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Juvenile arrests drop to 43-year low in Florida, Department of Juvenile Justice says

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice said juvenile arrests continued to decline in 2017 and 2018.
Generic photo of handcuffs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Juvenile arrests have dropped to a historic low, the Department of Juvenile Justice announced Monday.

The department said the number of juvenile arrests continued to decline in 2017 and 2018, dropping to the lowest number of arrests in 43 years. Felony arrests of juveniles have dropped 10 percent over the last fiscal year, and overall juvenile arrests dropped eight percent in the same time frame.

In the fiscal year 2013-2014, there were more than 78,000 juvenile arrests. In 2017-2018, there were a little more than 59,000.

"The decreases we are seeing juvenile arrests are due to the collaborative efforts of our dedicated DJJ staff, law enforcement partners, and community stakeholders," Interim Secretary Timothy Niermann said. "Helping young people turn around their lives for the better is what we all strive for every day, and we remain focused on investing in our youth and helping them achieve a brighter future."

The report released Monday covers a five-year period and shows a 13 percent decrease in armed robbery, a 20 percent decrease in burglary arrests and a 42 percent decrease in stolen property arrests. Misdemeanor offenses also decreased by nine percent last fiscal year, the report says.

Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are among the five Florida counties with the largest populations, and both saw decreases in juvenile arrests. Hillsborough saw an eight percent decrease and Pinellas saw a two percent decrease.

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