This ninth annual report provides an update on juvenile justice policies that were passed in 2017 and subsequent years. Previous years' reporting were in the fiscal year. The data represented in this report reflects Calendar Year (CY) 2024.
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Youth are being referred to Utah’s juvenile court at a rate of 3.28 per 100 youths in CY 2024. Overall, there were 13,989 referrals to the Juvenile Court in CY 2024 which represents a rate of 3.28 per 100 youths.
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Youths continue to be diverted from the system through the use of Nonjudicial Adjustments. The share of youths entering into a Nonjudicial Adjustment for CY 2024 was 65% with 94% of current Nonjudicals receiving a successful completion.
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Court supervision through Intake or Formal Probation is guided by a youth’s risk and needs. For CY 2024, the rate for Intake Probation was 1.56 per 1000 youths while the rate for Formal Probation was 1.72 per 1000 youths.
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Admissions to Locked Detention show a slight decrease from CY 2023. The rate for Locked Detention was 4.74 per 1,000 youths in CY 2024, a decrease from 4.91 per 1,000 youths in CY 2023.
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The rate of Community Placement and Secure Care remains below 1 per 1,000 youths from CY 2017 to 2024. The rate for Community placement was .39 per 1,000 youths, and Secure Care was .19 per 1,000 youths in CY 2024.
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Continued effort is placed in front end services such as the Juvenile Justice and Youth Services (JJYS), Youth Services Implementation program and School Based Outreach. Since the reinvestment of dollars into JJYS’ Youth Services program and School Based Outreach, recidivism outcomes continue to improve with an increase from 98.0% in CY 2020 to 99.3% in CY 2024 of those cases avoiding a new avoid Court Ordered custody to the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) or JJYS, or Court Ordered Formal Probation within 90 days of release. Data for JJYS enrollments and Court Ordered custody to DCFS, JJYS, or Court Ordered Formal Probation, are collected through the JJYS case management information system.
Policy changes focused on preventing deeper involvement in the juvenile justice system for youths who are referred for lower-level offenses, protecting the community by focusing system resources on youths who pose the highest risk to public safety, and improving outcomes through reinvestment and increased system accountability.
House Bill 304 made several changes to the juvenile justice system including when class C misdemeanors, infraction, or status offenses can be referred to the Juvenile Court, when notifications are sent to schools, eligibility criteria for NJAs, and additional data reporting requirements.
House Bill 362 reduced two previous occasions down to one previous occasion before being able to refer class C misdemeanors, infractions, or status offenses to Juvenile Court; expanded reintegration plans to include serious offenses which would include a violent felony (76-3-203.5), theft of a firearm offense (76-6-4), or a weapons offense (76-10-5); added handgun possession by a minor to the list of 3rd degree felonies; and clarifies habitual truancy and probation notices.
See the report