The Most Common
Juvenile Crimes and How to Avoid Them
In 2010, there were just over 1.6 million juvenile
crimes committed in the United States. These crimes, categorized as violent
crimes and property crimes, included homicide, assault, rape, robbery, theft,
burglary, and arson. This is based on preliminary data provided by the
Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
(OJJDP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Arrest Statistics.
Overall juvenile crime (as indicated by the number of
reported arrests) fell at a rate of about 5 percent between 2006 and 2010, and
overall juvenile crime fell 14 percent between 2009 and 2010. Further, violent
crimes (i.e. murder, rape, robbery, and assault) were down 12 percent between
2009 and 2010 and property crimes (i.e. burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle
theft, and arson) were down 12 percent in the same period.
Common Types of Juvenile Crimes
The most common type of juvenile crimes committed,
according to the FBI's data, is larceny-theft, which made up 17.11 percent of
the juvenile arrests. This was followed by simple assaults, which were 12.8
percent of total juvenile arrests reported, drug abuse violations (10.39
percent), disorderly conduct (9.49 percent) and curfew law violations, which
were 5.77 percent of juvenile arrests in 2010 (closely followed by liquor law
violations at 5.76 percent).
Why Juveniles Commit Crimes and
the Cost
One factor that leads juveniles to commit crimes
(particularly violent crimes like murder, rape, and assault) is a lack of
alternative opportunities. This holds true both in rural and urban settings. As
many cities and towns are forced to make budgetary choices between essential
services (i.e. waste collection, fire, police, and public safety) and programs
such as recreation facilities and after-school activities, youth are left with
a lot of time on their hands between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. (when most
crimes occur). This phenomenon increases in the summer months if a city or town
lacks youth diversion programs or other activities designed to remove juveniles
from the temptation of the streets.
Juveniles who commit crimes find it difficult to enter the job market, especially those who are
repeat offenders. Some states may provide opportunities for juveniles to
expunge a prior criminal record and to have those records sealed from a
prospective employer; however, this is not an option in every state. The
likelihood that a juvenile who becomes involved in crime before the age of 21
will be re-arrested or
re-incarcerated is a concern for
lawmakers in different states because of the impact of such rates on a state's
economic and employment outlook.
Tips for Keeping Kids Out of
Trouble
Parents should be more involved in the lives of their
children as the best and first method for helping kids avoid trouble with the
law. Studies have shown links between the level of communication and
engagement that takes place in the home between parents and youth and a youth
engaging in delinquent behavior.
Parents also need to ensure that their kids participate
in programs of a constructive (organized) nature outside of the home. This is
especially true between the critical hours of 3
p.m. and 6 p.m. and during the summer months. It is known that
between these hours juveniles are more susceptible to being the victim or
perpetrator of a crime. Lastly, parents should consider going back to the old
rule of "When the street lights come on, you better be home."
This article was provided by Jacob Keller, school
counselor and volunteer coach. If your child or young adult has gotten into a
legal bind, Jacob suggests trusted Houston TX bail bonds.
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