Juvenile Arrests

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Serving Children, Families, and Communities

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Juvenile Arrests

Q:	How do juvenile arrest rates vary by State?
A:	State variations in juvenile arrest rates may reflect differences in juvenile law-violating behavior, police behavior, and/or community standards; therefore, comparisons should be made with caution.

Juvenile arrest rates by State, 2007

State	Reporting Coverage		Juvenile arrest rate
State	Reporting Coverage		Violent crime index	Property crime index	Drug abuse	Weapons

United States	81	%	301	1,293	590	128

Alabama	75		180	757	249	46
Alaska	96		220	1,559	328	68
Arizona	94		228	1,546	784	84
Arkansas	66		147	1,012	381	60
California	98		410	1,074	519	202

Colorado	90		173	1,621	741	137
Connecticut	93		282	1,017	442	89
Delaware	99		591	1,647	819	137
District of Columbia	0		NA	NA	NA	NA
Florida	100		477	1,864	763	106

Georgia	62		294	1,342	591	223
Hawaii	0		NA	NA	NA	NA
Idaho	92		141	1,823	544	110
Illinois	23		913	1,547	2,152	294
Indiana	71		209	1,510	486	59

Iowa	86		258	1,860	450	45
Kansas	64		168	952	533	77
Kentucky	20		343	2,168	1,360	127
Louisiana	61		364	1,617	623	113
Maine	100		63	1,477	417	44

Maryland	99		548	1,876	1,192	221
Massachusetts	91		307	521	377	46
Michigan	92		224	1,024	337	89
Minnesota	98		217	1,758	507	135
Mississippi	37		138	1,227	495	120

Missouri	85		257	1,573	641	97
Montana	84		90	1,745	378	41
Nebraska	85		138	1,823	644	109
Nevada	96		238	1,313	517	152
New Hampshire	68		86	692	540	30

New Jersey	97		334	864	689	185
New Mexico	71		279	1,045	752	178
New York	55		270	1,002	520	66
North Carolina	77		318	1,431	508	215
North Dakota	88		79	1,874	436	43

Ohio	60		150	1,001	414	70
Oklahoma	100		178	1,122	503	87
Oregon	94		230	1,855	603	94
Pennsylvania	92		426	1,075	523	127
Rhode Island	83		86	960	386	117

South Carolina	95		294	1,120	705	168
South Dakota	49		95	1,461	476	68
Tennessee	79		332	1,249	626	144
Texas	91		188	1,087	593	64
Utah	88		120	1,879	506	133

Vermont	98		65	570	286	35
Virginia	95		146	784	359	88
Washington	75		267	1,897	540	144
West Virginia	77		42	368	161	16
Wisconsin	98		298	2,634	806	233
Wyoming	99		124	1,748	994	85

NA = Crime in the United States 2007 reported no arrest counts for the District of Columbia or Hawaii.

Note: In this table the arrest rate is defined as the number of arrests of persons under age 18 for every 100,000 persons ages 10-17. Juvenile arrests (arrests of youth under age 18) reported at the State level in Crime in the United States cannot be disaggregated into more detailed age categories so that the arrests of persons under age 10 can be excluded in the rate calculation.

[ Excel file ]

The Violent Crime Index includes the offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
The Property Crime Index includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/crime/qa05103.asp?qaDate=2007. Released on October 24, 2008.

Adapted from Puzzanchera, C. Juvenile Arrests 2007. [Forthcoming]. Washington, D.C.: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.