Remember
the days of the “super predator” and the media campaigns about how we should
all be terrified of teenagers? Well, it worked on many of us and it continues
even though it is seldom warranted. Media headlines are frightening and for the
majority of folks who don’t seek out alternative sources on information about
juvenile offenders, it is easy to believe they are best avoided and feared.
To
catch up on this discussion, start at the beginning by reading “ClarifyingBeliefs About Juvenile Delinquency.”
Myth 3 – All juvenile delinquents are violent and/or use weapons.
It is a common
belief that crime rates among youth have risen, which news headlines encourage.
Contrary to this belief, however, juvenile violent crime has actually
decreased. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports through their
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, violent crime arrest rates
among male youth ages ten to 24 has decreased “from 850.8 arrests per 100,000
population in 1995, to 423.1 arrests per 100,000 in 2011” (CDC, 2013, para. 1).
This shows the rate of offending among young males has decreased by more than
half over these 16 years. Additionally, in the Juvenile Offenders and Victims:
National Report Series, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
reported “juvenile arrests for violent crime declined for the fifth consecutive
year” (Puzzanchera, 2013, p. 5).
Most arrests involving
juvenile crime are for minor offenses. In 2011, the most frequent offense for
which juveniles were arrested was larceny-theft of property with 17.27% of
total arrests (Puzzanchera, 2013). The top five offenses for juvenile arrests
in 2011 after larceny-theft were simple assaults (12.99%), drug abuse
violations (10.12%), disorderly conduct (9.47%), liquor laws (6.01%), and curfew
and loitering (5.23%) (Puzzanchera, 2013, p. 3). Arrests for violent crimes
made up only 4.64% of the total. Disaggregated by type of offense, aggravated
assault was 2.77% of total juvenile arrests, robbery was 1.62%, forcible rape
was 0.19%, and murder and nonnegligent homicide was 0.06% (Puzzanchera, 2013,
p. 3).
