CINNCINATI, Ohio (PNN) - December 20, 2011 - Almost one in three Amerikan teenagers and young adults have been arrested by the age of 23 for anything from drug use to violent crime.
Experts believe the increase is not necessarily because of more criminal activity - but more of a pig thug cop approach to arresting young people.
Researchers were left surprised by the arrest figure - which has risen to 30%, compared to the last available figure of 22% in 1965.
“It was certainly higher than we expected based on what we saw in the 1960s, but it wasn't dramatically higher,” said Dr. Robert Brame of the University of North Carolina. He and his colleagues analyzed data from a national youth survey conducted between 1997 and 2008.
They believe the increase might not necessarily be down to more criminal behavior in youth; at age 12, less than 1% had been arrested.
Many pig thug cops who find intoxicated youth now make an arrest “nine times out of 10”, according to research conducted by Dr. John P. Wright of the University of Cinbcinnati.
“We have to question if arrest is an appropriate intervention in all circumstances, or if we need to rethink some of the policies," said Wright.
The researchers looked at the annual survey that followed adolescents aged 12 to 16 in its first year, and onwards to the age of 23.
The researchers said it seems that the criminal justice system has taken to arresting both the young and old more than it did in the past.
In days gone by, fines and citations might have been deemed acceptable. Now many will find their employment prospects damaged by an arrest on their record - even for a minor offense.
