Cja 374 Juvenile Crime Statistics Paper
Juvenile Crime Statistics
Name
Juvenile Justice Systems and Processes/CJA 374
Date
Instructor
Juvenile Crime Statistics
Captured statistics from the Uniform Crime Reports in 2008 demonstrate a decline in overall juvenile arrests. Even though the overall arrest rate declined, separate demographics within the overall statistics exhibited slight increases based on race or gender. Increases in certain violations also increased based on gender and race. However, the tracking of trends in juvenile crimes shows law enforcement where to focus its energies in attempts to lower juvenile crime rates and which demographics require more attention.
According to Puzzanchera (2009), American law enforcement arrested an estimated 2.11 million juveniles …show more content…
Juvenile arrests for simple assault increased 156 percent until 1997, dipped until 2002, and increased again through 2006. After the increase through 2006, the rate declined until 2008. However, the rate was 10 percent below the 1997 peak in 2008 (Puzzanchera, 2009). Juvenile arrests for drug offenses showed a similar increase. The rate increased 145 percent for drug offenses. The rate increased from 1980 to 1997, and it began a decrease from 1997 to 2008. However, the rate was 78 percent higher than the 1990 rate (Puzzanchera, …show more content…
Black juveniles took a higher percentage in most violent crime arrests such as murder, robbery, rape, assaultive offenses, thefts, burglaries, and weapon offenses than other races (Puzzanchera, 2009). However, the racial threat theory provides a possible explanation for the increase in all minority juvenile arrest rates. The theory states as minority population increases, the growth threatens Whites resulting in increased police action against the predominant minority (Siegel & Welsh, 2009). The increased police action may include increased patrol of minority neighborhoods resulting in increased contact with minorities. The increased contact results in higher interview rates and increased arrest rates. The reported arrest rates inflate the percentages of arrested minority youth resulting in potentially skewered rates. These erroneous results can create an unnecessary shift in focus for law enforcement resulting in higher incidences of racial profiling or policy changes regarding the arrests of certain minorities (Siegel & Welsh,
Name
Juvenile Justice Systems and Processes/CJA 374
Date
Instructor
Juvenile Crime Statistics
Captured statistics from the Uniform Crime Reports in 2008 demonstrate a decline in overall juvenile arrests. Even though the overall arrest rate declined, separate demographics within the overall statistics exhibited slight increases based on race or gender. Increases in certain violations also increased based on gender and race. However, the tracking of trends in juvenile crimes shows law enforcement where to focus its energies in attempts to lower juvenile crime rates and which demographics require more attention.
According to Puzzanchera (2009), American law enforcement arrested an estimated 2.11 million juveniles …show more content…
Juvenile arrests for simple assault increased 156 percent until 1997, dipped until 2002, and increased again through 2006. After the increase through 2006, the rate declined until 2008. However, the rate was 10 percent below the 1997 peak in 2008 (Puzzanchera, 2009). Juvenile arrests for drug offenses showed a similar increase. The rate increased 145 percent for drug offenses. The rate increased from 1980 to 1997, and it began a decrease from 1997 to 2008. However, the rate was 78 percent higher than the 1990 rate (Puzzanchera, …show more content…
Black juveniles took a higher percentage in most violent crime arrests such as murder, robbery, rape, assaultive offenses, thefts, burglaries, and weapon offenses than other races (Puzzanchera, 2009). However, the racial threat theory provides a possible explanation for the increase in all minority juvenile arrest rates. The theory states as minority population increases, the growth threatens Whites resulting in increased police action against the predominant minority (Siegel & Welsh, 2009). The increased police action may include increased patrol of minority neighborhoods resulting in increased contact with minorities. The increased contact results in higher interview rates and increased arrest rates. The reported arrest rates inflate the percentages of arrested minority youth resulting in potentially skewered rates. These erroneous results can create an unnecessary shift in focus for law enforcement resulting in higher incidences of racial profiling or policy changes regarding the arrests of certain minorities (Siegel & Welsh,