Case Loads for Utah's Juvenile Courts

STATE WIDE JUVENILE COURT HEARING COMPARISON BETWEEN 2012 AND 2013

Voluntary Relinquishment shows an increase of 7.6% from 2012 to 2013

2012-  642

2013-  691

Termination of Parental Rights shows an increase of 15% from 2012 to 2013

2012-  661

2014-  761

Child Welfare Proceedings shows an increase of 1.2% from 2012 to 2013

2012-  3,465

2013-  3,508

Status Hearing Proceedings shows a decrease of -3% from 2012 to 2013

2012-  4,172

2013-  4,042

Contempt Hearing Proceedings shows a decrease of -3.3% from 2012 to 2013

2012-  6,303

2013-  6,093

Infraction Hearing Proceedings shows a decrease of -4.9% from 2012 to 2013

2012-  1,060

2013-  1,008

Misdemeanor Hearing Proceedings shows a decrease of -13.91% from 2012 to 2013

2012-  20,397

2013-  17,559

Felony Hearing Proceedings shows a decrease of  -4.6% from 2013-2013

2012-  2,121

2013-  2,023

Based on the above statistics: Child Welfare hearings are on the rise, and Juvenile Delinquency hearings are decreasing in number.

1-           C W have increased (1.2%) from 2012 to 2013, and

2-           J D have decreased (-13.91% misdemeanor, -4.6% felony) from 2012 to 2013

  

Although the number of Delinquency proceedings is decreasing and the number of Child Welfare proceedings are increasing; Juvenile Delinquency cases still make up approximately 83% of the total number of Juvenile Court’s case loads and Child Welfare cases comprise only 12% of the Juvenile Court’s case load.

It is interesting to note that from 2012 to 2013 even though there were approximately 6.5 times the number of Delinquency cases as Child Welfare cases, Child Welfare case take up, proportionately, far more of the court’s time than Delinquency cases do. Child Welfare cases occupy 43% of the court’s time, compared to 50% of the court’s time being occupied by Juvenile Delinquency Cases.

When comparing statewide Juvenile court cases from physical year 2012-2013 with  total filings of 37,789 cases, to physical year 2013-2014 with total filings of 36,078, cases Utah’s Juvenile Court caseload has decreased by -4.5%.  

As per the numbers submitted from 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, the number of Juvenile Delinquency case filings has decreased, but the number of Child Welfare filings has increased.  Nevertheless, Utah’s courts have not seen a decrease in time spent in court because, as noted previously Child Welfare cases, on a per case basis, take more of the courts time, than delinquency cases do and the number of Child Welfare cases being filed is increasing.

You can find a break down of cases filed in juvenile court by county for the Fiscal Year by clicking HERE.