NCJ Number
208212
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 84 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2004 Pages: 436-451
Date Published
December 2004
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study examined national juvenile crime statistics and data on juvenile homicides in Kentucky to determine whether the "get tough" movement and the continued availability of the death penalty for juveniles are warranted.
Abstract
An analysis of juvenile arrest trends for violent index crimes between 1980 and 1999 shows that the juvenile arrest rate for such crimes peaked in 1996 and then declined 16 percent by 1999; and the juvenile arrest rate for violent crimes in 1999 was at its lowest level since 1988. The juvenile arrest rate for murder showed both its greatest increase and greatest decline between 1980 and 1999. Overall, juvenile violent crime had significantly declined over the period studied, suggesting that the alarms raised in the early 1990's were unwarranted. This study also examined data on all convicted murderers in Kentucky between 1976 and 1991 (n=1,163). The Barnett scale was applied to the data to determine whether homicides committed by Kentucky juveniles were more deliberate, random, or vicious than those committed by adults. The Barnett scale thus provides a way to measure the seriousness of the homicide. The study found that the murders committed by adult offenders scored higher on the Barnett scale than did those committed by juveniles. Juveniles, however, committed more deliberate murders and were more likely to kill a stranger than were adults. These differences between juvenile and adult homicides remained constant over time. Contrary to the claims of the "get tough" advocates that juvenile violent crime is becoming more frequent and more heinous, these data show the opposite, suggesting that the death penalty is not justified by juvenile crime trends. 3 tables, 1 figure, 16 references, and appended Barnett classification system for homicides