NCJ Number
139795
Date Published
1991
Length
2 pages
Annotation
To determine the incidence of adolescent arrests and the relation between the seriousness and frequency of delinquent activity and the probability of arrest, self- reported delinquency and arrest data were obtained from the adolescent subsample of the Denver Youth Survey.
Abstract
Youth aged 11, 13, and 15 in 1987 were classified as nondelinquents, low-level (moderate) delinquents, and high- level delinquents. The probability of arrest increased with increasing levels of delinquency. Four percent of youth who reported no delinquency involvement reported being arrested, and 10 percent of low-level offenders reported arrests. Of moderate and high-level offenders, 27 and 25 percent, respectively, reported arrests. High-level offenders were more likely to have two or more arrests than were the other groups. Of those with two or more arrests, 88 percent were from moderate or high-level delinquency groups. Although the probability of arrest increased with increasing levels of offense seriousness and frequency, most moderate and high- level offenders reported no arrests. Also, within the group of arrestees, almost half were low-level or nondelinquents. There was a significant difference in arrest rates for boys and girls, even when controlling for level of delinquency involvement. 1 table