Juvenile Justice Bulletin Banner 2005

J. Robert Flores, Administrator

August 2005

Juvenile Arrests 2003

Howard N. Snyder

Introduction

The number of juveniles murdered in 2003 was the lowest since 1984

The juvenile share of crime has declined

Juvenile arrests for violence in 2003 were the lowest since 1987

Few juveniles were arrested for violent crime

Juvenile arrests for property crimes in 2003 were the lowest in at least three decades

Most arrested juveniles were referred to court

In 2003, 29% of juvenile arrests involved females

Juvenile arrests disproportionately involved minorities

Data source note

Notes

NCJ 209735

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime.

This Bulletin was prepared under cooperative agreement number 1999�JN�FX�K002 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice.

Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department of Justice.

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A Message From OJJDP

Juvenile Arrests 2003 summarizes and analyzes national and state juvenile arrest data presented in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's report Crime in the United States 2003. The Bulletin provides baseline information for those who monitor the nation�s progress in addressing juvenile crime.

The juvenile arrest rate for Violent Crime Index offenses declined in 2003 for the ninth consecutive year, falling 48% from its 1994 peak and reaching its lowest level since at least 1980. The rate for each of the Violent Crime Index offenses—murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault—has declined steadily since the mid-1990s. Between 1994 and 2003, the decline in the number of violent crime arrests was greater for juveniles (32%) than adults (12%).

Juvenile arrest rates for Property Crime Index offenses also declined in 2003, reaching their lowest level in at least three decades. Between 1980 and 2003, the juvenile arrest rate for Property Crime Index offenses (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson) dropped 46%.

Although these and other statistical trends in juvenile crime are encouraging, problems remain. For example, between 1980 and 2003, juvenile arrest rates for simple assault increased 269% for females and 102% for males. During the same period, juvenile arrest rates for drug abuse violations increased 51% for females and 52% for males.

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Acknowledgments

This Bulletin was written by Howard N. Snyder, Ph.D., Director of Systems Research at the National Center for Juvenile Justice, with funds provided by OJJDP to support the National Juvenile Justice Data Analysis Project. The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance provided by the FBI�s Criminal Justice Information Services Division.

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