NCJ Number
149515
Date Published
1993
Length
17 pages
Annotation
During the 1990's, the juvenile arrest rate for violent crimes reached a level well above that of the previous two decades. While the trend in violent offenses in Florida followed national rates, the total rate is clearly higher in that State.
Abstract
During 1992, juveniles accounted for 13 percent of all arrests for murder in Florida. However, as in other States, aggravated assault is the most frequent charge for violent juvenile offenders. Robbery is the second most frequently committed offense. Eighty-five percent of juveniles arrested for violent crimes are male and one-third are 14 years old or younger. High percentages of violent juvenile offenders come from families receiving food stamps, living in urban areas, single-parent or nonparent families, and families characterized by abuse and neglect. Most offenders did not achieve well academically, but handicapping conditions were diagnosed only in a small percentage of offenders. This report also discusses procedures for taking a child into custody, intake processing, and dispositional options, and describes State correctional programs that accept violent juvenile offenders. The final section discusses recidivism of this offender population. 29 notes