CRIME AND CAUSATION

Within the last several years, statistics have proven that there has been a constant increase in the amount of crimes being committed by juveniles. The office of Juvenile and Delinquency Prevention compiles arrest information that they receive from law enforcement agencies around the county. Every four years the OJJDP offer statistics found in there reports. Although the reports are not 100% accurate, it does provide an accurate pattern in juvenile crimes. A significant amount of juveniles were arrested due to thefts, simple assaults, drug abuse, disorderly conduct, and curfew violations. In 1999, approximately 2,468,800 juvenile were arrested, an alarming 380,500 were arrested for theft, drug abuse violation accounted for 198,400, and violent crimes accounted for 103,900 of the total arrest.

The issue concerning juvenile crime has become alarming for parents, citizens of the community, law enforcement, and elected officials. We may ask ourselves why so many young children are resorting to criminal behavior. Is it the music they listen to, the movies on television, peer pressure