Massachusetts Juvenile Justice System Volume Steady While Proportion Of Arrests Increasing

The volume of youth entering the Massachusetts juvenile court system remained at the same level between fiscal year (FY) 2024 and FY 2025, but the proportion who entered by an arrest increased, according to a report by the Massachusetts Juvenile Justice Policy & Data Board. Criminal complaints totaled 9,935 in FY 2025, compared to 10,359 in FY 2024. Delinquency filings increased slightly (from 6,218 to 6,436), while arraignments declined (from 3,910 to 3,653) and dispositions decreased (from 2,003 to 1,966).

The share of court entries initiated by arrest increased steadily, from 51 . . .