BALTIMORE, MD—A new study by the personal injury law firm Anidjar & Levine claims that Maryland has the ninth-most severe rate of youth aggression in the nation, citing the state’s high juvenile aggravated assault arrest rates.
The research, which analyzed juvenile arrest data from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) between 2016 and 2020, found that Maryland had a five-year average of 114 arrests per 100,000 youths. This figure is 44.3% higher than the national average of 79.
According to the study, Maryland’s juvenile aggravated assault arrest rate peaked at 155 per 100,000 in 2017 before dropping significantly to just 14 in 2020.
“The data reveals that Maryland reported the ninth-highest juvenile arrest rates for aggravated assault in the U.S.,” a spokesperson for Anidjar & Levine said in a statement. “These figures highlight a growing trend of aggression among children and teenagers.”
The firm suggested that factors such as school violence, bullying, emotional stress, and a lack of support systems can contribute to violent behavior in youth. To address the issue, the spokesperson recommended a “collaborative effort among parents, educators, and communities,” emphasizing the importance of early intervention, counseling, and youth mentorship programs.
More details are available in the table below.
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