Known juvenile homicide offenders by age, 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 age?
A:	Homicide offending increases with the age of the juvenile offender; in 2010, about 9% of known juvenile homicide offenders were under age 15, while 76% were ages 16 or 17.

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Trends in the number of known juvenile homicide offenders followed a similar pattern for all age groups: the number of known juvenile homicide offenders increased for all age groups between 1984 and 1994 and then declined between 1994 and 2003. However, older juveniles, those ages 16 and 17, accounted for the largest share of both the increase and the decline (about 70%).
Overall, the number of known juvenile homicide offenders increased in each year between 2003 and 2006, before declining through 2010. For all age groups, the number of known juvenile homicide offenders in 2010 was at or near the lowest level of the 31-year period.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/offenders/qa03104.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.