Information About Children Who Commit Violent Crimes
Information about children who commit violent crimes is often sought by prosecutors, defense attorneys, teachers, law enforcement personnel and many others who search for answers as to why and how a person so young could be responsible for such a violent action. Learning more about the risk factors, characteristics and motivations for these children might help to identify potential juvenile violent offenders before they commit a crime.
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Defining A VIolent Crime
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Violent crimes include murder and homicide, as well as rape, non-negligible manslaughter, robbery and aggravated assault. Juveniles who are charged with these crimes might be tried as adults, depending on the type of crime, the age of the offender, the laws in the state where the crime occurred, and other factors.
Characteristics Of Violent Children
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Most, but not all children who go on to commit violent crimes share the following characteristics: Narcissism, (a feeling that you are special and superior to everyone else and that other people have no rights), a history of animal cruelty and cruelty to other children, social isolation, repeated defiance of authority and a history of minor juvenile offenses, and unhealthy obsessions with death, violence and starting fires.
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Risk Factors
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Children who come from abusive homes, children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and children with access to guns and other weapons are more likely to commit a violent crime. It is important to point out, however, that not all children who fall into one or more of these categories will become violent offenders, and that sometimes the children of affluent, involved and attentive parents commit violent crimes. Other risk factors to consider are the presence of mental illnesses, such as manic-depressive disorder, schizophrenia and sociopathic tendencies.
Statistics
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According to the U.S. Department of Justice, approximately 10 percent of the murders that occurred in the United States in 2006 were committed by juvenile offenders. The Department of Justice also reports that the older the juvenile, the more likely he is to commit a violent crime; juveniles aged 16-17 are most likely to commit a violent crime. While the number of male juvenile violent offenders continues to outnumber that of female juvenile offenders, the number of female juvenile offenders is on the rise.
Considerations
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Children who commit violent crimes do so for varying reasons. While it is sometimes impossible to know for certain the motivations behind the crime, it is important to examine all factors involved and to keep the fact that children who commit these types of crimes often do so as part of a cry for help, due to a history of abuse and neglect.
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References
- Photo Credit manette image by Giuseppe Porzani from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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The meth/drug dealing, derelict, welfare abusive lazy men and women would rather spend their money on tattoos, drugs and booze than their family and you and I pay for this...drug test them all and if they pass great, if they don't zero $$$ and they HAVE to WORK...
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Kids are just that kids. Unfortunately, society places children in positions in which they have no other positive role model to look up to but the drug dealers who have lots of money and fancy clothes as their heroes. Additionally, these same children are NOT the ones whi initiated the act but are actually the scapegoat for the real bad guys, and find themselves locked away with life sentences or 20+ year sentences at very young ages. I say do something positive with them. While their crimes can eb quite hurtful, their lives deserve not to be taken away from a mistake made as a juvenile. They are our future, what better a kid that we worked with or a prisoner released after 20+ years? I'll take the kid that we helped out fo a dark place...after all they ARE our futures!
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@[6804424:2048:Mindy Pickett] says Lock 'em up!
