Juveniles were less likely to be arrested for property crimes in 1999 than they were 20 years earlier
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Between 1980 and 1999, the juvenile arrest rate for Property Crime Index offenses fell for all four races and for males, but not for females  Property Crime Index arrest rate trends by gender and race 
Data source: Analysis of arrest data from the FBI and population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. [See arrest rate data source note for details.] |
After years of stability, juvenile property crime arrest rates fell in the late 1990s
Between 1980 and 1997, the juvenile arrest rate for Property Crime Index offenses varied little, always remaining within 10% of the average for the period. However, 1998 and 1999 saw significant declines in these arrests. By 1999, the juvenile arrest rate had fallen to a point 28% below the average for 1980–97 and was at its lowest level in at least 20 years. This substantial decline in a high-volume offense category meant that far fewer juveniles charged with property offenses were entering the juvenile justice system.
Female property crime arrest rates increased from 1980 to 1999
In 1980, the juvenile male arrest rate for Property Crime Index offenses was four times the female rate; by 1999, the male rate was just twice the female rate. These two rates converged because the male rate declined 41% over this period while the female rate increased 8%. The stark differences in the male and female trends point to several possibilities, including gender-specific changes in these behaviors and/or an increased willingness to arrest female offenders.
The Property Crime Index arrest rate fell equally for white and black juveniles in the late 1990s, with drops of 35% for blacks and 30% for whites from 1994 to 1999. In the 20 years from 1980 to 1999, the black arrest rate for property crimes remained consistently twice the white rate.
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| Law Enforcement and Juvenile Crime | December 2001 |