Introduction
The trends in youth crime are often at the center of the news, and reporters use the topic of juvenile delinquency to analyze the overall condition of society. In a recent article, “Research Reveals Recent Spike in Juvenile Crime Trends, despite 10 Year Decrease,” Hager and Dickstein (2023) discuss the potential increase in juvenile crime rates in Maryland. Hager and Dickstein (2023) cite research and state that although crime among youth has been decreasing in the last ten years, the last two years have seen an increase in gun violence.
Young people are more likely to become victims of shootings and be responsible for them (Hager & Dickstein, 2023). For instance, the paper discusses a mass shooting in Brooklyn Homes that resulted in 30 victims and a “deadly squeegee encounter” that involved a man being pursued and shot due to a conflict with a group of young people (Hager & Dickstein, 2023, para. 8). Overall, it appears that the number of gun-related incidents has been on the rise.
Key Insights from Hager & Dickstein’s Article
The article briefly addresses the potential reasons behind these changes. The increase in homicides and mass shootings is connected to the availability of firearms and declining socioeconomic conditions, especially in urban areas. The writers note that juveniles are still much less likely to commit these crimes than adults, but admit that the trends are troubling (Hager & Dickstein, 2023). More teenagers carry guns or have access to their parents’ firearms, and conflict situations arise due to the lack of trust among young people on the street.
This publication fits into the material discussed in Chapter 2 of the textbook. According to Siegel and Welsh (2018), trends in juvenile crime have been declining over the last few decades. For instance, the number of arrests has decreased by approximately 50 percent since 2005 (Siegel & Welsh, 2018). Furthermore, teenagers are not arrested for violent crimes as often as for drug abuse, driving under the influence, and similar minor offenses.
However, it is noted that while adults commit about 90% of all crimes, they are also a bigger segment of the population (Siegel & Welsh, 2018). This fact implies that teenagers’ rates of offenses remain disproportionately high. The article represents this problem well and demonstrates that the relationship between adult and juvenile crime exists.
Another type of information that is highlighted in both sources is the underlying reasons why young people become juvenile delinquents. Siegel and Welsh (2018) argue that the presence of guns at home or their availability at stores and illegal markets makes it easy for teenagers to carry a firearm. The writers also cite statistics to support this argument – “between 6 and 10 percent carry guns at least some of the time” (Siegel & Welsh, 2018, p. 53).
When having a firearm with them, young individuals are more likely to escalate any conflict and turn a dispute into a crime scene. The authors also add that the proliferation of gangs in some areas further exacerbates this problem, as gang members are more likely to possess dangerous weapons. Overall, criminal activity among youth is strongly related to their ability to access firearms.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the chosen news article highlights the latest trends in juvenile delinquency in Maryland. The numbers and incidents the journalists discuss align with the overall rates considered in contemporary research. However, the news also demonstrates a dangerous increase in firearm-related crimes, where young people become both victims and perpetrators. The reasons behind these events are connected to economic and social problems, gang violence, and gun accessibility. The youth can easily purchase, steal, and carry guns with them, increasing the risk of violent crime.
References
Hager, J., & Dickstein, R. (2023). Research reveals recent spike in juvenile crime trends, despite 10 year decrease. WMAR 2 News.
Siegel, L. J., & Welsh, B. C. (2018). Juvenile delinquency: Theory, practice, and law (13th ed.). Cengage Learning.