Every night when the news comes on, Americans are constantly reminded of the rise in overall crime occurring in our country. The most astounding fact is that most of these crimes being committed are by mere children. They are kids under the age of eighteen whom, for some reason get a rush out of stealing, beating, and even killing other people in their communities. Juvenile crime is one of the most important problems in the United States today. .
The facts are out there and they are not good at all. Just knowing the facts is not enough, though. To be able to do something about juvenile crime it is important to know when, why and how the youths started committing crimes. From this, the judiciary system needs to figure what can be done with the juvenile offenders and how much it will cost to do so. If these nearly impossible steps can be taken on, the United States will be able to bring back its most important resource for the future, its youth. .
It has been during our current thirty year crime wave that we have seen the number of juveniles incarcerated, on probation or parole or in alternative programs like wilderness and boot camps, community based school or work release programs increase to nearly one million under supervision (Abruzzese 1). The most recent statistics for juvenile crime are always two years out of date, which makes it tough to see the results of short-term changes in the system. In a report made last year, the FBI stated between 1965 and 1992 law enforcement agencies reported a 423 percent increase in the number of assaults, robberies, rapes, and homicides by juveniles. It is important to note that the majority of juveniles arrested in America are arrested for property crimes and other less serious offenses-not crimes of violence (Sadler 26). This same report attempts to soften the blow by including that from 1983 to 1992 it only increased by 54 percent. On the surface this seems to indicate an!.