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Juvenile Offenders

& Crime in Erie County An Analysis of 2009 Arrest Data

Amy C. Eisert, Director

Ben Singletary, Graduate Assistant

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Juvenile Offenders & Crime in Erie County An Analysis of 2009 Arrest Data

I. Summary of 2009 Juvenile Arrest Data

In 2009, there were 9,631 arrests in Erie County. Of those arrests 1827 (19%) were juveniles (see

Figure 1). The number of juvenile arrests in 2009 was down from the number in 2008, and continued the

trend over the last three years of continual decreases, leading to the lowest number of juvenile arrests

over the past 20 years (see Figure 2). Of all juvenile arrests in Erie County, 29% were in Erie City.

Figure 1: Juvenile versus Adult Arrests; Erie County, 2009

Source: Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Report Online Query System

Figure 2: Total Juvenile Arrests for Erie County; Over Time


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Although the overall number of juvenile arrests has dropped since 2006, arrests for index offenses

(murder, manslaughter, rape, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and

arson) have fallen every year since 2003, with the exception of a 3% rise in 2007 (see figure 3). This

led to the 2009 19-year low of just 482 arrests. Of all juvenile arrests in Erie County, more than 74%

were for less serious, non-index offenses, consisting primarily of disorderly conduct, liquor law

violations, and minor assaults. The relative number of juvenile arrests has fallen in every category in

2009: in 2007, juveniles accounted for 28% of arrests for violent offenses (down from 34% in 2007),

28% of property offenses (down from 32% in 2007), and 17% of all non-index offenses (down from

18% in 2007) (see Figure 4).

Figure 3: Total Juvenile Arrests for Crime Index Offenses; Erie County, Over Time


Figure 4.: Juvenile versus Adult Arrests by Offense Type: Erie County, 2009


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II. Erie County versus Peer Counties & Pennsylvania

Overall, Erie County’s juvenile arrest rates have trended similarly to the state rates since 2005, when

Erie County’s rate dipped below that of Pennsylvania. Compared to 2008 figures, the 2009 Erie

County’s rate dropped by 14%, compared to 12% for Pennsylvania in the same time span (see Figure 5).

Figure 5: Juvenile Arrest Rates per 1,000 population, Erie County and Pennsylvania; Over Time


In comparison to other urban third class counties, Erie County stands the fifth highest county for

juvenile arrest rates in 2009. While Erie County has trended downward since 2006, only Berks and

Luzerne Counties experienced greater one-year drops in juvenile arrest rates among peer urban third

class counties. Dauphin County maintains the highest juvenile arrest rate for urban third class counties

(see Figure 6).

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Figure 6: Juvenile Arrests per 1,000 Population, Comparative Third Class Counties; Over Time


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III. Arrests by Offender

Age Arrests in every juvenile age group dropped in 2009 throughout Erie County, with the exception of 17-

year old juveniles. This age group has been the most highly arrested age group with the exception of

2007. The most notable decrease occurred in the 13-14 year old group (Figure 7).

Figure 7: Juvenile Arrests by Age, Erie County; Over Time


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Gender Females accounted for 29% of all juvenile arrests in 2009 in Erie County (see Figure 8). Both female

and male juvenile arrests decreased in 2009 (see Figure 9). However, this decrease was more significant

among females (16%), than males (13%).

Figure 8: Juvenile Arrests by Gender, Erie County; 2009


Figure 9: Juvenile Arrests, Erie County; Over Time


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Juvenile arrests for males decreased 15% for non-index offenses and 29% for violent crimes, while

property crime arrests for males increased by 3% (see Figure 10). Juvenile arrests for females decreased

20% for non-index offenses and increased 8% for property crimes. Arrests for violent offenses fell 64%

(see Figure 11). Juvenile female arrests for violent offenses included two robbery arrests and six arrests

for aggravated assaults.

Figure 10: Juvenile Arrests by Offense Type – Males, Erie County; Over Time


Figure 11: Juvenile Arrests by Offense Type – Females, Erie County; Over Time


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In 2009, there were eight juvenile female arrests for violent crimes, of which six were aggravated

assault. All of these arrests occurred in the 15 and 16 year old group (see Figure 12).

Figure 12: Juvenile Aggravated Assault Arrests – Females by Age, Erie County; 2009


Race

According to the US Census American Fact Finder estimates, white juveniles between 10 and 17 years

of age comprise 85% of the population of youth between 10 and 17 years of age in Erie County. White

juveniles accounted for 75% of juvenile arrests in 2009 (see Figure 13). Black juveniles between the

ages of 10 and 17 comprise 9% of that population in Erie County and account for 25% of juvenile

arrests in 2009. Black youth arrests in Erie County have historically, and continue to be in higher

proportion to their general population.

Figure 13: Juvenile Arrests by Race, Erie County; Over Time


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IV. Arrests by Offense Type

Crime Index Offenses Figure 14 graphically depicts juvenile index crime arrests by race for Erie County. Index crimes include

forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny – theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Index crime arrests involving white juveniles have dropped 46% from 2002 to 2009. It is also

noteworthy that white youth comprise 85% of the youth population between the ages of 10 and 17, but

only account for approximately 69% of index crime arrests. On the other hand black youth account for

only 9% of the population aged 10 to 17 in Erie County but account for approximately 31% of the

juvenile index crime arrests (see Figure 14).

Figure 14: Juvenile Index Arrests – by Race, Erie County; Over Time


Figure 15 illustrates the number of juvenile arrests for violent offenses committed in Erie County from

2002 to 2009. Violent crime arrests include those for murder, manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and

aggravated assault. Overall, the number of arrests of white juveniles for violent crimes has decreased by

76% from 2002 to 2009. However, between 2005 and 2006, there was an increase of 65% in the number

of violent crime arrests of white juveniles, with a decrease of only one in 2007. The number of arrests

for violent crimes committed by black juveniles has decreased by 81% from 2002 to 2009, but has fallen

86% from its high in 2007.

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Figure 15: Juvenile Violent Crime Arrests – by Race, Erie County; Over Time


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Figure 16 graphically displays juvenile arrests for violent offenses by race. Overall, aggravated assault

arrests for white juveniles decreased by 72% from 2002 to 2009. On the other hand, aggravated assault

arrests for black juveniles in Erie County increased by 19%. With consideration for the crime of

robbery, arrests of white juveniles reached its lowest point over the eight year period with just five.

Arrests of black juveniles for robbery increased by 15% from 2002 to 2009, but the number increased by

44% from 2008. There was a 122% increase between 2003 and 2004. Forcible rape arrests for both

white and black juveniles have declined between 2002 and 2009, more significantly among black

juveniles.

Figure 16: Juvenile Violent Crime Arrests – by Offense and Race, Erie County: Over Time


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As Figure 17 illustrates, the number of juvenile arrests for aggravated assault in 2009 fell by 93%.

However, the number of juvenile arrests for robbery, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft all increased

slightly. Most notable among these is the number of arrests for arson, of which there were none in 2009,

following an eight-year high of eight.

Figure 17: Juvenile Index Arrests by Offense, Erie City; Over Time


Juvenile arrests for index offenses in Erie City illustrated a mostly stable trend in 2009. The number of

juvenile arrests for two of the most pervasive crimes (larceny-theft and aggravated assault) were all

stable from 2008. However, the number of juvenile related burglary arrests increased by 124% from 25

in 2008 to 56 in 2009 (see Figure 18).

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Figure 18: Juvenile Index Arrests by Offense, Erie County minus City; Over Time


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When comparing Erie City to Erie County in 2009, 96% of robberies were in Erie City. Conversely,

arrests for aggravated assaults occurred almost entirely in Erie County outside of Erie City. Also, 81%

of all larceny – thefts were committed in the county minus the city (see Figure 19).

Figure 19: Juvenile Index Arrests by Offense Type, Erie City/County minus City Comparison; 2009


Figure 20 illustrates the difference between violent index offenses (murder, manslaughter, forcible rape,

robbery, and aggravated assault) and property index offenses (burglary, larceny – theft, motor vehicle

theft, and arson). The total number of violent crime arrests has fallen consistently since 2007, to a nine-

year low; the number of property crimes has risen slightly since 2008. It is important to note that index

property crime arrests still drive the overall index crime arrest tendencies

Figure 20: Juvenile Index Arrests – Violent and Property, Erie County; Over Time


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Violent Offenses

Juvenile arrests for violent crime (murder, manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault)

decreased for the second consecutive year, from 107 in 2008 to 61 in 2009, a drop of 43%. Overall,

juvenile arrests for violent crimes have decreased consistently from a peak of 231 in 1999. The total

number of juvenile arrests has decreased by 74% when compared to the peak number of arrests (see

Figure 21).

Figure 21: Juvenile Violent Crime Arrests, Erie County; Over Time


There were no murder or manslaughter arrests in 2009. Arrests in all other categories decreased as well,

with the largest decrease (57%) occurring among arrests for aggravated assault (see Figure 22).

Figure 22: Juvenile Violent Crime Arrests – by Offense, Erie County; Over Time


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Property Offenses Juvenile arrests for property offenses accounted for 456 (21%) of all juvenile arrests in Erie County in

2007. Juvenile arrests for larceny-theft increased by only three, following a 34% decrease in 2005.

Juvenile arrests for burglary increased by 13% in 2007, continuing an upward trend from 2005.

Although there was a substantial increase in the percent, the number of burglary arrests was still lower

than its 2003 peak. Juvenile arrests for motor vehicle theft decreased slightly and there were no arrests

for arson (see Figure 23).

Figure 23: Juvenile Property Crime Arrests, Erie County; Over Time


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Drug Arrests Arrests for drug offenses (drug sales, possession, and manufacturing) after rising steadily from 1990 to

2004, have decreased consistently since 2007. As illustrated in Figure 24, statewide juvenile arrests for

drug offenses have decreased over a longer period, when compared to the Erie County data (illustrated

in Figure 25). After dropping 16% in 2005, statewide juvenile drug arrests increased to its highest point

since 2003, before falling again. Locally, juvenile drug arrests trends are more inconsistent. Over the

17-year period charted, Erie County juvenile drug arrests have dropped following a significant rise

beginning in 2005. More recently, juvenile drug arrests in Erie County reached their lowest point since

1994, and since the high point in 2000, drug arrests in Erie County are down by approximately 62% (see

figure 25).

Figure 24: Juvenile Drug Arrests, Pennsylvania; Over Time


Figure 25: Juvenile Drug Arrests, Erie County; Over Time


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References

Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Report Online Query System.

Retrieved May 21, 2010 from: http://ucr.psp.state.pa.us/UCR/ComMenuUI.asp

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-

ds_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_&-mt_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G2000_B01001B&-

mt_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G2000_B01001A&-mt_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G2000_B01001&-

CONTEXT=dt&-tree_id=3308&-geo_id=05000US42049&-search_results=01000US&-format=&-

_lang=en

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