Fig. 4-2-2-1 shows the trend in the number of juvenile offenders aged 14-19 newly received by public prosecutors offices (excluding those received for professional negligence in traffic accidents and road traffic violations) in the last 10 years, by age group. For all age groups, the number showed a downward trend until 1995, and an upward trend thereafter until 1998. Then, it showed a downward trend until 2000. In 2001, however, it showed an upward trend again for all age groups. In 2002, the number for intermediate juveniles and senior juveniles increased from the previous year by 4.8% and by 10.3% respectively, while the number for junior juveniles decreased by 1.9%, showing different trends according to the age group.

Fig. 4-2-2-1 Trends in the number of juvenile offenders newly received by public prosecutors offices, by age group (1993-2002)

Fig. 4-2-2-2 Percent distribution of the number of juvenile offenders newly received by public prosecutors offices for major offenses, by type of offense and age group (2002)

   Fig. 4-2-2-2 shows the percent distribution of the number of juvenile offenders aged 14-19 newly received by public prosecutors offices for major offenses in 2002, by type of offense and age group (see Appendix 4-7 ). Regarding homicide, rape/indecent assault, professional negligence in traffic accidents, road traffic violations, and Stimulant Drug Control Law violations, senior juveniles had the highest percentage; as for robbery, bodily injury, extortion, and larceny, intermediate juveniles had the highest; and regarding arson, junior juveniles had the highest. Also, comparing 2002 with the previous year, there is a 3.5 point increase (80 persons) for intermediate juveniles regarding robbery, and a 5.0 point increase (6 persons) for junior juveniles regarding arson. As for homicide, the numbers for senior juveniles and intermediate juveniles decreased, and thus the total number decreased by 20.7% (24 persons) from the previous year.
  A public prosecutor attaches his or her opinion about the treatment of a juvenile when the public prosecutor refers the juvenile case to a family court. Appendix 4-8 shows the percent distribution of opinions attached by the public prosecutors regarding appropriate measures such as criminal disposition, commitment to juvenile training school, or probation for juveniles finally disposed by the family courts in 2002 for a penal code offence or special law offense, excluding professional negligence in traffic accidents and road traffic violations.
   Table 4-2-2-3 shows the disposal situation at public prosecutors offices for juvenile cases that were transferred to the public prosecutors by the family courts in 2002. The rate of those who were brought to trial out of prosecuted juveniles (7,036 persons) in 2002 was 7.0% in total (60.0% for penal code offenses, and 1.9% for special law offenses), up 0.4 points in total (3.0 points for penal code offenses, and 0.2 points for special law offenses) from the previous year.

Table 4-2-2-3 Number of juveniles referred to and disposed by public prosecutors offices, by type of offense (2002)