Antisocial behavior among young people is a common problem for many parents. People who commit crimes before they have reached the age at which they can be tried as adults in a court of law present an issue not only for their parents but also for society in general.

1. Juvenile Delinquency:
Statistics Show a
Decrease in Arrests
Heritage Treatment Center
http://www.heritagertc.org

2. Antisocial behavior among young people is a common problem for many parents. People
who commit crimes before they have reached the age at which they can be tried as
adults in a court of law present an issue not only for their parents but also for society in
general.
In the period studied between 1980 and 2014, however, juvenile crime arrest rates in
the U.S. have gone down significantly.
Statistics on U.S. Juvenile Cases
According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) under the
U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, the juvenile arrest rate for simple
assault declined steadily from 2004 to 2014. The decline reached 44%. Arrests for
drunkenness also took a significant downturn from 1980 to 2014.
From reaching a peak in 1994, in the period between 1980 and 2014, arrests for violent
crimes committed by young people aged 10 to 17 years reached a historic low point in
2014. These violent crimes include murder, aggravated assault, non-negligent
manslaughter, robbery, and rape.

3. Although drug abuse is still one of the most common reasons for the arrest of minors,
the numbers have also gone down from a high point between 1996 and 1997.
All crimes committed by the 10-17-year-old age group reached its highest peak in the
last two decades in 1996. By 2014, however, the numbers have declined by as much as
65%.
Cause for Concern
The numbers may show a decline in the number of very young people being arrested
for their crimes, but these numbers do not reflect the number of youngsters who have
not been arrested. Apart from the crimes committed by those who have been arrested,
there is growing concern about the growing number of high-profile media cases of
violence in which the perpetrator or perpetrators are children. Such crimes become too
popular that the new cause for concern is whether such media attention may lead other
young people to receive the wrong message. The estimate that about 20% of all
children become officially delinquent at some point in their young lives is not a
reassuring thought, either.

4. Sources:
 http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/documents/ch07.pdf
 http://www.slideshare.net/guest544226/juvenile-delinquency-2148610
 https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/186162.pdf
 http://www.heritagertc.org/
 http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/JAR_Display.asp?ID=qa05200
 http://teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/2000/2/00.02.05.x.html
Response
Juvenile delinquency is a problem faced by the society and the juvenile justice system.
Some steps are taken, however, to curb the issue, as can be deduced from the
statistics indicating a reduction in the number of child arrests. The American
government is taking on this issue, and parent groups and private centers are also
responding.
Economic, social, and cultural factors all play a role in the trajectories of delinquency.
Many treatment and coaching facilities are considering these so that once-delinquent
youngsters may re-enter society as responsible citizens.