually disposed of by Federal
authorities. Of the 2,071 cases disposed of, only 180 (9 percent)
were diverted to State^ authorities. Cases dismissed, no-billed, or
nol-prossed, and cases in which the juvenile was found not guilty
constituted 20 percent of the total cases disposed of. The juvenile
was placed on probation in 27 percent of the cases; in most instances
(25 percent of the cases) probation to a United States probation officer
was the only disposition. The other 2 percent includes offenders
who were to be placed on probation after serving terms in jails or
Federal institutions, and offenders placed under the supervision of a
probation officer prior to deportation. Juveniles were committed
to jails and Federal institutions in 30 percent of the cases. In 14
percent the commitments were for a year or less; in 16 percent the
period of commitment exceeded a year (table D ).
As was stated in the previous paragraph, 9 percent of the 2,071
cases disposed of were diverted to State authorities. During the
year ended June 30, 1933, only 5 percent of the 2,478 cases were so
disposed of. This represents a small but statistically significant gain
in the proportion of cases so disposed of in accordance with the
policy of the Department of Justice. At the same time, these figures
show clearly that the actual accomplishment with respect to the
diversion of cases has not come up to original expectations.
It is none the less true that the department’s policy has been carried
out insofar as was feasible under existing conditions. The failure to
divert a larger proportion of cases has been largely due to the following
obstacles: (1) State facilities for the care of juveniles are lacking or
inadequate in many localities; (2) where adequate facilities exist,
they frequently are not available for the older juveniles, especially
those 18 years of age, who make up a large percentage of the Federal
juvenile offenders. Such older juveniles, therefore, in many cases
can be more effectively handled by the Federal courts than by State
courts; (3) Federal probation service is frequently preferable to the
use of the available State facilities; (4) likewise, the facilities available
to the Federal Government for institutional treatment are often
superior to those available to the States.
These obstacles^have made it necessary to keep the great majority
of Federal juvenile cases under Federal control, in the interest both
of the juvenile offenders and of the Government.


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97

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 19 3 5
T

able

D . — Disposition o f cases o f Federal juvenile offenders brought to the attention
of United States probation officers during the year ended June SO, 1935

Number

Disposition of case

Percent
distribu­
tion

Total cases.........— ------- ------- - ............ - ..................................—

2,071

100

Diverted to State authorities___________________________________
Disposed of by Federal authorities----------------------------------------------

180
1,891

9
91

Dismissed, no-billed, nol-prossed, juvenile found not guilty..

422

20

Dismissed by United States commissioner______________
No-billed by grand jury________________________________
Nol-prossed by United States attorney---- --------- ------------Juvenile found not guilty......... ............................................

144
141
96
41

7
7
5
2

Juvenile placed on probation___________________,____________

562

27

To United States probation officer—no other disposition.
After serving term........ ............................................... .........
Plus deportation_______________________________________

‘ 614
26
22

25
1
1

Juvenile fined........................... .......................... ...........................*

30

1

Juvenile committed------------- ------------------------------------------ - - - -

2 622

30

1 year or less............................. ------------------------- ------------- More than 1 year------------------------------------------------------------

285
337

14
16

Other disposition of case— .................................................. .........

255

12

1 Of these, 46 were under 16 years of age, 73 were 16,170 were 17,221 were 18, and 4 were 19 or over.
2 A total of 698 juvenile offenders under 19 years of age were committed under sentence, including 76 whose
cases were not brought to the attention of the United States probation officers. Of the 698 offenders, 23
were under 15 years of age, 32 were 15,88 were 16,187 were 17, and 368 were 18.

FEDERAL JUVENILE

O FFEN D ER S RECEIVED
PE N D IN G TRIA L

IN

JAILS AND

HELD

The information available for the year ended June 30, 1935, with
regard to Federal juvenile offenders received in jails to be held pending
trial includes the age and sex of the offender and the offense charged.
Similar information is also presented for the year ended June 30,1934.
The number of juvenile offenders received in jails pending trial
during the year ended June 30, 1935, was 1,524. The number was
considerably greater than during the year ended June 30,1934 (1,167).
It was less than during the year ended June 30,1933 (2,147). Offend­
ers under 19 years of age constituted 5 percent of the total number of
offenders received in jails and held pending trial during each of the
years ended June 30,1935 and 1934, and they constituted 4 percent of
the total number of offenders in the year ended June 30,1933.
Of the 1,524 juveniles received in jails to be held pending trial in
the year ended June 30, 1935, 1,413 (93 percent) were boys and 111
were girls. This is practically the same sex distribution as in 1934,
when the total number of juveniles received (1,167) included 1,077
boys (92 percent) and 90 girls. The boys received in jails were as a
rule older than the girls. Of the girls received, 33 percent in 1935
and 37 percent in 1934 were under 17 years of age, whereas only 27
percent and 25 percent of the boys were of these ages in 1935 and 1934,
respectively. Juveniles of 18 years constituted the largest group of
offenders of each sex in both years; in 1935, 44 percent of the boys
and 48 percent of the girls were 18 years of age; in 1934, 47 percent
of the boys and 44 percent of the girls were 18 years of age. The
figures show a slightly larger proportion of younger offenders among

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98

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 193 5

the boys in 1935 than in 1934. The difference in the age distribution
of the girls in the 2 years is of no importance in view of the small
number of girls received in jails during both years (table E).
T a b l e E . —A ge and sex o f Federal juvenile offenders received in jails and held

pending trial during the years ended June SO, 1934 and 1935
Offenders received in jail and held pending trial

Age of offender

Total

Boys

Girls

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

1,524

100

1,413

100

111

100

76
99
249
422
678

5
6
16
28
44

69
93
225
401
625

5
7
16
28
44

7
6
24
21
53

6
5
22
19
48

1,167

100

1,077

100

90

100

56
61
181
318
551

5
5
16
27
47

46
54
165
301
511

4
5
15
28
47

10
7
16
17
40

U
8
18
19
44

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

Year ended June 30, 1935
Total_______________________ _____
Under 15 years.-____________ _ ________
15years___ ____ _______. . . ______ _
16 years_____ ____________________________
17years______ __ ________ ______
18 years________________________________
Year ended June 30, 1934
Total___ ______ _________■ _____
Under 15 years______________________ . . .
15 years________________ _-r_____________
16 years_____________________ _____
17 years______________ _________ _____
18 years............... ...............
.............

The offense with which juveniles received in jails to beheld pending
trial were most frequently charged in both years was violation of the
liquor laws— 42 percent in 1935 and 26 percent in 1934. Second in
frequency was violation of the Immigration Act, which was charged
in 14 percent of the juvenile cases in 1935 and 16 percent in 1934. The
offense third in frequency was violation of the M otor Vehicle Theft
Act— 13 percent in 1935 and 15 percent in 1934. Violation of the
postal laws was charged in 8 percent of the cases in 1935 and 7 percent
m 1934. Such statistical material as is available for early years
indicates that violations of postal laws and of the M otor Vehicle Theft
Act were the most frequent offenses.2 Violation of the laws against
counterfeiting and forgery was charged in 7 percent and 6 percent of
the juvenile cases, in 1935 and 1934, respectively. No other type of
violation was charged in as many as 5 percent of the cases in either
year (table F).
The marked increase in the total number of juveniles received in
jails pending trial in 1935 (1,524) as compared with 1934 (1,167) arises
mainly from the increase in the number of offenders charged with
violation of the liquor laws. This offense was charged in 631 juvenile
cases in 1935 as compared with 306 in 1934. Slight increases also
appear in the number of other offenses frequently charged. Violation
of the Immigration Act was charged in 210 cases in 1935 as compared
with 184 in 1934; charges of violation of the M otor Vehicle Theft
Act also show an increase— 204 in 1935 as compared with 176 in 1934.
1 Juvenile-Court Statistics and Federal Juvenile Offenders, 1932, p. si.


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99

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 1 9 3 5

Postal-law violations were charged in 114 juvenile cases in 1935 as
compared with 82 in 1934. Counterfeiting or forgery was charged
in 102 cases in 1935 and 72 cases in 1934.
T a b l e F — Offense charged in cases o f Federal juvenile offenders of each sex

received in jails and held pending trial during the years ended June SO. 198A
and 1985
Offenders received in jails and held pending trial
Year ended June 30 1935
Offense charged

Total

Total

Per­
Boys
Num­ cent
ber
distri­
bution
Total___________________

1,524

Offense reported________ _________
Violation of— ,
Liquor laws__________________
Immigration Act_______________
Motor Vehicle Theft Act
Postal laws___________
Laws against counterfeiting and
forgery— _________ _____________
Interstate Commerce Act (Car Seal
Act) 1________ _____ _____
Narcotic Drug Act_________
White Slave Traffic A c t_______
Other laws_______________
Held as material witness- ______
Offense not reported or unclassifiable-

Year ended June 30,1934

..

Girls

Per­
Boys
Num­ cent
ber
distri­
bution

Girls

1,413

111

1,167

1,077

90

1, 513

100

1,403

110

1,166

100

1,076

90

631
210
204
114

42
14
13
8

611
198
197
105

20
12
7
9

306
184
176
82

26
16
15
7

299
170
172
75

7
14
4
7

102

7

92

10

72

6

65

7

41
17
15
148
31

3
1
1
10
2

39
13
5
134
9

2
4
10
14
22

50
9
9
236
42

1
1
20
4

g
1
224
12

12
30

10

1

1

11

1

1 M ay include a few cases that were not violations of the Car Seal Act.

FEDERAL JUVENILE O FFE N D E R S H ELD PE N D IN G TR IA L W H O W ER E
D ISC H A R G E D F R O M D E T E N T IO N

The information for the year ended June 30, 1935, regarding
Federal juvenile offenders detained pending trial who were dis­
charged from detention includes offenders under 19 years of age in
the 48 States, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. The total number of
Federal juvenile offenders discharged from detention was 1,800 (1,688
boys and 112 girls). Of these, 1,751 were in the 48 States, 42 were
in Alaska, and 7 were in Puerto Rico.
These 1,800 Federal juvenile offenders include all those discharged
during the year— both those received for detention prior to the
beginning of the year and those received during the year. They
do not include offenders received for detention who were not dis­
charged during the year.
The information available with respect to Federal juvenile offenders
detained pending trial who were discharged during the year includes
the Federal judicial district in which the juvenile was detained,
place and length of detention prior to trial, and type of discharge
from detention.
Federal juvenile offenders detained pending trial were discharged
from detention in all the Federal judicial districts except Hawaii.


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100

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 19 3 5

In Federal judicial districts having no probation officers on duty
during the year 90 offenders detained pending trial were discharged.
The geographic distribution according to the district in which these
offenders were discharged from detention is quite similar to that
shown for Federal juvenile offenders brought to the attention of
United States probation officers (see tables B and C) and is not
included in the tables presented.
Most of the Federal juvenile offenders discharged from detention
had been held in local jails (88 percent of the boys, 87 percent of
the girls). Federal jails had been used for detention of 11 percent
of the boys. No girls were held in Federal jails. 'The small pro­
portion of juveniles held in Federal jails is accounted for by the
fact that there are such jails only in Alaska, Puerto Rico, Louisiana,
Michigan, New York, and Texas. Although it is the policy of the
Bureau of Prisons to avoid the use of jails for the detention of juve­
niles whenever possible, and an effort has been made to have them
placed in the custody of local juvenile detention homes or in such
other places of detention as are provided by local authorities, juveniledetention homes were used for only 2 percent of the boys and 8 per­
cent of the girls. Other institutions were not used for any of the
boys, but 5 percent of the girls were held in them (table G).
T

able

G .— Place of detention pending trial o f Federal juvenile offenders o f each
sex discharged from detention during the year ended June 80, 1985
Offenders held pending trial who were discharged
from detention

Place of detention pending trial

Total

Boys

Girls

Num­ Percent Num­ Percent Num­ Percent
distri­
distri­
distri­
ber
ber
ber
bution
bution
bution
Total cases___________________________ ______
Local jail____________ ____ - ________________________
Federal jail_________________________________________
Juvenile-detention home_______ ____ _______________
Other institution,. ________ ___________________ _

1,800

100

1,688

100

112

100

1,576
181
37
6

88
10
2
(1)

1,479
181
28

88
11
2

97

87

9
6

8
5

i Less than 1 percent.

Information as to the periods of detention in jails and other places
prior to trial shows that almost a third (581 of the 1,800 juveniles)
were held a month or more; 116 were held 3 months or more, and 12
for 6 months or longer. For only 6 percent of the juveniles were
arrangements effected for discharge on the day on which they were
detained. Girls as well as boys were detained for long periods,
(table H).


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101

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 19 3 5

T a b l e H .— Length o f detention pending trial o f Federal juvenile offenders o f each

sex discharged from detention during the year ended June 30, 1985
Offenders held pending trial who were
discharged from detention
Total

Length of detention pending trial

Number

Percent
distribution

Boys

Girls

1,800

100

1,688

112

Less than 1 day_______________________________________ ______1 day or more.............. ................................................. .......................

115
1,685

6
94

112
1,576

3
109

1 day, less than 3............................................................................
3 days, less than 1 week............ ............................................. .
1 week, less than 2 ................................- _______________ ______
2 weeks, less than 1 month..........................................................
1 month, less than 2 .........................................................._..........
2 months, less than 3_____________________________________
3 months, less than 6 _____________________________________
6 months to 1 year___________________________ ________

352
236
231
285
322
143
104
12

20
13
13
16
18
8
6
1

327
227
215
268
301
133
94
11

25
9
16
17
21
10
10
1

Total cases___________________________ _____ ___________

Long periods of detention were frequent among juvenile offenders
released on bail or recognizance as well as among offenders who were
not released by these methods. Of the offenders released on bail or
recognizance 8 percent were held a month or more prior to release,
and 18 percent 2 weeks or more. Although these are long periods of
detention in view of the fact that release was effected on bail or
recognizance, such long periods were much less frequent among these
offenders than among other offenders who were detained. Of the
offenders not released on bail or recognizance 46 percent were held a
month or longer (table I).
T a b l e I . — Length o f detention pending trial and release on bail or recognizance in

cases o f Federal juvenile offenders discharged from detention during the year
ended June SO, 1935
Offenders leld pending tria who were
discilarged from deten tion

Length of detention pending trial

Released on
bail or
recognizance 1

Total

Not released
on bail or
recognizance

Num­ Percent Num­ Percent Num­ Percent
distri­
distri­
distri­
ber
ber
ber
bution
bution
bution
Total........ ............................ - ....................................

1,800

100

654

100

1,146

100

Less than 1 day_____________________________________
1 day or more......................................................................-

115
1,685

6
94

81
573

12
88

34
1 ,1 1 2

3
97

1 day, less than 3.... .............................. —...................
3 days, less than 1 week____________________ ____
1 week, less than 2 ............ ...........................................
2 weeks, less than 1 month.........................................
1 month, less than 2 . ..............................................
2 months, less than 3 . . . ..............................................
3 months, less than 6____________________________

352
236
231
285
322
143
104
12

20
13
13
16
18
8
6
1

255
126
77
62
32
12
9

39
19
12
9
5
2
1

97
110
154
223
290
131
95
12

8
10
13
19
25
11
8
1

11 Includes 628 juveniles released on bail and 26 released on recognizance-


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102

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 193 5

The average period of detention has been computed by the Depart­
ment of Justice for boys and for girls detained 1 day or longer for all
the Federal districts of the 48 States combined and for each district
individually. The computations show that the average period of
detention for boys who were detained 1 day or longer in the districts
of the 48 States was 28.5 days; for girlsit was 32.9 days. The periods
of detention pending trial varied greatly among the districts. Of the
districts in which 25 or more boys were discharged from jails and other
places of detention, the western district of Missouri shows the longest
average period for boys (64.7 days). The southern district of Florida
shows the next to the longest period (41.3 days). For the eastern
district of Oklahoma the average was 39.5 days. In contrast to these
long periods of detention the average number of days of detention for
boys in the northern district of Georgia, the southern district of New
York, and the eastern district of Louisiana was 8.6, 14.0, and 19.4,
respectively.
In Federal districts in which 25 or more boys were discharged from
detention who had been held 1 day or longer, the average number of
days of detention pending trial for the boys held 1 day or longer was as
follows:

Federal district

Missouri: Western _
Florida: Southern __
Oklahoma: Eastern____
Mississippi: Southern__
Illinois: Northern
Louisiana: W estern____
Alabama: N orthern____
Oklahoma: N orthern___
Mississippi : Northern _ _
Texas: Southern.
West Virginia: Southern
Texas: Western _ _

Average
Number number
of days
of boys
of de­
tention

27
39
41
65
34
32
40
25
26
39
64
129

64.
41.
39.
39.
33.
32.
31.
30.
30.
27.
27.
26.

7
3
5
0
6
9
1
6
4
8
1
5

* Federal district

M aryland __
Arizona___
South Carolina: Eastern
K entucky: Eastern
Texas: Northern
Oklahoma: W estern____
Georgia: M iddle _
Arkansas: E astern . _
Louisiana: Eastern__
New Y ork: Southern___
Georgia: N orthern_____

Average
Number number
of boys of days
of de­
tention

28
41
44
69
29
25
29
31
44
29
30

25.
24.
24.
22.
21.
21.
20.
20.
19.
14.
8.

6
4
4
0
9
1
7
3
4
0
6

The most frequent type of discharge from detention was release on
bail or recognizance. Thirty-six percent of the juveniles (626 boys
and 28 girls) were released in this manner, which was not, of course, a
final disposition of the case. Two hundred and seventy-six offenders
(15 percent) were transferred under sentence to Federal penitentiaries,
reformatories, or State institutions; 253 (14 percent) were sentenced
to jails; 215 (12 percent) were placed on probation; the cases of 194
(11 percent) were dismissed; and 60 (3 percent) were transferred to
immigration authorities. Other types of discharge used for smaller
numbers of juveniles were transfers to another Federal district (36),
sentence suspended (18), fine paid (10), juvenile escaped (9), juvenile
died (2),3 and other type or type not reported (73). (Table J.)
3

Both boys died in hospital while technically in custody awaiting trial.


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103

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 193 5
T

able

J.—

T y p e o f discharge o f F ed eral ju v e n ile o ffenders o f each sex discharged
f r o m detention d u rin g the ye a r en ded J u n e SO, 1 9 S 5
Offenders held pending trial who were discharged
from detention
Type of discharge

Total
Boys
Number

Girls

Percent
distribution

Total___________________________________________

1,800

100

1,688

112

Released__________________________________________ —-

654

36

626

28

On bail—-------- ---------------------- -------------------------------On recognizance________________ _________________
Transferred under sentence to Federal penitentiary,
reformatory, or State institution------------------------------Sentenced to jail-------------- ---------------- ----------------------Placed on probation_______ —
- ------------------------Case dismissed_______________________________________
Transferred to immigration authorities_______________
Transferred to another Federal district_________ ______
Sentence suspended.----------------- - — ------------------------

628
26

35
1

604
22

24
4

276
253
215
194
60
36
18
10
9
2
73

15
14
12
11
3
2

271
245
197
172
57
33
16
10
9
2
50

5
8
18
22
3
3
2

Other type or type not reported----------------------------------

0)

1
1
1

4

23

1 Less than 1 percent.

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS PLACED ON PROBATION AND THOSE
RECEIVED UNDER SENTENCE IN JAILS AND IN FEDERAL INSTI­
TUTIONS

Federal juvenile offenders placed on probation and those received in
jails and Federal institutions under sentence comprise the great
majority of offenders for whom Federal authorities continue respon­
sibility and supervision after disposition of the case. They include all
offenders under 19 years of age received from courts by United States
probation officers for supervision during the year, and all Federal
offenders of these ages received under sentence in county and city jails,
Federal jails, prisons, reformatories, and prison camps.4
During the year ended June 30, 1935, the courts placed 510 Federal
offenders under 19 years of age under the supervision of United States
probation officers, committed 338 to jails, and committed 269 to
Federal institutions. The figures include all Federal juvenile offenders
whose cases were disposed of by these three methods in the Federal
judicial districts of the 48 States, of Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
The jail commitments include all juveniles who were sentenced to
jail, both those previously held pending trial and those not held pend­
ing trial.
The number of juveniles whose cases were disposed of by each of
these three methods was larger during the year ended June 30,
1935, than during the preceding year (table K ). Relatively few
girls’ cases were disposed of by these methods in either year. The
increase is general throughout all the age periods (table L).
4
During the year ended June 30, 1935, 63 Federal juvenile offenders were committed to the National
Training School for Boys, 1 to the National Training School for Girls, and 28 to State institutions. During
the calendar year 1933, 89 Federal juvenile offenders were committed to these places. During the year
ended June 30, 1934, the number of persons of all ages committed to these places was 82 (National Training
School for Boys, 41; State institutions, 41).


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104
T

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 193 5

K.<— S e x o f F ed eral ju v e n ile o ffenders placed u n d er the s u p er v isio n o f U n ited
States p rob a tio n officers a n d o f offen d ers received u n d er sen ten ce i n ja il s a n d in
F ed eral in stitu tio n s d u rin g the y e a r s en d ed J u n e SO, 1934- a n d 1 9 3 5

able

Federal juvenile offenders—

Placed under
supervision of
United States
probation
officers

Year, and sex of juvenile

Received under sen­
tence in—
Federal in­
stitutions 2

Jails1

Year ended June 30, 1935
Total______ ___________________________

510

338

269

Boys........................... ................... ..........................
Girls...... ...................................................................

482
28

328
10

265
4

297

176

279
18

167
9

Year ended June 30, 1934
Total---------------- -----------------------------------Boys________________________________ ________
Girls................................... ........... — ___________

344
28

1 Includes Federal, county, and city jails.
2 Includes penitentiaries, reformatories, and prison, reformatory, and correctional camps.
T

L.'— A g e o f F ed era l ju v e n ile o ffen d ers placed u n d er the s u p er v isio n o f U n ited
States prob a tio n officers a n d o f offen d ers received u n d er sen ten ce i n ja ils a n d in
F ed era l in stitu tio n s d u rin g the yea rs en ded J u n e 3 0 , 1 9 3 4 a n d 1 9 3 5

able

Federal juvenile offenders—

Year, and age of juvenile

P la c e d u n d e r
supervision of
United
States
probation
offi­
cers.

Received under sentence in—
Federal institu­
tions 2

Jails1

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

Number

Percent
distribu­
tion

Total........................ .............................

510

100

338

100

269

100

Under 16 years__________________________
16 years_________________________________
17 years___________ _ __________________
18 years_________________________________

46
73
170
221

9
14
33
43

19
35
94
190

6
10
28
56

3
17
76
173

1
6
28
64

372

100

297

100

176

100

19
56
12 1
176

5
15
33
47

13
32
90
162

4
11
30
55

1
5
49
12 1

1
3
28
69

Year ended June 30,1935

Year ended June 30, 1934
Total_______________________ _____
Under 16 years____ _____________________
16 years_________________________________
17 years........................ ...................................
18 years___________ ____ __________ ______

1 Includes Federal, county, and city jails.
2 Includes penitentiaries, reformatories, and prison, reformatory, and correctional camps.

The information with respect to age of juvenile offenders shows that
those placed under the supervision of United States probation officers
in the year ended June 30, 1935, were generally younger than those
committed to jails, and that a larger proportion of the juveniles com­
mitted to jails were of the younger ages than of those committed to
Federal institutions other than jails. In each of these groups there
were more juveniles 18 years of age than of any other age, but in

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105

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 19 3 5

1935 they constituted only 43 percent of the juvenile offenders placed
under the supervision of United States probation officers as compared
with 56 percent of those sentenced to jails and 64 percent of those
committed to Federal institutions. In general the age distribution
of offenders whose cases were disposed of by each of these three types
of disposition in 1934 and in 1935 is similar. Jail sentences are prac­
tically always for a year or less, whereas Federal institutions are used
for individuals committed for a year or longer.
Information with regard to type of offense is available for these three
groups of juvenile offenders for the year ended June 30, 1935, and also
for the preceding year. Comparison of the number of juveniles
charged with the various offenses each year shows that the larger
number of offenders placed on probation, of those received in jails,
and of those received in Federal institutions in 1935 than in 1934
arose mainly from the greater frequency of cases involving violation
of the liquor laws in 1935. Some of the increase in the number of
each group of offenders, however^ was due to the larger number of
cases involving other types of violations such as violation of the
M otor Vehicle Theft Act, postal laws, and laws against counterfeiting
and forgery (table M ).
T

M.— O ffen se charged i n cases o f F ed era l ju v e n ile offen d ers p la ced u n d er the
s u p er v isio n o f U n ited S ta tes p rob atio n officers a n d offen d ers received und er
senten ce i n ja il s a n d in F ed era l in stitu tio n s d u rin g the ye a rs en ded J u n e 8 0 , 1 9 3 4
and 1 9 3 5

able

Federal juvenile offenders—

Year, and offense charged

Placed under
supervision of
United States
probation
officers
Num­
ber

Year ended June 30, 1936
T o t a l................. ■............. ..................... ..........
Violation of—
Liquor laws_________ _____ ______________
Immigration Act_____ ___________________________
Motor Vehicle Theft Act____________ ______
Postal laws___________________________ .
Laws against counterfeiting and forgery____
Interstate Commerce Act^Car Seal Act) 4 . . . .
Narcotic Drug Act________ ______
.
White Slave Traffic A c t..____ _______
Other laws__________ ____________
Offense not reported-.......................
Year ended June 30,1934
Total___________ ___________________________
Violation of—
Liquor laws...........................................................
Immigration Act........ ...........................
Motor Vehicle Theft Act..................
Postal laws___________________________
Laws against counterfeiting and forgery.................
Interstate Commerce Act (Car Seal Act)4___
Narcotic Drug Act...........................................
Other laws 7.......................................................
Offense not reported. .........................................

510

Received under sentence in—
Federal insti­
tutions 3

Jails1

Percent Num­
distri­
ber
bution

Percent Num­
distri­
ber
bution

100

338»

3 100

269

243

48

78
55
50
24
1
5
54

15
11
10
6
(5)
1
11

10 1
133
22
19
14
6
5
1
35

30
40
7
6
4
2
1
(«)
10

88
3
94
35
18
13
7
9

3

372

« 100

297

100

176

100

164

44

53
62
39
15
1
35

14
17
11
4
(«)
9

73
139
18
16

25
47
6
5
1
3
1
12

41
4
62
26
9
23
5
6

35
15
5
13

2

3

8
4
36

3

1 Includes Federal, county, and city jails.
3 Includes penitentiaries, reformatories, and prison, reformatory, and correctional camps.
3 Based on 336 juveniles for whom offense was reported.
4 May include a few cases that were not violations of the Car Seal Act.
3 Less than 1 percent.
3 Based on 369 juveniles for whom offense was reported.
7 Does not include any cases of violation of the White Slave Traffic Act.


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Percent
distri­
bution

2

100
33
35
13
7
5
3
1

23

3
3

106

FEDERAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS, 19 3 5

Violations of the liquor laws were of considerable importance among
all three groups of offenders, but they formed the largest proportion of
the offenses only among the group of juveniles placed on probation.
Among juveniles received in jails under sentence, violations of the
Immigration Act stood first. None of the juveniles violating the
Immigration Act were placed on probation ; nearly all of them were
deported. Among juveniles sentenced to Federal institutions, the
most frequent offense in both 1935 and 1934 was violation of the
Motor Vehicle Theft Act.

^
■

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The statistics compiled for Federal juvenile offenders by the
United States Bureau of Prisons for the year ended June 30, 1935,
include all Federal juvenile offenders under 19 years of age— offenders
brought to the attention of the United States probation officers,
offenders received in jails and held pending trial, offenders discharged
from detention who had been held in jails and other institutions
pending trial, and offenders placed under supervision of United States
probation officers and those received under sentence in jails and in
Federal institutions. The statistics available have been presented
for all these groups for the year ended June 30, 1935, and also certain
comparable statistics for the year ended June 30, 1934.
It has been shown in the several sections of this report that no
group includes all the offenders who violated Federal laws and were
dealt with by Federal authorities during the year. The statistics,
however, include a sufficiently large proportion of the offenders to
warrant general conclusions as to the trend in the total number of
juveniles brought to the attention of Federal authorities, the types
of offenses, and the disposition of the cases by the Federal authorities.
It would appear from these statistics that a larger number of
juveniles violated Federal laws and were brought to the attention of
Federal authorities in the year ended June 30, 1935, than in the year
ended June 30, 1934; a larger number of offenders were received in
jails to be held pending trial in 1935 than in 1934; a larger number
were placed on probation; and a larger number were received under
sentence in jails and in Federal institutions.
The increase in the number of offenses appeared among juveniles of
each age. The figures suggest, however, that the increases were some­
what larger among juveniles under 17 years than among juveniles of 17
and 18 years. Juveniles 17 and 18 years of age, however, comprised,
as in previous years, the great majority of Federal juvenile offenders.
The increase in the number of^ offenders apparently arose mainly
from the greater frequency of cases involving violation of the liquor laws,
but increases also appeared in other important types of offenses, such
as violations of the Motor Vehicle Theft Act and of the postal laws.
A slightly larger proportion of juveniles were transferred to State
authorities in the year ended June 30, 1935, than in the year ended
June 30, 1933. The possibility of transfer is definitely limited by
the lack of facilities for care in many localities. The policy of the ^
Department of Justice with respect to the transfer of juvenile offenders w
to State authorities, when such transfer is to the best^ interest of the
juvenile and the Federal Government, has been carried out insofar
as was feasible under existing conditions.

o

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