 Juvenile Crime in
Lexington - 1997Our juvenile codes have not kept up with today's sophisticated and dangerous criminals, who just happen to be young. As a result, these juvenile laws teach young criminals that they can act however they want, so long as they are under the age of eighteen. The coddling of juveniles is an invitation to crime that makes a mockery of the court system and erodes public confidence in our courts. The long term solution to the problem of juvenile crime falls largely outside the criminal justice system. Those basic institutions, such as the family, schools, religious institutions and community groups that are responsible for instilling values and creating law-abiding citizens must be strengthened. In the meantime however, we must deal with those juveniles who choose to violate our laws. We must do what we can to ensure that for the large majority of juvenile offenders their first brush with the law is their last. Likewise we must do everything possible to guarantee that the small group of chronic, violent and hardened youthful offenders be punished by extended periods of incarceration. The law-abiding public is entitled to be protected from them. JUVENILE CRIME ON LEXINGTON STREETS IN 1997: 509 Felony arrests of juveniles were made by the Lexington Police Department in 1997. * 148 juveniles were prosecuted in District Court for committing very serious felonies. Many of these serious offenders were permitted to remain in school. * 24 juveniles were prosecuted as adults in Circuit Court for committing serious felonies. Several of these serious offenders were permitted to remain in school. 1,462 misdemeanor arrests of juveniles were made by the Lexington Police Department in 1997. 380 curfew violations. 1997 Felony arrests of juveniles in Lexington include the following:
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