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Most arrested juveniles
were referred to court
In most States, some persons under age 18
are, due to their age or by statutory exclusion,
under the jurisdiction of the criminal
justice system. For arrested persons under
age 18 and under the original jurisdiction
of their State’s juvenile justice system, the
FBI’s UCR Program monitors what happens
as a result of the arrest. This is the only
instance in the UCR Program in which the
statistics on arrests coincide with State
variations in the legal definition of a
juvenile.
In 2000, 20% of arrests involving youth eligible
in their State for processing in the
juvenile justice system were handled within
law enforcement agencies, 71% were
referred to juvenile court, and 7% were
referred directly to criminal court. The
others were referred to a welfare agency or
to another police agency. The proportion
of arrests sent to juvenile court has increased
gradually from 1990 to 2000 (64%
to 71%). In 2000, the proportion of juvenile
arrests sent to juvenile court was similar
in cities (70%), suburban areas (70%), and
rural counties (71%).
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Among the four Violent Crime Index offenses, only aggravated assault had a juvenile arrest rate in 2000 that
was not at its lowest level in two decades
Murder
- The juvenile arrest rate for murder peaked in 1993. In that
year, there were about 3,800 arrests of persons under age
18 for murder.
- In the 7 years prior to this peak, the juvenile arrest rate for
murder more than doubled.
- In the 7 years following the peak, the juvenile arrest rate for
murder fell 74%, dropping to its lowest level in more than two
decades and erasing all of the earlier growth.
 Forcible Rape
-
The juvenile arrest rate for forcible rape did not vary as much
as the rates for the other violent crimes over the period of
1980 to 2000, although it did follow the general pattern of
growth and decline over the period.
- The juvenile arrest rate for forcible rape increased 44%
between 1980 and 1991 and then fell; by 2000, it was
13% less than the 1980 rate, at its lowest level in at least
two decades.
 Robbery
- The juvenile arrest rate for robbery declined during much of
the 1980s, falling 30% between 1980 and 1988.
- The juvenile arrest rate for robbery increased 70% between
the low year of 1988 and the peak years of 1994 and 1995, to
a level 19% more than the 1980 rate.
- Between the peak years and 2000, the juvenile arrest rate for
robbery declined substantially (57%), falling to its lowest level
in two decades.
 Aggravated Assault
- The juvenile arrest rate for aggravated assault doubled between
1980 and 1994. Its increase between the mid-1980s
and the mid-1990s generally paralleled the increases for murder
and robbery.
- Unlike the juvenile arrest rate trends for murder and robbery,
however, the decline in the juvenile arrest rate for aggravated
assault between 1994 and 2000 did not erase the increase
that began in the mid-1980s. While the juvenile arrest rate for
aggravated assault fell 30% between 1994 and 2000, the 2000
rate was still 42% more than the 1980 level.
Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population data
from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. [See
data source note for detail.]
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Juvenile arrest rate trends for the four Property Crime Index offenses show very different patterns over the
1980—2000 period
 Burglary
- Unlike the juvenile arrest rates for any of the other Index
offenses, the rate for burglary declined consistently and substantially
between 1980 and 2000. Over this period, the burglary
arrest rate was cut by nearly two-thirds (63%).
- In 1980, there were an estimated 230,500 juvenile arrests for
burglary; by 2000, this figure had fallen to 95,800.
- Between 1991 and 2000, the number of arrests for burglary
declined substantially for both juveniles and adults (38% and
36%, respectively).
 Larceny-Theft
- The relatively large volume of larceny-theft arrests ensures
that the Property Crime Index arrest trends will reflect the
larceny-theft trends. Therefore, it should be recognized that
the juvenile Property Crime Index arrest trends may not (and
in this period did not) reflect the juvenile arrest trends for the
other crimes in the Index.
- The juvenile arrest rate for larceny-theft remained relatively
constant between 1980 and 1997, then fell by almost one-third
(29%) in the brief period between 1997 and 2000.
 Motor Vehicle Theft
- After falling between 1980 and 1983, the juvenile arrest rate for
motor vehicle theft soared, increasing nearly 138% between
1983 and 1990.
- After the 1990 peak, the juvenile arrest rate for motor vehicle
theft declined both consistently and substantially, so that by
2000 the rate was just 10% above its lowest level of 1983 and
54% below its 1990 peak.
- Between 1991 and 2000, the number of arrests for motor vehicle
theft declined 51% for juveniles and 23% for adults.
 Arson
- After being relatively stable for most of the 1980s, the juvenile
arson arrest rate grew 56% between 1987 and 1994. The rate
then declined each year between 1994 and 2000, falling 30%
from the 1994 peak and returning to the level of 1988.
- With the exception of running away from home and curfew and
loitering law violations (crimes for which only juveniles can be
arrested), arson is the offense with the greatest proportion of
juvenile arrests. In the 1980s, an annual average of 41% of all
arson arrests involved juveniles. In the 1990s, the percentage
grew to 50%; in 2000, it was 53%.
Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population data from the U.S.
Bureau of the Census. [See data source note for detail.]
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Trends in juvenile arrest rates for weapons law
violations and for murder were similar between
1980 and 2000
- The juvenile arrest rates for weapons law violations and
for murder more than doubled between 1987 and the
peak year of 1993.
- After 1993, both rates fell. The juvenile arrest rate for
murder fell 74% between 1993 and 2000. The arrest rate
for weapons law violations was cut in half, falling 48% and
returning to the 1987 level.
Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population
data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. [See data
source note
for detail.]
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The juvenile arrest rate for drug abuse violations
soared in the mid-1990s
- Between 1980 and 1993, the juvenile arrest rate remained
within a limited range. Between 1993 and 1997, however,
the rate grew 78%. By 2000, the rate had fallen somewhat
(14%) from its 1997 high.
- During the period from 1991 to 2000, juvenile arrests for
drug abuse violations increased 145%, while adult arrests
grew 42%.
Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population
data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. [See data source note
for detail.]
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Unlike juvenile arrest rates for other violent
crimes, the rate for simple assault did not decline
substantially in the latter part of the 1990s
- The juvenile arrest rate for simple assault increased substantially
between the early 1980s and the late 1990s—more than 150% between 1983 and 1997.
- The rate fell slightly (6%) between 1997 and 2000,
remaining in 2000 near its historically high levels.
Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population
data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. [See data source note
for detail.]
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The juvenile arrest rate for vandalism in 2000 was
at its lowest level in two decades
- The juvenile arrest rate for vandalism rose 27% between
1988 and 1994, its peak year in the 1980–2000 period.
- Between 1994 and 2000, the rate declined 31%, erasing
all of the earlier growth.
Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population
data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. [See data source
note for detail.]
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Juvenile Arrests 2000 |
OJJDP Bulletin • November 2002 |
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