In 2021, there were about 123,000 serious violent crimes committed by youths between the ages of 12 and 17 in the United States, an increase from the year before. However, this is still a significant decrease from 1994 levels, when violent crimes committed by youths hit a peak at over 1.05 million serious crimes.
Youth and crime
According to the most recent data, criminal youths in the United States continue to participate in violent crimes each year. In 2022, there were over 1,000 murder offenders between the ages of 13 and 16 in the United States. Studies have also shown that crimes are reported against children at U.S. schools, with students aged between 12 and 14 years found more likely to be victims of violent crime and theft. However, the number of adolescent violent crime victims in the U.S. far surpasses the number of adolescent perpetrators. The number of adolescent victims has also declined significantly since the early 1990s, following the national downward trend of violent crime.
Overall downward trends
There is not only a downward trend in the number of violent crimes committed by youths, but also in the share of crimes involving youths. On a national level, the crime rate has also decreased in almost every state, showing that the country is becoming safer as a whole.
Number of serious violent crimes committed by youth aged between 12 and 17 years in the U.S. from 1980 to 2021
(in 1,000s)
* 2016 figures not included by the source as, due to a sample increase and redesign in 2016, victimization estimates, 2016 values are not comparable to other years.
** Homicide data were not available for 2017, with the number of homicides for 2016 being included in the overall total for 2017.
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ChildStats.gov. (September 28, 2023). Number of serious violent crimes committed by youth aged between 12 and 17 years in the U.S. from 1980 to 2021 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 01, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/477466/number-of-serious-violent-crimes-by-youth-in-the-us/
ChildStats.gov. "Number of serious violent crimes committed by youth aged between 12 and 17 years in the U.S. from 1980 to 2021 (in 1,000s) ." Chart. September 28, 2023. Statista. Accessed September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/477466/number-of-serious-violent-crimes-by-youth-in-the-us/
ChildStats.gov. (2023). Number of serious violent crimes committed by youth aged between 12 and 17 years in the U.S. from 1980 to 2021 (in 1,000s) . Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/477466/number-of-serious-violent-crimes-by-youth-in-the-us/
ChildStats.gov. "Number of Serious Violent Crimes Committed by Youth Aged between 12 and 17 Years in The U.S. from 1980 to 2021 (in 1,000s) ." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Sep 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/477466/number-of-serious-violent-crimes-by-youth-in-the-us/
ChildStats.gov, Number of serious violent crimes committed by youth aged between 12 and 17 years in the U.S. from 1980 to 2021 (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/477466/number-of-serious-violent-crimes-by-youth-in-the-us/ (last visited September 01, 2024)
Number of serious violent crimes committed by youth aged between 12 and 17 years in the U.S. from 1980 to 2021 (in 1,000s) [Graph], ChildStats.gov, September 28, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/477466/number-of-serious-violent-crimes-by-youth-in-the-us/