White paper on crime 2011 Part7/Chapter6/Section1/1
The number of juveniles cleared for penal code offenses was on a decreasing trend in recent years, but the rate per population remained at the high level (Fig. 7-2-1-1-1 [1]) and the rate of repeat juvenile delinquents was also on a gradually rising trend (Fig. 7-2-5-1). The current situation of juvenile delinquencies therefore should be cautioned. By type of offense, theft accounted for the largest number, with embezzlement of lost property and injury/assault also being large in number (Table 7-2-1-1-7), and as a new trend in delinquencies, the rate per population of juveniles cleared for fraud rose (Fig. 7-2-1-1-9; a similar trend was also observed with young offenders).
Paying attention to the age of juvenile delinquents indicates that in recent years the increase in number of junior juveniles aged 13 or younger committed to children's self-reliance support facilities, etc. (Fig. 7-2-2-4) and the rise in the proportion of junior juveniles to total juvenile probationers (Fig. 7-2-4-2) were remarkable. In addition, the proportion of juveniles newly admitted to juvenile training schools with a history of protective measures, and those with two or more histories of commitment to a juvenile training school, in particular, rose as the age of the group rose from junior juveniles, intermediate juveniles, and to senior juveniles (Fig. 7-2-3-3).
In consideration of the above, necessity to provide juveniles of a younger age with effective treatment, in cooperation with child welfare institutions, to forestall repeat delinquencies at an early stage should be emphasized.