Known juvenile homicide offenders by race, 1980-2010

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Working for Youth Justice and Safety

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Homicide

Q:	How does juvenile homicide offending vary by race?
A:	The number known juvenile murder offenders in 2010 was about one-third the number in 1994 for white and black youth.

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The number of known juvenile homicide offenders peaked in 1993 for black youth and one year later for white youth. Between 1984 and their respective peaks, the number of known white juvenile murder offenders doubled and the number of known black offenders quadrupled.
After reaching its 1994 peak, the annual number of known white juvenile homicide offenders declined through 2010, reaching its lowest level of the 31-year period, down 68% from the 1994 peak.
For black youth, the number of known juvenile homicide offenders declined through 2002, then increased more than 60% through 2007, before declining 28% by 2010.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/offenders/qa03101.asp?qaDate=2010. Released on July 31, 2012.

Adapted from Puzzanchera, C. and Kang, W. (2012). Easy Access to the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Reports: 1980-2010. Available on-line at: http://ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezashr/.

Data Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supplementary Homicide Reports for the years 1980–2010 [machine-readable data files]. Washington, D.C.: FBI.