Juvenile Delinquency Recent Statistics Legal

Juvenile Delinquency Recent Statistics

Legal Issues

Causes for Juvenile Crimes

Poverty

Family Structure

School Dropout and Delinquency

Reducing Juvenile Crimes: Interventions

School Readiness Childcare programs

Early Identification and Intervention

Juvenile Delinquency

Juvenile delinquency is a concerning national social issue. Pro-active intervention is the key to preventing children from developing criminal behavior. Though these programs involve considerable running costs, the results are more than worth the expenditure. Investing in the future of our kids is invaluable and could not be put off by economic constraints, as the consequences are both undesirable and unbearable.

Juvenile delinquency is a huge problem worldwide and the U.S. In particular. As per 2002 census, the American juvenile population stood at 25% of the national population and is slated to grow steadily during most part of the 21st century. Today the juvenile justice system serves a rich mixture of racial and ethnic population. There is an increasing ratio of non-white juveniles. In some states such as New Mexico for example; Hispanic juvenile ratio is 51% of the total juvenile population. Other states such as California (45%), Nevada (30%), Texas (42%), have a high percentage of Hispanic juveniles. Similarly, in Mississippi (45%), Louisiana (40%), North Carolina (27%), and Delaware (25%) the ratio of black juveniles is significant. In the district of Columbia, black juveniles account for 72% of the entire juvenile population. [OJJDP] Studies have clearly found the relationship between poverty and juvenile crimes. With the existing disparity in terms of per capita income levels between the different racial groups, it becomes imperative to consider the implications in context of the propensity to crime among juveniles from these varied groups. Let us have a brief overview of the juvenile crimes; their causes and the preventive intervention methods with a particular emphasis on how schools can better prepare themselves for managing and reforming juvenile behavior.

Juvenile Delinquency Recent Statistics

Juvenile delinquency continues to be a pressing problem for America though the latest statistics released by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention shows improvement in terms of juvenile crime rate today compared with similar statistics in its 1991 report. The FBI data also corroborates the decline in juvenile delinquency rates since 1994. The statistics also show a decline in racial disparity in juvenile crimes. For example, juvenile crimes among black community which was six times that of white juvenile offenders in 1980 now fairs considerable better at only four times the white rate. Reports indicate that the number of arrests pertaining to drug abuse among black juveniles fell significantly from five times that of white juvenile drug offenders to less than twice the arrest rate for whites during the same period. In general, it is encouraging to note the decline in juvenile crime rates. Statistics also indicate a demographic change with increasing number of female juvenile offenders. [OJJDP]

Legal Issues

Juveniles in Adult Prisons)

While statistics project a positive picture in reporting a decrease in juvenile crime rate, it is disturbing that increasing number of juveniles are now being tried as adults. States such as North Carolina, New York and Connecticut have allowed anyone over 16 years of age to be tried as an adult. While Other States such as Texas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri and New Hampshire 17 is the minimum age limit to be tried in adult courts. This is besides the fact that almost 50 states have atleast one provision that allows the criminal prosecutor to charge the juvenile as an adult. The consequence is increasing number of juveniles now serving terms in State prisons. As Vincent Schiraldi, director of the Justice Policy Institute says, "There's some justification for public frustration with the juvenile system, "But sending them (juveniles) to the adult system en masse is no solution. it's hardly a resounding success for the people it's got." [Kate Snow]

Causes for Juvenile Crimes

Poverty

Poverty is attributed as one of the leading causes for juvenile crimes. Several studies have attested to this fact. An early study by Farrignton reported that low family income as measured when the child is age 8 was a predictor for self-reported cases of juvenile violence and serious crimes during the teenage. [Farrington, D. 1989] Other researchers have shown that family disruption for which poverty is one of the main reasons is responsible for high levels of juvenile crimes. Sampson (1987) shows the effect of joblessness and family disruption and the consequent impact on juvenile violence. (Sampson, R. 1987) in one of the exhaustive juvenile crime studies that exist today, Professor Laub from the university of Maryland followed the lives of juvenile delinquent and non-delinquent boys at age 14, 25 and 32 respectively. All the boys were from the similar poor backgrounds and the results of the study helped identify a clear and conclusive pattern. Professor Laub found that low levels of parental supervision, harsh discipline and weak parental attachment were high risk factors for juvenile delinquency and adult criminal behavior. The study also reported that juvenile criminals were less likely to complete school, more likely to be jobless and likely to experience divorce and separation as adults. [JCPR]

Statistics show that the percentage of juvenile population living under poverty line has declined steadily since 1993. However, the figure is still quite high compared to the rate of adults living under poverty. As per the 2002 data, one out of every six juvenile lived under the poverty line. Black and Hispanic juveniles are three times more likely to be under the poverty line when compared to non-Hispanic whites. With a poverty threshold fixed at $18,244, an estimated 6. 9% of the juvenile population lived under 50% of the poverty threshold in 2002. Overall, an estimated 40% of children living under poverty line could be categorized as living under extreme poverty. Data from the same period indicate that one in three black juveniles lived below poverty line and one in five black juveniles were living in extreme poverty.

Family Structure

Family structure plays a crucial if not the proximate cause for juvenile behavior. A study by McCurley and Snyder found that living in two-parent household is the best environment for children. The study reported that youths between the age group of 12 and 17 who lived with both the parents were the least likely to engage in delinquent behaviors such as sexual assault, running away from the house, and other forms of misbehavior. This positive effect of living with both the parents was observed to be independent of racial or ethnic differences suggesting family structure as the single most important factor responsible for delinquent behavior. (McCurley, C., and Snyder) National statistics show that only 71% of children live with both the parents. Racially, black children are the least likely to live with both parents as 52% of black children were found to be living in single parented households. The economical well being of the child is definitely affected by the family structure. While 61% of juveniles living with single parents were dependent on food stamps only 23% of children from two parented households used such assistance. The fact that the number of children living in single parented households has increased from 9% in 1960 to 27% in 2002 is disconcerting given that delinquent behavior and family structure are related to each other.