Part of Juvenile Probation Department Data Portal
Active caseload represents the total number of young people on JPD’s caseload. This includes pre- and post-adjudication cases, as well as extended foster care (i.e., AB12). Youth with active cases are supported by Deputy Probation Officers from the point of referral throughout their entire involvement with the juvenile justice system. Youth in extended foster care have completed their supervision by Deputy Probation Officers and are supported by JPD Social Workers.
JPD’s active caseload decreased throughout the pandemic and began to increase again in the latter half of 2022. As of the end of 2023, girls accounted for 23% of JPD’s active caseload. Youth from out of county accounted for 39% of the active caseload.
Alternative placement reflects youth who have been placed on wardship probation by the court and removed from their home. The percentage of youth on the probation active caseload who are in an alternative placement has decreased from 18% in January 2020 to 9% by December 2023.
Active Caseload by Month
Data notes and sources
Data notes and sources
The bars on this stacked bar chart refer to a youth’s current status and the line refers to the total active caseload. Caseloads change daily, which is why only single-day snapshots from the last day of the month are shown.
The term “adjudicated” indicates that the court concluded that the youth committed the offense (sustains the charge or finds that the charge is true).
- Pre-adjudication refers to the period prior to the court’s final determination regarding the case. During this period, there are court hearings during which the District Attorney and Defense Attorney try to resolve the case. Some youth will have their case dismissed during this phase and will never be adjudicated.
- Diverted refers to the period during pre-adjudication when a youth is completing a diversion program as an alternative to traditional justice system responses. Diversion includes JPD-, DA-, and Court-monitored diversion. If a youth successfully completes the diversion program, at whatever stage it occurs, the youth will not face subsequent court proceedings. Diversion statistics are unavailable prior to 2022.
- Post-adjudication refers to the period after the court has sustained the charges and resolved the case by ordering a disposition, which may include some form of probation supervision, out of home placement, or commitment to Juvenile Hall or a Secure Youth Treatment Facility.
- AB12 refers to former foster youth between the ages of 18 to 21, who were previously involved in the juvenile justice system. Established by California Assembly Bill 12 in 2010, this voluntary program provides former foster youth with transitional housing or a stipend for living expenses until their 21st birthday, with the goal of improving outcomes. AB12 Social Workers assist participants with housing, mental health and substance abuse services, credit reporting, budgeting, health education, and other independent living skills. AB12 statistics are unavailable prior to October 2019.
Active Caseload by Demographics
Data notes and sources
Data notes and sources
The bars on the bar & line chart reflect the number of young people on JPD’s active caseload on the last day of the year. Caseloads change daily, which is why only single-day snapshots from the last day of the year are shown. The line reflects the percentage of the active caseload that girls accounted for each year.
The remaining charts reflect the demographic composition of the active caseload by Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Age for the time period selected.
Demographic groups with sample sizes < 11 youth in a given year are grouped into larger categories (e.g., Other Race, < 15, 18+).
Active Caseload by Residence
Data notes and sources
Data notes and sources
The bars on the bar & line chart reflect the number of young people on JPD’s active caseload on the last day of the year. Caseloads change daily, which is why only single-day snapshots from the last day of the year are shown. The line reflects the percentage of the active caseload that youth from out of county accounted for each year.
The remaining residence charts reflect where youth on JPD’s active caseload live. Cases missing residential information are excluded from all residence-related statistics.
The Residence chart reflects all young people on active caseload for which residential information is available. The Districts for SF Residence chart reflects only youth on active caseload who live in San Francisco. Zip codes were grouped into approximate district or district groupings to prevent reidentification, particularly in zip codes with very few youth on active caseload. Zip codes were grouped as follows:
- Districts 1 – 3: 94104, 94105, 94108, 94109, 94111, 941115, 94118, 94121, 94123, 94129, 94133
- Districts 4, 7, 8, & 11: 94112, 94114, 94116, 94117, 94122, 94127, 94131, 94132
- Districts 5 & 6: 94102, 94103, 94130
- District 9: 94134, 94110
- District 10: 94124, 94107
As necessary, Districts were grouped into larger geographic regions in order to limit sample sizes smaller than 11 and enable comparisons over time.
The County for Out of County Residence chart reflects only youth who live out of county.
Youth in Alternative Placement
Data notes and sources
Data notes and sources
The bars on the bar & line chart reflect the number of young people on probation active caseload (which excludes youth on extended foster care) and young people in alternative placements. Youth in alternative placements have been adjudicated, placed on wardship probation, and removed from their home by the court due to delinquency. This means the court can make decisions about the care, treatment, living situation, and guidance of the young person. The line reflects the percentage of youth on probation active caseload in alternative placements.
Youth in alternative placements can be placed in an out-of-home placement or committed to a secure facility:
- Out of Home Placement (OOHP) Commitment: The court has ordered a youth to be placed on wardship probation and placed in the foster care system. A common out-of-home placement type is a Resource Family (RFA). An RFA is a caregiver who provides out-of-home care for children in foster care. Another common placement option is a Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP), also known as a Group Home. An STRTP is a residential facility that provides support, services- including specialty mental health services- and 24-hour care and supervision for youth.
- Juvenile Hall (JH) Commitment: The court has ordered a youth to be placed on wardship probation and held within the county’s Juvenile Hall. Commitments to Juvenile Hall are shorter than commitments to SYTF.
- Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF) Commitment: The court has ordered a youth to be placed on wardship probation and held within the county’s Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF). The SYTF is a locked facility for the confinement of youth who would have been eligible for the California Division of Juvenile Justice (state youth prison), prior to its closure in 2023. This includes youth with a sustained petition for a 707(b) offense or a registerable sex offense. The SYTF in San Francisco is currently operated in the Juvenile Justice Center, which also houses Juvenile Hall.