By now we have all heard the statistics regarding the dramatic rise in juvenile violent crime over the past decade. We also know how violent teenage criminals can be. Think about that. More murders by high school age kids than adults of any other age. The sad truth is that in too many states and communities the juvenile justice system has failed miserably.
Many juvenile offenders receive no punishment at all.
Nearly 40 percent of violent juvenile offenders who come into contact with the justice system have their cases dismissed. By the time the courts finally lock up an older teenager on a violent crime charge, the offender often has a long rap sheet with arrests starting in the early teens. 43 percent of juveniles in state institutions had more than five prior arrests, and 20 percent had been arrested more than 10 times. It's hard to believe, but the average length of institutionalization for a juvenile who has committed a violent crime is only 353 days. In so doing, the system actually invites disdain for the law by those who encounter it.