RD4 - Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice Data Resource Guide Fiscal Year 2014


Executive Summary:
This report provides an overview of the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), highlighting fiscal year (FY) 2014 data and trends in all program and service areas, including court services units (CSUs), Virginia Juvenile Community Crime Control Act (VJCCCA) programs, juvenile detention centers (JDCs), and direct care programs. A summary of DJJ’s juvenile population forecast, a recidivism analysis, and a breakdown of DJJ’s expenditures and staffing levels are also included. DJJ is hopeful that this report will be useful to both state and local policymakers and juvenile justice stakeholders. The following data highlights are presented in the report:

Trends from FY 2013 to FY 2014

• Intake complaints decreased 1.3% from 201,394 to 198,687.
* Domestic Relations and Child Welfare intake complaints increased 0.2% from 139,906 to 140,232.
* Juvenile intake complaints decreased 4.9% from 61,488 to 58,455.
• VJCCCA placements decreased 6.1% from 15,463 to 14,520.
• JDC detainments decreased 4.4% from 10,500 to 10,038.
• JDC average daily population (ADP) increased 1.1% from 727 to 735.
• Direct care admissions decreased 16.4% from 439 to 367.
• Direct care ADP decreased 13.8% from 695 to 599.

Juvenile Characteristics in FY 2014

• The average ages of juveniles were as follows:
* Juvenile Intake Cases – 15.9
* Detainments – 16.1
* Direct Care Admissions – 16.9
* Direct Care Releases – 18.3
• 76.6% of juvenile intake complaints were diversion-eligible; 17.2% of juvenile intake complaints were resolved or diverted without a petition being filed.
* Of the 7,562 juvenile intake complaints diverted, 76.3% were successful.
• 15.4% of all juvenile intake cases were for felony offenses, 32.2% of all new probation cases were for felony offenses, and 76.8% of all commitments were for felony offenses.
* 48.8% of all juveniles admitted to direct care had a felony against person as their most serious offense.
• The majority of direct care admissions had a mental health or treatment need:
* 85.6% appeared to have significant symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Substance Abuse Disorder, or Substance Dependence Disorder; 65.4% appeared to have significant symptoms of other mental health disorders.
* 76.8% had a mental health treatment need.
* 91.6% had an aggression management treatment need.
* 85.3% had a substance abuse treatment need.
* 13.9% had a sex offender treatment need.

Length of Stay (LOS) Averages in FY 2014

Average LOSs were as follows:

• JDC Releases
* Pre-Dispositional –21.8 days
* Post-Dispositional without Programs – 14.1 days
* Post-Dispositional with Programs – 136.2 days (4.5 months)
• Probation Releases – 12.3 months
• Parole Releases– 9.0 months
• Direct Care Releases – 18.7 months

Forecast through FY 2020

• The JDC forecast projects that the ADP will increase slightly through FY 2016 to 739 and then gradually decrease through FY 2020 to 713.
• The direct care forecast projects that the ADP will decrease through FY 2017 to 407 and then become somewhat level through FY 2020 at 405.

Reconviction Rates for FY 2009-2012, Tracked through FY 2014

The 12-month reconviction rates fluctuated within the following ranges:

• Probation Placements: 25.5-27.1%.
• Direct Care Releases: 40.5-42.8%.
• Parole Placements: 45.6-48.8%.

Expenditures in FY 2014

• DJJ expended a total of $213,388,587.
• DJJ’s direct care per capita cost was $150,974.