Florida Juvenile Arrests Down to 40-Year Low, State Says

TALLAHASSEE, FL — The number of kids running afoul of the law is down to a 40-year low across the state of Florida. That’s according to data released by the Department of Juvenile Justice, which indicates the number of arrests in the 2015-16 fiscal year dropped by 7 percent statewide.

The drop in arrests over the past fiscal year continues a trend that has resulted in an overall drop of 37 percent over the past six years, Gov. Rick Scott’s office reported.

“The continued decline in juvenile arrests in Florida is a reflection of our commitment to keeping our communities safe and having the best juvenile justice system in the country,” Scott said in a statement Monday. “We will continue to support effective programs and services by making important investments in DJJ so Florida remains a safe state for all families and visitors.”

Over the past five years, the state has witnessed declines in several specific offenses. They are:

• Aggravated assault and aggravated battery – 4 percent decline
• Weapon/firearms arrests – 8 percent decline
• Felony drug offenses – 12 percent decline

There was a 15 percent decline last year in overall misdemeanor offenses, the state reported. Over the past year, the numbers have dropped by 40 percent.

Juvenile crime in the state’s major metro areas is also down. Miami-Dade County witnessed the largest drop over the last fiscal year with a 12 percent decrease. Broward County trailed only slightly in second place with an 8 percent decline. Hillsborough County’s juvenile arrest numbers dropped by 2 percent over the last fiscal year, the state reported.

“By keeping our focus on front end prevention and diversion services, DJJ is working hard to provide the right level of treatment for Florida’s youth while always placing a strong emphasis on holding them accountable and ensuring public safety,” Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Christina Daly said. The ultimate goal, she added, is to “keep kids out of the juvenile justice system or from going deeper into the system all together.”

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