Most victims of juvenile violence were juveniles

Law enforcement reports in the 1997 and 1998 NIBRS files show that juvenile offenders victimized 27% of the sexual assault victims, 20% of the robbery victims, 19% of the aggravated assault victims, and 18% of the simple assault victims in those years. The victims of juvenile offenders were most likely to be about the same age as the offender: 38% of the victims of juvenile violence were no more than 1 year older or younger than the offender, and the age difference was 2 years or less for 50% of victims, 5 years or less for 65% of victims. Thus, victims of juvenile crime tended to be preteens or teens.

Older juveniles were more likely than any other age group to be the victims of violence committed by juveniles. Among juvenile victims ages 12–17, 53% were victimized by other juveniles. In contrast, only 14% of infant victims (younger than age 1) were victimized by juvenile offenders. The proportion of juvenile offenders dropped slightly (to 13%) for 1-year-old victims, then rose steadily to 64% for 12- year-old victims. A juvenile offender was involved in fewer than 1 in 10 violent victimizations of adults.

Proportion of all victims victimized by juvenile offenders:
 
Victim Age
Offense
<18
<12
12–17
18+
Total offenses
51%
47%
53%
9%
Sexual assault
36
44
30
5
Robbery
59
80
56
13
Aggravated assault
55
49
56
11
Simple assault
55
49
56
9

Adults constituted only 4% of the victims of sexual assault by juvenile offenders but more than half (57%) of the victims of juvenile robbers.

Age characteristics of victims of juvenile offenders:

 

Victim Age

Offense

<12

12–17

18–49

50+

Total offenses

16%

46%

35%

3%

Sexual assault

55

40

4

0

Robbery

7

36

48

9

Aggravated assault

12

42

43

3

Simple assault

13

48

36

3

Note: Detail may not total 100% because of rounding.

The age profile for victims of juvenile offenders was skewed toward younger ages

Chart showing age profile of violent crime victims, by offender category (juvenile and adult), 1997-98.

  • Because 81% of all victims of violent crime were victimized by adult offenders, the age profiles for all victims and for victims of adult offenders were very similar.

  • Among victims of violent crime committed by juvenile offenders, 62% were younger than 18, compared with 14% of the victims of adult offenders.

Data source: Analysis of the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System data for 1997 and 1998. [See data source note for details.]

Juveniles were the majority of offenders only among violent crime victims ages 8–15

Chart showing percent of violent crime victims by offender age category (juvenile and adult), by victim age, 1997-98.

  • No more than 1 in 7 violent crime victims (14%) in any age group above 18 was the victim of a juvenile offender.

  • Juvenile offenders acting with adults victimized 3% of all violent crime victims, 3% of those younger than 15, 9% of those ages 15–17, and 2% of those ages 18 and older.

Data source: Analysis of the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System data for 1997 and 1998. [See data source note for details.]

The age profile for victims of sexual assault by juvenile offenders differed from the age profiles for victims of other violent crimes

Four charts showing victim age profile by offender age category (juvenile and adult), for sexual assault, aggravated assault, simple assault, and robbery, 1997-98

  • In contrast to victim profiles for other violent crimes by juvenile offenders, a disproportionate number of sexual assault victims were younger than 10, and relatively large numbers were ages 3–5.

Among adult victims of violent crime, especially victims of sexual assault, only a small percentage of victimizations involved juvenile offenders

Four charts showing percent of victims by offender age category (juvenile and adult), by victim age, for sexual assault, aggravated assault, simple assault, and robbery, 1997-98

Note: There were too few cases to obtain reliable offender proportions for sexual assault victims older than 50 or robbery victims younger than 10.

Data source: Analysis of the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System data for 1997 and 1998. [See data source note for details.]

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Victims of Violent Juvenile Crime OJJDP Bulletin • July 2004