Thousands of children ages 12 and under are referred to juvenile justice systems each year, and little is known about how their experiences may differ from those of older youth. The purpose of this study was to compare risk factors associated with juvenile justice referral between children and adolescents and examine differences in adjudication and disposition of referred children and adolescents. The moderating role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) was also examined. Using data from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, results suggest children referred to the juvenile justice system are more likely to have experienced greater numbers of ACEs, have family and school problems, and be referred by schools. Results also indicate children and adolescents differ in their experiences within the juvenile justice system, and that experiences vary according to exposure to ACEs. Results suggest juvenile justice system officials should consider the unique needs of children referred to the system and be cognizant of the influence of non-legal factors in decision-making for this population.

Thousands of children are arrested annually in the United States, and little is known about law enforcement policies regarding the arrest of children. The goal of this study was to examine the association between law enforcement policies pertaining to the arrest of children and arrests involving children in the state of Florida, the largest state in the U.S. that lacks a minimum age for juvenile court jurisdiction. Policies pertaining to the arrest of children were obtained from 215 law enforcement agencies, serving 95% of Florida’s population. Results indicated policies were not associated with arrests involving children, suggesting less-discretionary policies may be needed to reduce arrests for children in states lacking minimum ages for juvenile court jurisdiction.

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