biased against them. The high level of violence found in minority neighborhoods in Los Angeles is likely related to this perception.
Crime, particularly violent crime, has been a major concern of the American population for decades. A particularly troublesome factor in recent years has been the increase in the proportion of all crimes which are perpetrated by young offenders. Persons under the age of 18 years old are responsible for approximately 32 percent of serious property crimes which are cleared by arrest and for approximately 17 percent of violent crimes so cleared. In the instance of serious crime committed by young offenders, the types of crimes and the characteristics of the individuals committing the offenses are largely known. Approximately seven percent of all juvenile delinquency referrals to juvenile courts involved violent crime. More than one half of all serious offenses committed by juveniles were committed by approximately eight percent of the juvenile population.
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