Juvenile Victims of Property Crimes.

Property crime is the most frequent kind of criminal victimization and one with important economic and psychological consequences, although it has not received the same public attention as violent crime in recent years. Property crime victimization rates are much higher for juveniles than for adults, but very little attention has been paid to property crimes against juveniles or the particular features that characterize these crimes. This Bulletin tries to fill this gap by examining the characteristics of property crimes against juveniles. It uses crime information from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) for 1996–97 and the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) for 1997

Prostitution of Juveniles: Patterns From NIBRS.

Examines the prostitution of juveniles by analyzing incidents of this problem that come to the attention of law enforcement. Part of the Crimes Against Children Bulletin Series, this Bulletin draws on data from the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to provide a profile of juvenile prostitution, noting characteristics that distinguish it from its adult counterpart. Although information about the prostitution of juveniles is scarce, the data from NIBRS can be used to help juvenile justice officials and others better identify and respond to the sexual exploitation of youth

Child Pornography: Patterns From NIBRS.

Presents findings from the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). By collecting data on pornography/obscene material offenses from law enforcement jurisdictions, NIBRS enables researchers to draw conclusions about the number, locations, and characteristics of these crimes. NIBRS data suggest that approximately 2,900 crime incidents of pornography with juvenile involvement were known to state and local police in 2000; these offenses most often were committed by a lone adult male offender, occurred in a residence, and did not involve a computer. Currently, NIBRS data represent about 14 percent of the population. As more jurisdictions support uniform reporting of accurate data to NIBRS and as its codes become more refined, NIBRS will become even more useful in identifying and tracking trends in child pornography

Kidnaping of Juveniles: Patterns From NIBRS.

The kidnaping of children has generated a great deal of public concern, not to mention confusion and controversy. These crimes, from the kidnaping of the Lindbergh baby to the abduction and murder of Adam Walsh, have been some of the most notorious and highly publicized news stories of recent history, occupying a central place in the fears and anxieties of parents. Yet, an ongoing debate has raged over how frequently such crimes occur, which children are most at risk, and who the primary offenders are

Characteristics of Crimes Against Juveniles

Until recently, it has been difficult to obtain a national statistical picture of juvenile crime victimization. The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system, which has served as the Nation’s primary source of information about crime since 1929, has never collected information or reported crimes by age of victim, with the exception of homicides. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), the victim self-report survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics for the past 20 years, has collected data only on crimes occurring to persons 12 years of age or older. Consequently, even such a basic fact as the percentage of all violent crimes that are committed against juveniles (youth ages 17 and younger) has been unavailable. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) developing National IncidentBased Reporting System (NIBRS), however, does provide detailed statistical information about juvenile victims of reported crimes. As more jurisdictions begin to participate in NIBRS, the outlines of a national picture of juvenile crime victims are beginning to emerge. Even though NIBRS is far from a comprehensive national data system, the fact that only partial data were available previously makes it particularly useful to see what information about juvenile victims can be gleaned from this system. An analysis of 1997 NIBRS data from jurisdictions in 12 States reveals some key findings

Crimes Against Children by Babysitters.

Presents information on the frequency and nature of crimes committed against children by babysitters. As part of OJJDP\u27s Crimes Against Children Series, the Bulletin draws on the FBI\u27s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to examine victim and offender characteristics, including gender, age, type of injury, and victim-offender relationship. The Bulletin also presents an overview of how NIBRS works to collect a wide range of criminal information for a variety of offenses. The Bulletin concludes by examining the implications of NIBRS data, particularly in regard to the severity of threat posed to children by babysitters

Juveniles Who Commit Sex Offenses Against Minors.

Presents population-based epidemiological information about the characteristics of juvenile offenders who commit sex offenses against minors. The authors analyzed data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and provided topical statistics highlighting the fact that juveniles account for more than one-third (35.6 percent) of this type of offender. Findings may support the development of research-based interventions and policies to reduce sexual assault and child molestation as perpetrated by juvenile offenders

Children\u27s Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Other Family Violence.

Explores in depth the survey results from the National Survey of Children\u27s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV) regarding exposure to family violence among children in the United States, including exposure to intimate partner violence, assaults by parents on siblings of children surveyed, and other assaults involving teen and adult household members. These results confirm that children are exposed to unacceptable rates of violence in the home. The bulletin presents information regarding the types of exposure to family violence, the gender of the perpetrator, the relationship of the child witness to the perpetrator, and youth\u27s reactions to the incident. It also discusses the implications of the survey data for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers and makes policy recommendations, including better screening protocols for exposure to family violence, improved interventions for those exposed, increased coordination of services for adult and child victims of family violence, and more prevention and education programs to reduce family violence. This is the second in a series of bulletins that present findings from NatSCEV, the most comprehensive nationwide survey to date of the incidence and prevalence of children’s exposure to violence across all ages, settings, and timeframes

Polyvictimization: Children\u27s Exposure to Multiple Types of Violence, Crime, and Abuse.

Presents the findings of the National Survey of Children\u27s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV) regarding children\u27s direct exposure to multiple types of violence, crime, and abuse, also known as polyvictimization. Children and youth who are exposed to multiple types of violence are at particularly high risk for lasting physical, mental, and emotional harm, even compared with children who experience repeated exposures to a single type of violence. Among the key findings: 8 percent of all youth in the nationally representative NatSCEV sample had seven or more different kinds of exposures to violence, crime, and abuse in the past year. These youth also had a disproportionate share of the most serious kinds of victimizations, such as sexual victimization and parental maltreatment. Polyvictimization was most likely to start near the beginning of grade school and the beginning of high school and tended to persist over time. It was associated with a cluster of four prior circumstances or pathways: living in a violent family, living in a distressed and chaotic family, living in a violent neighborhood, and having preexisting psychological symptoms. In addition, polyvictims are overrepresented among certain demographic groups, including boys, African American children, and children in single-parent, stepparent, and other adult caregiver families. This is the third in a series of bulletins that present findings from NatSCEV, the most comprehensive nationwide survey to date of the incidence and prevalence of children\u27s exposure to violence across all ages, settings, and timeframes

Child and Youth Victimization Known to Police, School, and Medical Authorities.

Presents the survey results from the National Survey of Children\u27s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV) regarding authorities\u27 knowledge of victimization incidents involving children and youth, particularly police, school, and medical authorities. Compared with a similar study in the early 1990s, the survey found that authorities were more likely to know about NatSCEV survey participants\u27 exposure to violence, which may reflect efforts by authorities, criminal justice and child protection agencies, and advocates to promote disclosure. This increase in disclosure is also consistent with the decrease in child victimizations during the last two decades. The survey found that 46 percent of children who were victimized in the previous year had at least one victimization known to school, police, and medical authorities, with school authorities (e.g., teachers, principals, and counselors) being the most likely to know of the victimizations. However, police were most likely to know about many of the most serious victimizations. In general, authorities were most likely to know about serious victimizations, including sexual abuse by an adult, kidnapping, and gang or group assaults. They were least likely to know about victimizations committed by other youth, including peer and sibling assaults, dating violence, flashing, and completed or attempted rate. This bulletin also discusses factors that promote or hinder disclosure of victimization incidents to authorities, and the implications of the increase in disclosure for prevention and treatment. This is the fourth in a series of bulletins that present findings from NatSCEV, the most comprehensive nationwide survey to date of the incidence and prevalence of children’s exposure to violence across all ages, settings, and timeframes