Juvenile Crimes Overview
Juvenile Crimes Resources
Juvenile crimes are crimes committed by individuals under the age of eighteen. Juvenile offenders, also known as juvenile delinquents, are the fastest growing group of criminals in the United States. Millions of dollars are spent each year on costs associated with punishing and rehabilitating juvenile offenders. Many attribute the rise in juvenile crime to the increased availability of street drugs, growing levels of poverty, and inadequate prevention and intervention programs in schools.
The Juvenile Justice System
The juvenile justice system strives to rehabilitate and treat juvenile offenders, rather than incarcerate and remove them from society. As a result, states treat juvenile crimes differently from crimes committed by adults. On the federal level, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act targets juvenile crimes by assisting state and local governments in providing preventative services to high-risk youths. Additionally, individual states have enacted their own statutes to regulate, punish and prevent juvenile delinquency. Depending on the type and seriousness of the offense, and the offender's age and past record of criminal activity, the state may prosecute an individual under the age of eighteen as a juvenile or as an adult. If the state tries the minor as a juvenile, the case will be adjudicated in juvenile court. Juvenile courts have specific rules and procedures that are unique to the juvenile law system. A majority of juvenile cases are resolved informally and without a trial. The punishment of juvenile offenders also differs significantly from the punishment of adult criminals. Because the juvenile justice system seeks to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents, juvenile courts may impose a variety of flexible sentences. Punishments include placement in a rehabilitation program, payment of restitution to victims, imposition of court-determined curfews, mandatory school attendance, or placement in a juvenile detention facility. Levels of security in juvenile detention facilities vary depending on the threat that the juvenile poses to the community. Some juvenile detention centers function as group homes, while others resemble adult prisons. Even when juveniles are tried as adults, they may still be given the benefit of more lenient juvenile sentencing laws. Conversely, if a crime is serious, juveniles as young as sixteen may be sentenced to adult prisons.
Types of Juvenile Crimes
Juveniles are capable of committing the same crimes as adults. However, some acts are considered delinquent simply because of the offender's status as a minor. These "status" offenses include underage consumption of alcohol, driving without a license, truancy from school and running away from home. Status offenses are typically dealt with by social services agencies and do not require intervention from the juvenile court.
More serious offenses may be charged as felonies or misdemeanors. While minors may be involved in all types of crime, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) documents three major categories of juvenile crime: violent crimes, crimes against property and drug-related crimes. Violent crimes are crimes that result in bodily injury, such as assault, rape and homicide. Property crimes are committed when a juvenile uses force, or the threat of force, to obtain the property of another. Drug-related crimes involve the possession or sale of illegal narcotics. Other common juvenile crimes not indexed by the OJJDP include loitering, vagrancy, vandalism and weapons possession.