by Maria Cramer
New York Times
October 20, 2024

The number of people under 18 accused of major crimes, including murders, robberies and assaults, has increased sharply in New York City in the past seven years, Police Department figures show — a steep trajectory that has alarmed law enforcement officials. …

… Some crime analysts and supporters of the law cautioned against reacting to the striking statistics, noting that the increasing number of young people accused of crimes since 2017 mirrors the overall rate of crime in the city, which experienced a surge of violence during and immediately following the pandemic.

They argued that highlighting youth crime can vilify one segment of the population when the problem is society-wide.

“Minors contribute to the overall crime problem, but not in a way that would justify the overwhelming punitive policy response,” said Jeffrey Butts, research professor and director of the Research and Evaluation Center at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “Is it misleading to concentrate our attention on one subset of the population?”

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