Section 5 Juveniles
1 Trends in serious offenses committed by juveniles
Fig. 7-1-5-1 shows the number of juveniles cleared for homicide and robbery by age group in and after 1954.
In recent years the number of juveniles cleared for homicide has remained within the range of 20-40 with senior juveniles and intermediate juveniles, around 10 with junior juveniles, and less than 10 with juvenile offenders under 14. The total number in 2009 was 52 (down 5.5% from the previous year). The number of juveniles cleared for robbery sharply increased from around 1993 across all age groups, except for juvenile offenders under 14, but sharply decreased in 2004 and has since generally continued decreasing. With juvenile offenders under 14, the number has remained within the range of 10-40 from 1987 on. The total number in 2009 was 713 (down 3.0% (id.)). In 2009 many of the robbery cases involved on-the-street robberies (Source: The Community Safety Bureau, National Police Agency).
Examining the number of juvenile offenders aged 14 or older cleared for injury causing death, rape, and arson in and after 1980 revealed that the number for injury causing death and rape peaked in 1998 (at 143 and 455, respectively), but then generally continued to decrease. The number in 2009 was eight (down 13 from the previous year) and 120 (down 7 (id.)), respectively. The number for arson remained within the range of 80-113 in and after 1989, but decreased to 66 in 2008, and was 83 (up 17 (id.)) in 2009 (Source: Criminal Statistics by National Police Agency).
See Subsection 5, Section 1, Chapter 1 for the number of persons cleared for serious offenses by age group over the last 30 years.
Fig. 7-1-5-1 Number of juveniles cleared for homicide/robbery by age group (1954-2009)
