Juvenile/Young Adult Arrests Drop Across Pennsylvania from 1995 to 1996
September 25, 1997
Juvenile/Young Adult Arrests Drop Across
Pennsylvania from 1995 to 1996
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. --Juvenile crime declined in
Pennsylvania during 1996. The Pennsylvania State
Data Center at Penn State Harrisburg reports crimes
committed by juveniles across the Commonwealth
totaled 26,532 in 1996-- a 4.5 percent decrease from
the previous year.
In addition, the Data Center reports crimes
committed by young adults totaled 24,212 last year, a
decrease of 2 percent from 1995. Almost one third
(30.7 percent) of total crimes reported by the
Pennsylvania State Police in 1996 were committed by
juveniles while slightly more than one quarter (28.1
percent) were committed by young adults.
There were a total of 382,955 crimes reported to
Pennsylvania police departments last year, an average
of 1,046 each day or one every one minute and 23
seconds.
A juvenile is defined as a person under the age
of 18 years while a young adult is under the age of 25
years.
Of these persons, 32.1 percent (37,277) were handled
within the police department and released, 33.5 percent
(38,905) were sent to juvenile court or to a probation
officer, and 33.6 percent (38,974) were referred to
criminal or adult court and charged as adults.
Almost one quarter (24.5 percent) of all those
arrested for violent crimes in 1996 were under the age
of 18 while more than half (54.9 percent) were under 25
years. Juveniles were arrested for one third (33.1
percent) of property crimes committed last year while
almost two thirds (60.3 percent) were under 25 years.
(The table below is a summary of arrests made
pursuant to crimes committed by juveniles and young
adults).
In 1995, 2,041 or 33.6 percent of court
commitments went to persons under the age of 25.
This rate has changed little since 1987. As of
December 31, 1995, 335 persons or 11.3 percent of the
total inmates serving a life sentence were aged 24 or
under. This is a 0.1 percent increase from the previous
year. Lifers in this age group totaled 78 in 1995, an
increase of 15 from the previous year.
The state-sponsored Pennsylvania State Data Center
is the Commonwealth's official source of population and
economic statistics and services. It is based at Penn State
Harrisburg's Institute of State and Regional Affairs.
____________________________________________________
Editors: For more information, contact Lesley Nearman
at the Data Center's State Capital Office, (717)
772-2710, or the Penn State Harrisburg's Public
Information Office, (717) 948- 6029.
Source of Information: U.S. Census Bureau, Pennsylvania
State Police, Pennsylvania
Department of corrections
Accompany Table: Selected Pennsylvania Crime Index Arrest Distribution for Juveniles and Young Adults, 1996
Accompany Chart: Pennsylvania Crime Rates for Juveniles and Young Adults, 1990-1996