BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Federation’s Crime Statistics for 2008 shows that juveniles are responsible for committing approximately 13 percent of detected crime.
The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force compiled and issued comparative crime statistics for the Federation for the past couple of years, according to which, in 2008, there was a slight increase in the number of crimes committed by juveniles as compared with that of 2007.
In 2006, 87 or 13.20 percent of the 659 detected crimes were committed by juveniles. A reduction was realised in 2007 with 67 of the 576 detected crimes being committed by juveniles. In 2008, however, 2007’s figure increased by 32.84 percent. Thus, juveniles were responsible for committing 12.79 percent of detected crimes that year.
Two cases of “escaping lawful custody” were recorded in 2008, both of which were committed by juveniles. During the previous year, however, five cases were recorded, one of which was committed by juveniles.
Little more than 42 percent of “house breaking and larceny” incidents was committed by juveniles, an increase from the 28.9 percent which was recorded the previous year.
Almost 37 percent of “robbery” incidents recorded in 2008 was perpetrated by juveniles, which registers an increase from the 26.92 percent recorded in 2007.
Increase was also recorded in the area of “murder”. The stats indicate that one of the 11 detected incidents was committed by a juvenile. The seven cases solved in 2007 were committed by adults.
Increases in juvenile involvement in the areas of “larceny” and “indecent assault against females” were also recorded last year; 12.82 percent and 20 percent respectively. One incident or 10 percent of rape cases recorded last year was laid at the feet of juveniles.
While juveniles were responsible for 4.72% of incidents of “possession of controlled drugs” in 2008, none of the “possession with intent to supply” incidents were committed by juveniles.
The statistics issued by the police also provide an analysis of criminal activity on each island. According to that analysis, in 2006, 14.86 percent of detected crime on St. Kitts was perpetrated by juveniles and in 2007 that figure decreased to 12.30 percent. Last year, however, juvenile involvement in solved crimes rose and almost equalled that of 2006.
The trend in Nevis was slightly different; in that in 2006, percentage of detected crimes committed by juveniles stood at 6.72 and rose in the following year to 9.30. It decreased last year and stood then at 6.10 percent.
