| Most of us probably did something in our childhood that | | | | there has been a marked increase in the number of |
| we are ashamed of or embarrassed about. We | | | | crimes committed by juveniles. The largest increase |
| fibbed to our parents, missed curfew, and sometimes | | | | has been in the number of violent offenses committed. |
| got grounded for errors in judgment. With childhood | | | | Motor vehicle theft and property crimes, burglary, and |
| often comes bad decision making; as adults we look | | | | larceny have also increased substantially. Juveniles are |
| back and realize those mistakes and the | | | | not only committing more crimes, they are more |
| consequences that followed were a fact of life. But | | | | frequently becoming the victim of a crime, and more |
| sometimes, young people make very serious choices | | | | and more juveniles are being victimized by assailants |
| and some of their bad decisions and poor judgment | | | | armed with firearms. |
| may involve committing a crime. | | | | The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice provides |
| Most of us can think of a time when we or a friend | | | | the following statistics regarding juveniles and crime: |
| shoplifted some gum or candy from the grocery store | | | | · Juveniles are responsible for about one of |
| or carved our name on a desk at school. While these | | | | four violent crimes in the state. |
| two acts will not land a juvenile in jail, a more serious | | | | · The number of aggravated assault and |
| crime certainly might. If you or a young person in your | | | | battery by juveniles is up. |
| life has been arrested for any crime, it is absolutely | | | | · The number of girls arrested for violent |
| imperative that you hire an experienced criminal | | | | felonies has more than doubled in the past eight years. |
| defense attorney in your area to defend your case. | | | | · Burglary is the felony crime committed most |
| Some of the most common crimes that juveniles are | | | | often by juvenile offenders. |
| arrested for are: | | | | · Juvenile crime peaks around 3:00 p.m., the |
| · Shoplifting | | | | time right after school lets out. |
| · Burglary | | | | · The number of youths charged with drug |
| · Auto theft | | | | crimes has increased in the past ten years. |
| · DUI | | | | · Fourteen percent of juvenile offenders can |
| · Drug offenses | | | | be classified as chronic offenders. |
| · Trespassing | | | | A criminal record negatively impacts the life of a child |
| · Vandalism | | | | in many ways including employment, social relationships, |
| · Underage alcohol consumption | | | | college applications, and college loans. An experienced |
| · Property crimes | | | | juvenile criminal defense attorney will work to lessen |
| The typical juvenile offender is male, between the | | | | the consequences that can limit your child's future |
| ages of 15 and 17. In some states, such as Florida, | | | | choices. |
| juvenile crime in getting worse. Over the last ten years, | | | | |