JUVENILE CRIME EXPERTS have not reached a consensus on the reasons for the increase in violent juvenile crime. Demographers, who conduct statistical studies of human populations, have pored over various statistics for millions of juveniles across the nation in search of patterns. Members of America's justice system have looked for recurring themes in the profiles of juvenile criminals. Scientists have searched for biological factors that may help explain the increase. Sociologists, criminal experts, and specialists from other fields have also joined the search, isolating various factors they believe have contributed to the increase in violent crime among juveniles.

Demographic trends

One explanation for the increase in violent juvenile crimes is the rise in the nation's juvenile population. Demographers studying population trends over many decades have found links between increases in the juvenile population and the rise in juvenile crime rates...