This bulletin details trends in juvenile arrest statistics from 1980 to 2018.
This bulletin describes the latest trends in arrests involving juveniles (youth younger than age 18) from 1980 to 2018, based on analyses of data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Overall, juvenile arrests have been on the decline for more than a decade; however, patterns varied by demographic group and offense. Among violent crimes, juvenile arrests for aggravated assault declined 8 percent between 2014 and 2018, while arrests for robbery decreased 11 percent and arrests for murder increased 21 percent. Among property crimes, juvenile arrests for burglary, larceny-theft, and arson reached historic lows in 2018, while arrests for motor vehicle theft increased in each year since 2013. Relative declines in arrests have been greater for boys than for girls across many offenses.