Adolescent Arrest Rates by Eun Sun Park Simpson

Adolescents Arrest Rates

Studies show that from earliest of 1980 to present time of 2011, arrest rates for adolescents have decreased. Looking closer, male adolescents have been more prone to have a higher arrest rate than female adolescents, no matter the crime. Female adolescents are more likely to commit crime of running away (59%) and prostitution and commercialized vice (69%). Crimes have been sorted into main groups of Violent Crime Index Offenses, Property Crime Index Offenses, and Other Offenses. Overall the arrest rate of adolescents was 32% lower in 2011 than in 1980. For both male and female adolescents, arrest rates increased between 1983 and 1996 and then declined through 2011. Arrest rates for adolescents are not just separated into genders, but also ethnicities of Blacks, Whites, American Indians, and Asians. All the ethnicities adolescents’ rates overall decreased from 1998 to 2011. Black adolescents have overall the highest arrest rates from 1980 through 2011. As for White and American Indian adolescents, they were throughout 1980 through 2011, “neck-to-neck” of the amount of arrest rates. White adolescents in 1980 had a lower rate of arrests than American Indian adolescents. Once getting to 2011, White adolescents ended up having a higher arrest rate than American Indian adolescents. For Asian adolescents, their arrest rates from 1980 through 2011 were found lower than any other ethnicity.

Taking a closer look at the title of Violent Crime Index Offenses, it includes crimes of murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. In 1980, arrest rates for Violent Crime Index Offenses were at 300 adolescents, it started to increase in 1987 and then decrease in 1995, until of 2004. In 2008 it started to decrease through 2011. From 1980 to 2011, the arrest rate was 31% lower. For both male and female adolescents, the number of adolescents getting arrested started to increase in the year of 1987 and decrease in 1995. In 2004, the adolescents’ rate increased and then 2008 it decreased through 2011. For male adolescents, the arrest rate from 1980 to 2011 was 38% lower. As for the female adolescents, the arrest rate from 1980 to 2011 was 22% higher. Black adolescents arrest rate were higher than any other ethnicity. The Black adolescents’ arrest rate decreased 61% from 1980 to 2011. As for White and American Indian adolescents arrest rates under this certain crime group overlaps each other. White adolescents started out lower in 1980 and now higher in 2011 than American Indian adolescents. White adolescents’ arrest rate was 59% lowered from 1980 to 2011. For American Indian adolescents’ arrest rate was 68% decreased from 1980 to 2011. With Asians they are lower than any other adolescents’ arrest rates; they overall decreased 78% from 1980 to 2011.

Now look at Property Crime Index Offenses, which include crimes of burglary, larceny theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Overall, the arrest rates for adolescents made a great decrease from 1980 through 2011. For male adolescents, rates dropped from 1980 until 1984 and then started to rise, until 1988, where for a while, the trend was a bit bumpy until 1994, where the adolescent rate dropped and continued to drop through 2011. As for female adolescents, the rates steadily increased until 1994. In 1994, the rate slowly decreased, until 1997, where rate really plummeted and slightly increased for one year in 2003 and decreased again in 2004. In 2006, rate increased until 2009 where it started to decrease through the next years. The male adolescents’ arrest rate was about 70% above the female adolescents’ arrest rate by 2011. Ethnicity wise, Black adolescents were higher than any other ethnicity adolescents. White and American Indian adolescents’ rates were close in numbers. American Indian adolescents’ arrest rates were a bit higher than White adolescents’ arrest rates, until 2005. Asian adolescents’ arrest rates were lower than all the rest ethnicity rates. Getting close to 2010 and 2011, the Asian adolescents’ arrest rates were getting close to American Indian and White adolescents’ arrest rates.

Moving onto Other Offenses, which include crimes of simple assault, vandalism, weapons law violations, drug abuse violations, driving under the influence, liquor law violations, drunkenness, disorderly conduct, and curfew and loitering, and running away. From 1980 to 1997, the arrest rate of adolescents increased. In 1997, the arrest rate of adolescents slowly started to decrease with minor “bumps in the road” through 2011. For male adolescents, the arrest rates for these types of crimes, increased slowly from 1980, until 1997, where rates started to decrease with a little bump of an increase and then continuing decrease. As for female adolescents’ arrest rates for these crimes, they increased from 1980 until 1998, where there is a decrease rate, until 1999. From there on there is a few bumps, going upward, until 2004, where rates started to decrease through 2011. For Black adolescents, the arrest rates are higher than any other ethnicity. As for White and American Indian adolescents, their arrest rates are intertwined throughout the years. White adolescents in 1980 were lower than American Indian adolescents. In 2011, White adolescents were higher rating than American Indian adolescents. As for Asians, in 1980, the arrest rates were close to White and American Indian adolescents’ rates. In 2011 though, the Asian adolescents’ rate were far lower than the White and American Indian adolescents.

From what I have researched, I believe that most of the facts that I have found are to being true. Such as male adolescents have a higher arrest rate than female adolescents. Most research says that certain groups of people who are in poverty have a higher arrest rate, in general. I consider this to be true most times; I also believe that those who are not in poverty could also increase the arrest rate. This maybe because the adolescents who are not in poverty and living a stable or the good life are bored and feel they need to do something to get a rush or excitement in their lives. For all I know the research I looked up show that the Black adolescents are living the good life and not in poverty, which is not assumed to be socially classed correct. Assuming things though, “makes an a** out of you and me”, at least that’s what I’ve been told, so who really knows except those who did the actual gridding and research. The ones, who did the actual data, didn’t tell us though whether or not the different grouped ethnicities belonged more towards the poverty life or the good stable life. So, the real question is does poverty and or ethnicities really affect the arrest rates of adolescents? The research I used was an overview on adolescents between the ages 10-17 years old, within the whole United States. I feel there is a problem with this research though. The number of adolescents in the United States changes each and every day or hour, some are turning 10 years old, which includes them in this research, while others are turning 18, which excludes them from this research. Each individual adolescent is different from one another, they do different things, live different lifestyles, and so changing the number of adolescents also changes how many actually may commit crime. So I take it that this whole research about adolescents’ arrest rates is more of estimation of adolescents that were arrested for crimes they have committed. This is what I found and believe about arrest rates of adolescents. For more information please feel free to look up the sources I used.

Citation

"The Future of Children, Princeton - Brookings: Providing Research and Analysis to Promote Effective Policies and Programs for Children." - The Future of Children -. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. <http://futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=31&articleid=44§ionid=135>.

"Juvenile Arrest Rates." Juvenile Arrest Rates. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. <http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/jar.asp>.