How Much Juvenile Delinquency?

The reading by Binder, Geis and Bruce presents three methods of collecting data on the extent and distribution of juvenile delinquency, discusses problems with each method of data collection, and presents findings based on these methods (primarily from the mid-1990s).

However, the reading does not present the information on the trends in the extent and distribution of juvenile delinquency. In this assignment you will examine these trends over the last two decades (1980-2001) for selected crimes, using data collected by one of these methods.

Connect to the following WEB page, which provides information on arrest rates for juvenile crime for a range of years:

http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/ojstatbb/crime/excel/jar_053103.xls

Record the arrests rates for Violent Crime Index (Row 14) and the Property Crime Index (Row 19) for the juvenile population as a whole, males, females, whites and blacks for the years 1985, 1990, 1995, and 2001. Construct tables with these data. The easiest way to do this is to construct a table for each offense type:

	1980	1985	1990	1995	2001
All
Male
Female
White
Black

Pick any two non-index offenses (Rows 24-33) and record the arrest rates for the juvenile population as a whole, males, females, whites and blacks for the years 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, and 2001. Construct tables with these data.

What do these data show about the trends in juvenile crime since 1980? Specifically, what are the trends for the juvenile population as a whole for violent crimes, property crimes, and for the two non-index offenses you have chosen. How do the trends for the different crimes compare? How do the trends you have identified differ for blacks and whites and for males and females?

NOTE: In making comaprisons in this and subsequent data analysis assignments, you will need to focus on absolute and relative differences. Relative differences can be stated as percentages or fractions. For example, a rate increase from 50 to 100 is an increase of 50 in absolute terms. In relative terms, it is an increase of 100% (100-50=50; 50/50=1.00; 1.00x100=100%). Alternatively, you could say the rate doubled in relative terms (100/50=2). As other examples, an increase from 75 to 100 is an increase of 25 in absolute terms and an increase of 33% or 1/3 in relative terms (100-75=25; 25/75=.33; .33x100=33% OR 25/75=1/3). A decline from 100-50 is a decline of 50 in absolute terms and a decline of 50% or 1/2 in relative terms (100-50=50; 50/100=.50; .50x100=50% OR 100-50=50; 50/100=1/2)

Report the results of your analysis in an efficient and thorough summary (absolutley no more than 2 pages, double-spaced. Use 12 point font and 1 inch margins. Turn in your tables with your summary.

For your own interest, connect to the Easy Access to FBI Arrest Statistics WEB page:

http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/ojstatbb/ezaucr/asp/ucr_display.asp

On the page: select your state, select your county, under rates check juveniles, and select the time period 1994-1998. Record the rates of the crimes you used above for 1995. Select the 1997-2001-time period. Record the rates for the same crimes for 2001. How does your county compare to the overall rates and trends for 1995 to 2001 that you discovered above. If no data exists for your home county pick another county of interest to you. (Cook County and St. Louis County have no reported data.)