I call them 'idiots' and keep going. I make sure I don't do what they did. Youth arrests for some crimes, such as driving under the influence, fraud, and embezzlement, are up. And criminologists note the rate of killing by teens is twice as high today as it was 15 years ago. A heavy toll.
Theories abound about why crime has fallen for the past seven years.
Politicos and cops point to aggressive policing and longer prison sentences. Others cite the booming economy. Another explanation is that today's teenagers have learned crime leads nowhere by watching older relatives and friends in trouble. My mom cried all the time. It tore my family apart.