Juvenile Delinquency in The United States - Recent Statistics - Demographics

Demographics

There are roughly 75 million juveniles in The United States today. That is, one in four Americans have the potential of being labeled as juvenile delinquents (because they are considered juveniles). More specifically, in 2009 there were 74.5 million juveniles in the US, which was 2 million more than in the year 2000. The population of juveniles in the US is projected to increase until 2015, at least. In fact, the Federal Interagency on Child and Family Statistics reported that the number of juveniles might reach 101.6 million by 2050. If the juveniles delinquency rates were to increase with the population, or even plateau, this would translate into thousands of more juvenile delinquents. Also in 2009, the three different classifications of age groups among children, being 0-5, 6-11 and 12-17, were roughly equal. As reported in 2009 by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 57% percent of all juveniles are White, 10% Black, 1% American Indian, 5% Asian, and 22% Hispanic. Poverty, which is also directly connected to a child's chances of becoming a juvenile delinquent, varies by numerous factors. The poverty level of a child can vary by race and living arrangement (and other factors which are not mentioned here). For instance, in 2009, Black and Hispanic children were about three times more likely than White children of being poor. Additionally, in 2010, 21% of all children were living in poverty. 13% of these poverty stricken children lived in a two parent household, 40% lived with one single parent, 43% lived with just a mother figure, 22% lived with just a father figure, and 43% of the poverty-stricken children lived with no parents at all. These statistics show that poverty levels increase as the child lives with fewer parental figures. The demographic statistics mentioned above pertain specifically to juveniles, which in turn, is closely related to juvenile delinquency. Many of the demographics mentioned above change on state level; to look up state-specific juvenile delinquency rates in general, or by race/poverty level/living arrangement, visit the Office of Juvenile and Delinquency Prevention website.

===Juvenile Delinquency Statistnd Delinquency Prevention, the juvenile violent crime rate index dropped for the second consecutive year in 2010, and is now 5% lower that it was in 2006. Additionally, the Children's Defense Fund communicates that boys are five times more likely than girls to become juvenile delinquents (this statistic is further explained below). Also on the Children Defense Fund website are statistics pertaining to Black and Latino boys and their juvenile delinquency rates. 1 of every 3 Black boys is at risk of incarceration, as well as 1 of every 6 Latino boys. Traveling back to the statistics provided by the OJJDP, their website also says that in 2008, juveniles were the offenders in 908 cases of murder, which constitutes 9% of all murders committed that year. Also related to homicides, in the 1980s 25% of the murders that involved juvenile delinquents as the offenders also involved an adult offender. This percentage rose to 31% in the 90's, and averaged at 37% between 2000 and 2008. The time of day juvenile delinquents commit their crimes is the times they are not in school. On average, juvenile crimes begin occurring most frequently after the school is let out, peaking from 7 pm to 9pm (usually night time), after dark. Violent juvenile crimes involving a firearm follow the same peak a little later, from 8pm to 10pm. According to the OJJDP, the time of day that a crime occurs does not differ greatly on a non-school day (for example, if the children have a day off school, the crimes will not occur any earlier). This could be related to the fact that many of the days that children are out of school are national holidays, so their parents or parent might be home from work and supervising them. This is assuming that their parents are employed and that all children are in school and never skip school, which is in fact not true. For more statistics, please visit the OJJDP website.