This topic describes felony arrests among children under age 18. Felonies include violent offenses (assault, homicide, kidnapping, rape, and robbery), property offenses (such as arson, burglary, forgery, and theft), drug and alcohol offenses, sex offenses, and others (such as driving under the influence, hit-and-run, and weapons offenses). Indicators on kidsdata.org include:

• The rate of felony arrest per 1,000 juveniles ages 10-17 overall, by gender, and by race/ethnicity
• The number of felony arrests among youth ages 17 and younger overall, and the number and percentage of felony arrests by gender, by race/ethnicity, and by type of offense

Most young people who are arrested are not ultimately convicted of a crime, but those who are detained or incarcerated are at increased risk for a number of negative outcomes that can have long-term consequences, such as mental health problems, dropping out of school, difficulty with employment, and re-arrest (1, 2, 3). Research suggests that any length of youth incarceration is independently associated with a higher likelihood of poor physical and mental health in adulthood (3).

Many youth enter the juvenile justice system with existing psychological or physical health problems: For example, nearly half (46%) of newly detained youth have urgent health care needs and 70% of incarcerated youth have at least one mental health disorder (3). Further, the vast majority of these young people have experienced some form of trauma during childhood, and system involvement can re-traumatize them, creating further challenges for healing and healthy development (2, 4, 5).

Juvenile justice system involvement is not experienced equally across groups. Youth of color are consistently over-represented at every stage, from arrest to incarceration, and disparate treatment of children of color compared with their white counterparts has been documented widely (1, 2, 4). LGBTQ youth also are disproportionately represented in the justice system (2). These inequities not only affect individuals but also the families and communities around them. Communities with high levels of youth incarceration typically also have higher rates of poverty and inadequate housing, health care, and other resources (5, 6). Closing these gaps will require continued multisector efforts to achieve equitable treatment and opportunities for all young people, as well as a new focus on providing hope and support to meet their needs (5, 6).

Between 1980 and 2020, the felony arrest rate among California juveniles ages 10-17 declined by more than 90%, from 31.9 arrests per 1,000 youth to 2.7 per 1,000. Over the same period, a drop of more than two-thirds was recorded in every county with data. Still, juvenile felony arrest rates vary widely at the county level, from 1.1 arrests per 1,000 juveniles to 5.3 per 1,000 in 2020. African American/black youth are arrested for felonies at higher rates than their peers in other groups: Statewide, the rate of felony arrest among African American/black juveniles ages 10-17 in 2020 (13.5 per 1,000) was almost five times the rate for Hispanic/Latino juveniles (2.8 per 1,000) and nearly ten times the rate for white juveniles (1.4 per 1,000). In 2020, African American/black and Hispanic/Latino youth accounted for 80% of all felony arrests involving juveniles under age 18 in California.

Violent offenses (assault, homicide, kidnapping, rape, and robbery) were the most common type of felony for which California youth were arrested in 2020, at 42%, followed by property offenses (e.g., arson, burglary, forgery, theft) at 26%, and drug/alcohol and sex offenses at 3% each; all other offenses (including driving under the influence, hit-and-run, and weapons violations) made up the remaining 27%. Statewide, boys account for the vast majority of felony arrests among youth under age 18—83% in 2020.

The juvenile justice system (JJS) is intended to protect public safety, hold youth offenders accountable in developmentally appropriate ways, and promote positive behavior and rehabilitation. Policymakers and leaders from multiple sectors (e.g., justice, education, social services, health care, and mental health) can play a role in improving the way society responds to youth behavioral problems and juvenile crime. The process for adjudicating youth offenders often does not have the intended effect on crime control, and it does not consistently take into account relative public safety risks or circumstances of the individual (1, 2). Further, young people who are detained or incarcerated are at increased risk for a range of negative long-term outcomes (2, 3).

State and national reforms in recent decades have overhauled the JJS, and increasing emphasis is being placed on keeping youth out of the system, recognizing the harmful and often traumatizing effects of incarceration (1, 4, 5). While juvenile arrests have declined statewide and nationally, rates of re-arrest are high and racial disparities remain, with youth of color experiencing persistent inequities and poorer outcomes compared with their white peers (1, 2, 4).

Policy and practice options that could improve the JJS, reduce youth contact with the system, and promote youth success include:

• Supporting ongoing efforts to transform the JJS so that resources are focused on (i) youth who pose risks to public safety, (ii) effective strategies for reducing recidivism, and (iii) holding justice agencies accountable for improved outcomes for youth in the system, particularly youth of color (1, 5, 6)
• Institutionalizing evidence-based juvenile justice practices grounded in an understanding of adolescent development and designed to address trauma and facilitate resilience and healing; these should include trauma screening and treatment as well as efforts to prevent further trauma (6)
• Improving systems of care to address the mental health needs of youth involved in the JJS, including culturally appropriate services at every point of contact; also, promoting a health equity focus that considers the family, community, and systems context of an individual (2, 3)
• Continuing to reform the juvenile probation system so that it effectively promotes positive behavior and long-term success for youth; efforts should engage families and communities and strengthen positive youth relationships with adults and peers (1, 7)
• Maintaining and expanding investments in a continuum of community-based services that prevent and respond to illegal behavior while keeping youth out of the JJS, as communities with high youth incarceration rates also tend to have inadequate resources and opportunities to promote healthy youth development (1, 5)
• Implementing equitable, non-punitive school discipline policies, recognizing that youth of color are disproportionately removed from school and that students not in school are more likely to be arrested (2)
• Reassessing the way criminal laws are enforced at the local level with the aim of addressing disparate treatment of vulnerable groups, such as youth of color and LGBTQ youth; also examining the underlying structural and cultural reasons for such treatment (2, 4)