NCJ Number
197474
Date Published
October 1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This is a report describing the type and frequency of crime committed in West Virginia by juveniles in an 8-year period, 1990 to 1997, and includes trends in age at arrest, offense type, and the distribution of arrests by county.
Abstract
The information in this report was compiled from Uniform Crime Reports (UCRs) as published annually by the West Virginia State Police. Statewide statistics on numbers of juvenile arrests by age and juvenile arrests by offense are included. National statistics contained here were taken from a compilation of crime statistics collected by the FBI from State UCRs. Statewide statistics are provided showing the total census count of juveniles by county and corresponding arrest rates by county in 1997. Marijuana, cocaine, and DUI arrests of juveniles are illustrated by graph for the period of 1990 to 1997, and a chart of the highest arrest counties in 1996 and 1997 is provided. A map is given showing the total number of arrests of juveniles, ages 17 or younger, for each county in West Virginia. In summary, it is noted that the total number of juvenile arrests in West Virginia increased at an average rate of 3 percent each year from 1990 to 1997. The greatest increase during that period was a more than 350 percent rise in juvenile drug arrests, with a 22 percent increase in violent crime arrests. However, when compared to national totals, juvenile crime was relatively low in West Virginia.