JUVENILE ARRESTS DROP BY ALMOST HALF OVER 10-YEAR PERIOD
Youth involved in the juvenile justice system are more likely to face violent felony charges later in life.[1] In recent decades, the number of juvenile arrests has been declining as law enforcement increasingly works to address youth delinquency without a formal arrest, instead opting for diversion strategies such as behavior management, conflict resolution, bullying prevention, after-school recreation, mentoring, and partnering with school organizations. This indicator tracks juvenile arrest rates, including misdemeanor as well as felony crimes.
TREND
Between 2014 and 2023, the number of juvenile arrests declined 48% from 6,360 to 3,338, respectively. In 2023, 57% of juvenile arrests were for misdemeanor offenses.
JUVENILE CRIME REMAINS RELATIVELY STABLE
Juvenile Arrests in San Bernardino County, 2014-2023
RACE/ETHINICITY DETAIL
A majority of juvenile arrests (57%) involve teens identified as Latino and another 27% are of teens identified as Black. In the accompanying chart, the distribution of the San Bernardino County youth population by race and ethnicity is provided for context.
JUVENILE ARRESTS BY RACE/ETHNICITY GENERALLY MISALIGNED WITH THE UNDERLYING POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of Juvenile Arrests and Youth Population (Ages 12-17 Years) by Race/Ethnicity in San Bernardino County, 2023
[1] Copeland, W., Tong, G., Gifford, E., Easter, M., Shanahan, L., Swartz, M., & Swanson, J. (2022). Adult criminal outcomes of juvenile justice involvement. Psychological Medicine, 1-8.
Note: A felony charge is any crime where someone can be sentenced for more than one year.