NCJ Number
70644
Journal
Monatsschrift fuer Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform Volume: 63 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1980) Pages: 65-82
Date Published
1980
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Trends in West German juvenile crime from 1956 to 1976 for 12 representative offenses and 3 age groups are analyzed on the basis of convictions statistics and police crime statistics.
Abstract
Available statistical data are used for analysis; groups examined are 14-to-15-year-old, 16-to-17-year-old, and 18-to-19-year-olds. Results show a 70 percent rise in juvenile crime from 1956 to 1976. Crimes with the most rapid increases are theft, grand larceny, and murder, while the increase is small for other crimes, with a slight drop for fraud. The crime rate increases peak in the late sixties and early seventies, after which the rates remain constant or even drop. For all three age groups, the ratio of petty larcenies to grand larcenies (70:30 percent) shifts considerably after 1972 (60:40 percent). Contrary to popular belief, crime rate increases for the younger age groups are only exceptionally high for petty larceny and simple assalt. Otherwise, the conviction rapes are similar for the three age groups. Overall increases may be attributed in part to changes in the legal definitions of theft and assault. Other factors such as criminal experience of young offenders as well as sentencing and crime reporting patterns specific to crimes involving juveniles may influence the crime statistics recorded. Recommendations to improve juvenile crime data include adoption of a uniform system for keeping statistics, especially with regard to age and offense classifications, study of self-reported crimes, and further analysis of specific age-time-offense constellations. Tables, graphs, and a bibliography, approximately 20 entries are furnished.