Hotz, R.L. (1995, February 18). Experts warn of new generation of killers. The Los Angeles Times.

OVERVIEW

The subtitle of this brief article is chilling: "Researchers blame 175% rise in homicides among teenagers on the growing prevalence of guns and the crack cocaine industry."

Principal presenters on this subject at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science were Alan Fox of the College of Criminal Justice at Northeastern University, Boston and Alfred Blumstein from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Among their findings, they note:

• From 1985 to 1994, the juvenile homicide rate doubled while that of the rest of the population has remained same.
• Homicide rates among teenagers 14-17 years of age have increased 175% since 1985. Teenage homicides involving handguns have quadrupled.
• The experts see this problem as endemic among teenagers of every ethnic and racial group, but it is especially prevalent among young African-Americans.
• Though about 1% of the country’s population, black teenagers account for 18% of homicide victims and 30% of those committing homicide.
• Homicide rates were stable until 1985—the year crack cocaine became the street drug of choice.
• Sociologist Alfred Blumstein of Carnegie-Mellon cites three teenage trends:
• A doubling of the juvenile homicide rate.
• A doubling of the number of juvenile homicides committed with guns.
• A doubling of the arrest rate of nonwhite juvenile drug offenses.

From these trends he concludes that the business of "crack" is behind the sharp rise in teenage homicides. "It is because of the crack industry," he says. "If you are in the drug market as a dealer, you have to carry a gun...As a result, teen fights, which are endemic anyway, are more often fatal."

Criminologist James Alan Fox concludes, "I believe we are on the verge of a crime wave that will last out the century. Unless we act today, I truly believe we will have a blood bath when all these kids grow up."

California’s legislative analyst’s office also predicted in violent crime as its teen population swells. The report (released in May, 1995) projected an increase in its teen population of 33% and juvenile arrests close to 30%—going on to say:

If the arrest rate increases in the future, as it has over the past five years, there would be even more arrests. A small number of juveniles commit the majority of criminal offenses and these juveniles-chronic recidivists-often begin their careers at...age 11.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. Does the information in this article correspond with your sense of street reality?
2. What is our society’s current attitude toward this reality?
3. What do you think must be done to stop violence among young people?

IMPLICATIONS

1. Experts during the 1980s who studied the effect of changing families, economics, and social programs compounded by the influences of media and popular toys on children predicted rising violence among young people in the 1990s.
2. No single measure such as censoring the media, gun control, stiffer sentences, or more prisons, will make any real difference. It is not that such measures should not be attempted by making youthful violence a public health issue. Each may be a step toward a larger solution. When families, community organizations, schools, criminal justice, churches, and the media unite with a common charter and message to the young, we will finally be successful in stemming this tide of violence.