During discussions about a rise in juvenile crime on Wednesday, County Health Officer Dr. Kisha Davis emphasized that youth are more likely to be victims of crime.
“The headlines are often about the crimes that young people commit — young people are much more likely to be victims of violent crime,” Davis told councilmembers during a joint council committee meeting.
She said youth are “much more likely” to be victims of gun violence than perpetrators, and rates of youth homicide have increased — “so we want to make sure that we are looking at all of the factors that are relating to youth harm and safety.”
According to County Police Chief Marcus Jones, there has been an “incredible increase” in juvenile arrests for violent offenses.
“And I think the most telling number, as noted, is the increase in the numbers of our victims who are juveniles,” Jones said.
Davis emphasized the point later during County Executive Marc Elrich’s weekly media briefing Wednesday.
“Often in the conversation around youth violence it is talked about what kids are doing, and I also want to make sure that part of that conversation is what is being done to kids,” Davis said during the briefing.
Elrich said police data shows a spike in juvenile violent crime and a more than 200% increase in victims from fiscal year 2022 to FY23, and a more than 300% increase in arrestees.
There were 92 juvenile arrestees for violent crime in FY22 versus 395 in FY23, according to data. There were 215 juvenile victims of violent crime reported in FY22, which increased to 679 in FY23.
