Since 2007, there has been a 21 percent decline in juvenile arrests for Part I offenses in the District and total arrests are also on the downswing for DC young people. Despite the harmful rhetoric surrounding juvenile crime in the District, young people make up a proportionately low number of arrests. Citing these trends, R. Daniel Okonkwo, Executive Director of DC Lawyers for Youth, will testify today before the District of Columbia City Council Committee on the Judiciary during a Public Oversight Hearing on the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

“In the interest of maintaining public safety, supporting communities, and improving life outcomes for District youth, it is crucial that policies and strategies developed by the Executive Branch and the City Council are in line with the data,” said Okonkwo. “Juvenile arrests are on the decline in DC and we should use this opportunity to shore up these gains with smart investments in front-end services and supports for young people that prevent youth from coming into contact with the police and courts in the first place.”

Comparison of Juvenile, Young Adult, and Adult Arrests in the District of Columbia (2010), the second in a series of issues briefs analyzing data pertaining to juvenile crime in the District of Columbia, was released today from DCLY. The brief series notes that young adult and adult arrests far outnumber those of juveniles and that juvenile arrests are trending downward in nearly every offense category. “We have to keep in mind that almost 99% of District youth were not arrested last year for a violent offense.  In addition, juvenile arrests for violent crimes are either down or holding steady across the board, with robberies standing out as the only sub-category on the rise,” added Okonkwo. “While it is concerning that robbery arrests increased, effective strategies should hone in on the root causes of this increase and should not include sweeping generalizations vilifying young people; it is the obligation of the city government, advocates and communities to create an environment where young people are able to become and be seen as productive citizens.”

Click to read Mr. Okonkwo’s testimony and the full brief Comparison of Juvenile, Young Adult, and Adult Arrests in the District of Columbia (2010), released today by DC Lawyers for Youth. To read DCLY’s first brief, click here.  For additional information, please contact R. Daniel Okonkwo [office: 202.386.7104, cell: 202.630.0466, email: dokonkwo@dcly.org] or contact Jason Fenster [office: 202.558.7974 x306, cell: 202.656.5336]. For more information about DC Lawyers for Youth, visit www.dcly.org.

The mission of DC Lawyers for Youth (DCLY) is to improve the Washington DC juvenile justice system by advocating for reforms that promote positive youth development, effective legal representation, and the positive reintegration of court-involved youth.

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