More than half of all persons arrested for arson in 1999 were under age 18, and 1 in 5 was under 13

During the 1990s, the juvenile arrest rate for arson grew substantially and then declined, resulting in a 1999 rate equal to the 1990 rate Arson arrest rate trends by gender and race From 1980 through 1992, white and black juvenile arrest rates for arson were equal. After 1992, the black rate rose above the white rate. The female juvenile arrest rate for arson increased abruptly between 1991 and 1994. 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.]

In 1999, 54% of all persons arrested for arson were juveniles. Arson is also the criminal act with the largest percentage of arrestees under the age of 13 (19%). In comparison, 31% of all larceny-theft arrests in 1999 involved juveniles, and 4% involved juveniles under age 13. Young persons are brought into the juvenile justice system in such high proportions for the crime of arson in part because arson is commonly considered an indicator of serious emotional problems in youth.

The pattern of stability, growth, and decline in the juvenile arrest rate for arson in the 1980s and 1990s was similar in magnitude and character to the trend in juvenile violent crime arrest rates. After years of stability, the rate increased more than 50% before falling and returning by 1999 to a level similar to that before the increase. During the period of increase, the female rate increased more than the male rate. During the period of decline, the male and female rates declined proportionally. However, because of the greater increase in the female rate, these declines left the female rate in 1999 about 30% above its level in the early 1980s, while the male rate was just 15% above its early 1980s levels. One major distinction between violent crime and arson arrest rates over this period was that white and black rates were similar for arson but not for violent crime (see public policy).

Law Enforcement and Juvenile Crime	OJJDP National Report Series Bulletin December 2001