Juvenile Crime Statics

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The number of delinquency cases handled in U.S. juvenile courts remained virtually unchanged from 2000 through 2005. An estimated 1.7 million delinquency cases were handled in juvenile courts nationwide in 2005. During the two decades since 1985, however, the juvenile court caseload has been anything but static. From 1985 through 1997, the number of delinquency cases handled climbed steadily (61%) and from 1997 through 2005, the delinquency caseload dropped 9%. Juvenile courts handled 46% more cases in 2005 than in 1985. This overall pattern of increase followed by decline then leveling is the result of the trends of various offense categories combined. Public order offense cases increased steadily from 1985 through 2005 (146%). Person offense cases increased through 1997 (124%) then leveled off (up just 4% from 1997 through 2005). Drug law violation cases were relatively flat from 1985 through 1993 (increasing 17%), rose sharply (up 109% from 1993 through 1997), then leveled off through 2005 (down just 3% from 1997 through 2005). Although these patterns were different, each showed generally increasing trends. In contrast, property offenses showed quite a different trend. Between 1985 and 1992, the number of property offense cases increased 26%. After 1992, the number of property offense cases declined steadily (down 33% from 1992 through 2005). Thus, property offenses were the one general offense category that showed an overall decline from 1985 through 2005 (down 15%). Statistic Changes: While a violent crime rate in juveniles has steadily decreased since its “peak” in 1994, Drug as well as simple assault rates in juveniles has been on an un-nerving increase. In 1993 recorded arrests of juveniles in relation to murder cases reached 3,800. Now, 8 years later fall to almost a third of its previous rates, to a number much closer to 1400. Drug

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