Solutions to Juvenile Crime

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Solutions to Juvenile Crime

Crime is a plague that has haunted American citizens for centuries. The severity of crime has ranged from running a red light to cold blooded murder. Statistics indicate that crime rates have been on the rise in the previous decades, especially juvenile crime. Statistics show that, ‘the number of youths aged 14 and younger who have been charged with homicide has jumped by 43 percent in the past twenty years’ (Kids With No Hope, No Fear, No Rules, And No Life, 2). This increase in juvenile crime has struck a chord of fear in many people . Motivated by this fear our society has to come up with a solution to this impending problem. While several suggestions have been offered, crime prevention is the most logical, effective and beneficial solution.

Before going into detail about crime prevention, here is a little background information on juvenile crime. ‘Murders by young men between the ages of 14 and 17 jumped 161 percent between 1992 and 1993’ (Juvenile Crime, 1). Aggravated assault arrests have grown 95 percent since 1985. Robbery arrests have grown 57 percent (Juvenile Violence, Drugs, and Weapons, 1). The number of juveniles arrested in 1994 was 94 percent greater than the total number arrested in 1981 (2).

There are several reasons why juvenile crime has been on the rise. The most prominent ones are lack of education, the increased use and availability of firearms and the increase in use and availability of drugs.

The most recent solution proposed to decrease juvenile crime is known in Arizona as Proposition 102. The proposition reads as follows:

Amending Arizona Constitution to mandate adult prosecution at age fifteen for murder, ...

... middle of paper ...

...borah and Michaell Weissman. Deadly Consequences. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1991.

United States. "Arizona Ballot Measures: Proposition 102-- Jurisdiction Over Juveniles." (1996): 1. Arizona.

United States. The Secretary of State's Office. "1996 Ballot Propositions. Your Future... Your Choice. Vote!" (1996): 20-24. Arizona.

"Juvenile Crime, Part III." (1995): 1-4, 7, 9.

"Juvenile Crime: Solving the Youth-Drug Connection." Narconon. 1.

"Juvenile Violence, Drugs and Weapons: Projected Arrests for North Carolina." 1-3, 9. Includes references to: Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention. 1996 (March). Combating Violence and Delinquency: The National Juvenile Justice Action Plan. Washington, D.C.: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice.

U.S. News and World Report. 1996 (March 25).

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